Piano and violin duo play for free

JAKARTA (JP): Renowned pianist Brachi Tilles and violinist Spiros Rantos will perform a free concert in Denpasar, Bali, tonight (Thursday).

Sponsored by Ansett Australia, the concert will start at 7 p.m. in the Natya Mandala at the Sekolah Tinggi Seni Indonesia (STSI), Jl. Nusa Indah, Denpasar.

The duo combines Viennese finesse with Mediterranean temperament in their repertoire, which includes classics such as Beethoven's Rondino, Rachmaninov's Margaritas, Ravel's Habanera and Brahms' Scherzo.

They will also perform pieces with a world, featuring fresh and lively folk and gypsy themes: Konstantinides Greek dances, Bartok Roumanian Dances and the De Fella Dance Espagnole.

One of the highlights of the concert will be the premiere of a collaboration between several local composers, including I Wayan Gandra, and the duo in a "piece for the Millennium" that features Western instruments (the violin and piano) and Balinese one.

It was in Vienna, Austria, where Greek-born Spiros Rantos and Israeli-born Brachi Tilles started their musical partnership. Since 1976, they have resided in Australia while keeping up their touring and performance commitments overseas with groups diverse as the Cologne Chamber Orchestra, Harmonia Mundi, Ensemble I and the Queensland Philharmonic Orchestra.

Spiros is the founder, artistic director and conductor of the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra, which has its own series in Melbourne.

Tilles appears as a soloist with numerous orchestras, in chamber music with Ensemble I and in recitals with various artists.