Pharos Arts Foundation

International Chamber Music Festival
Friday 25 May / Royal Manor House, Kouklia / 8:30pmWolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 – 1791)
Flute Quartet No.3 in C, K.285b (1778)
Felix Mendelssohn (1809 –1847)
Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor, Op. 49 (1839) arrangement for flute
Johannes Brahms (1833 – 1897)
Piano Quintet in F Minor, Op. 34 (1861)
We were fortunate enough to be in Cyprus for the second year in a row during the Pharos Arts Foundation's annual international chamber music festival. This acclaimed festival brings together world class musicians for a range of truly luscious chamber music concerts in amazingly atmospheric venues, including The Royal Manor House at Kouklia, a medieval monument on the site of Aphrodite's Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site dating back over 3,500 years. Other venues include the open air at The Olive Grove at Delikipos, and the Shoe Factory in the heart of old Nicosia.

After a lovely meal in the village of Kouklia, we walked up in the golden evening light through the ruins of Aphrodite's Temple, with a view to the sea to the right. The opening piece, Mozart's flute quartet no 3 reflected the usual genius of Mozart, despite the fact that apparently he wasn't overly enamoured of the flute as an instrument! As the music progressed through the evening it also progressed through history: it was noticeable how much more romantic the pieces became in the 19th century, and this was wonderfully reflected in the sheer passion with which these wonderful musicians played. Interestingly they included Levon Chilingirian, one of the founders of the Chilingirian Quartet and a son of Cyprus through Armenian parentage.

The interval drinks were served in the courtyard of the Manor House, atmospherically lit and dominated by a magnificent tree in the centre. The event had the peculiar intimacy of Cyprus cultural events of old, where many in the audience knew each other, well, a little, or even just by sight.

The music-making was of the highest standard, and with the musicians milling about in the courtyard too, it was particularly interesting to see pianist Ashley Wass having a last quiet look at the Brahms score under the tree in the gloaming, minutes before he was due to play it. And play it he did, with depth and agility matched by the four string players.

A magical evening thanks to the Pharos Arts Foundation, which punches well above its weight in the world of the arts. We are coveting a visit to the Olive Grove at Delikipos! and wondering about the extent to which the Pharos schedule of events will play a part in the timing of our future visits to Cyprus...

For more like this, see: http://www.thepharostrust.org/about.htm. And for Pharos in the BBC Music Magazine's Festival Guide see the very end of: http://www.classical-music.com/festival-guide-2012#international_pharos_chamber_music_festival

Musicians:
Mozart: Emmanuel Pahud / flute, Levon Chilingirian / violin, Philip Dukes / viola, Tim Park / cello
Mendelssohn: Emmanuel Pahud / flute, Ashley Wass / piano, Alexander Chaushian / cello
Brahms: Ashley Wass / piano, Levon Chilingirian / violin, Maya Avramovic / violin, Philip Dukes / viola, Tim Park / cello