Treat for Mozart fans as duo perform in city

Audiences are in for a treat when two people who have worked renowned international orchestras and musicians bring their love of Mozart to Whangarei tomorrow.

Catherine Mackintosh and Douglas Mews will perform An exploration of Mozart's Violin sonatas with fortepiano, with readings of letters penned by the Mozart family at the Old Library, in Whangarei.

Mackintosh toured the world with the Academy of Ancient Music and Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and, as director, led them in a number of best-selling classical recordings. She has taken part in a fascinating era of discovery, pioneering many ground-breaking projects using original instruments.

After a conventional training at the Royal College of Music, Mackintosh took up the viola and baroque violin, attracted by the expressive possibilities which early instruments can bring to pre-classical repertoire. On her New Zealand tour she will present a programme of Mozart violin sonatas with well-known New Zealand organist, harpsichordist and fortepiano player, Douglas Mews.

Mews is a freelance musician based in Wellington, teaching organ and harpsichord at the New Zealand School of Music. After graduating from Auckland University with a M.Mus in organ and harpsichord, he had two years' harpsichord study at the Hague Conservatorium. Tonight , at a violin master class, Mackintosh will work with six talented young Whangarei violinists on prepared works. The class will be open to a public audience from 4.30- 6pm at the Old Library in Rust Ave.

Mackintosh and Mews will perform Duo Sonatas for violin and fortepiano, with readings of letters penned by the Mozart family tomorrow, 7.30pm at the Old Library.