World-class violinist performing classical masterpieces in Cowra

Cowra audiences will have the chance to experience world-class classical music when internationally acclaimed violinist Jonathon Glonek performs at the Cowra Japanese Garden and Cultural Centre on Thursday, 29 October. After performing at Rosnay Organic Wines earlier in the year, Mr Glonek lamented that he had missed out on visiting the Japanese garden during a busy past tour, so this performance schedule has incorporated the world-renowned gardens as a venue. Presented by the Bendoc Philharmonic, the 7pm solo concert will feature works by Bach, Paganini and Ysaÿe, alongside Scheherazade's Dreams, a technically demanding composition by acclaimed Ukrainian composer Mikhail Shukh. With a musical career spanning 55 years, Mr Glonek is passionate about bringing live classical music to regional audiences and encouraging people to discover the genre, even if they have never attended a concert before. “It's not just the sound, but the visual aspect and seeing what the human body can do to create this event,” he said. A highlight of the program will be Scheherazade's Dreams, which holds particular significance for Mr Glonek. The violinist met Shukh while performing with the Kyiv Festival Symphony in 2002, and the pair formed a lasting friendship. Shukh later composed the work specifically for Mr Glonek, drawing inspiration from Rimsky-Korsakov's celebrated Scheherazade while reimagining its themes through a contemporary lens. Mr Glonek said regional audiences had been particularly receptive to his performances, recalling a family in Broken Hill who attended one of his concerts despite having never experienced a live classical violin performance. “Even if you don't like music, come along anyway, because there'll be something else that you'll get from it,” he said. “Seeing a musician perform live stays with you your whole life, because you may never see it again.” Having performed across Australia, Europe, Asia and the United States, Mr Glonek's career has included a full-time position with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and performances with Melbourne's Opera and Ballet Orchestra. He also challenged the perception that classical musicians are reserved or conventional, suggesting the lives of some of history's greatest composers were anything but ordinary. “Classical musicians, as personalities and in their life, are absolutely the real thing,” he said. “They're a tonne wilder than any rock star has ever been.” For Mr Glonek, the enduring appeal of classical music lies in its ability to remain relevant across generations. “Some of this music, some of the Bach, is going back to the 1600s, and it's still very fresh,” he said. He hopes the Cowra performance will give audiences an opportunity to experience the virtuosity of the violin up close and discover something unexpected in music written centuries ago. Tickets are $40 for adults, with free entry for those under 18. Bookings are available at www.trybooking.com.