Christ Church Concerts are delighted to welcome a return visit from virtuoso violinist, London based Patrick Savage. This will be Patrick’s third concert in Daylesford and yet again it will be unique and special. On this occasion the concert will be a nostalgic celebration of the “salon” tradition, from virtuosic miniatures to beloved classics by composers such as Dvorak, Brahms and Kreisler. The concert is also a heartfelt tribute to the late and legendary Donald Scotts, Patrick’s incomparable violin teacher for 12 years in Melbourne. Patrick has produced a CD which captures many of these pieces as a tribute to Don – “Encores for Mr Scotts.”
About Salon Music Salon music, a distinct genre of 19th-century European classical music, emerged from intimate domestic and social gatherings known as “salons.” Primarily composed for solo piano or piano with another instrument, this music is characterised by its concise, self-contained nature, featuring lyrical melodies, straightforward harmonies, and easily understood forms. While often considered a subcategory of Romantic music, salon pieces encompass both emotive lyrical works like nocturnes and romances, as well as dazzling virtuosic displays such as operatic paraphrases and fantasias. Though the definition of salon music has been debated, with some critics dismissing it as superficial, others, like Robert Schumann, recognised its potential for lasting artistic value, citing works by Beethoven, Weber, and Mendelssohn as examples of salon-appropriate music that transcended mere entertainment. The salon itself served as a crucial semi-public space, offering composers and performers a platform to test new pieces, build reputations, and cultivate patronage, particularly in cities with limited public concert opportunities. Paris was a prominent hub for these musical salons, hosted by influential figures known as “salonnières,” but parallel cultures also flourished in other major European cities. These gatherings were particularly vital for women composers, who found in the salon a more accessible venue than the male-dominated public concert halls.
About the Artists
Patrick Savage is a versatile Australian-born violinist based in London, recognized as one of Britain’s leading violinists. His career spans classical performances on global stages as a guest concertmaster, soloist, and chamber musician, as well as extensive work outside the classical realm. He has led touring bands for icons Burt Bacharach and Quincy Jones, performed electroacoustic sets, conducted studio orchestras for film and television scores, and led the band for the London production of Hamilton. As a BAFTArecognised composer, he has scored multiple feature films. SAL
Savage’s 2024 album, “The Golden Age of Hollywood: Concert Works for Violin and Piano” with Martin Cousin, has received critical acclaim. Upcoming projects include premieres of new works for ABC Classic and his arrangement of Saint-Saëns’ film score L’Assassinat du duc de Guise. Previously, as the first violinist of the Tippett Quartet, he championed contemporary British composers and performed at renowned venues. He has appeared as a soloist with numerous British orchestras, including the BBC Concert Orchestra and the Philharmonia, and served as guest concertmaster for major international ensembles such as the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin and the Australian World Orchestra.
- Coady Green is a prominent and highly active Australian concert pianist, recognised internationally for his significant talent. After achieving numerous prestigious awards in Australia, he relocated to London in 2005, where he performed frequently in major UK venues and held teaching positions at the University of London and the Royal College of Music for eleven years.
Green has performed in over 20 countries, appearing in prestigious concert halls globally, including Wigmore Hall, Sydney Opera House, and Carnegie Hall. He is also a frequent guest lecturer at international tertiary institutions. Coady established the International Liszt Society Piano Prize (UK) and served as Artistic Director for the International Open Piano Competition in the UK and Italy.
Currently, he lectures in music performance, piano pedagogy, and keyboard repertoire at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music.
His recording projects include the complete solo and chamber music of Australian composer Linda Kouvaras for Toccata Classics, with the first album released in May 2024 and the second in January 2025. He also records the complete Etudes and Preludes of Anton Rubinstein.
Coady is the artistic director of several Melbourne festivals and series, including the fortyfivedownstairs Chamber Music Festival and the Tempo Queer festival, as well as the St George’s Friends of Music Series. He serves on the boards of several arts organisations and is a musical director at the Australian Contemporary Opera Company (ACOCO). Since 2017, he has received over 30 awards and grants from Australian cultural institutions for his work in commissioning new Australian compositions.
Tribute CD “Encores for Mr Scotts”
A new CD has been released as a profound tribute to the late Donald Scotts, celebrating his legacy as a revered violinist and teacher. The album features “dazzling, charming and sometimes mischievous musical miniatures” that Scotts himself “performed, taught and treasured throughout his life,” drawn from his personal collection of annotated scores. Featuring composers like Fritz Kreisler and Alfred Hill, these pieces are described by violinist Patrick, a former student of Scotts, as “powerfully evocative and rich in subtlety and nuance and emotion.” Patrick finds playing these works, marked with “his own pencil markings,” to be like “continuing a conversation that we began many years ago,” feeling that “the influence of a special teacher like Don never leaves you.” The project is explicitly a “celebration of inspirational, kind, generous-hearted teaching” and a “thank you to Don, with all his humour, his charm and his charisma,” aiming to allow audiences to “feel they have known Don Scotts somehow – just a little.” Donald Scotts was one of Australia’s most respected violinists and teachers.
Event Details ENCORE! AN AFTERNOON OF SALON MUSIC GEMS
Christ Church Concerts, Christ Church, 54 Central Springs Road, Daylesford Saturday 5 September 2.30pm Bookings: https://www.trybooking.com/DIVSQ
For media enquiries please contact:
Frank Page, frank@pagebell.com 0417 010 817
