Presented in association with Musica Viva Australia

Suite Magica pairs the extraordinary combination of guitar and harp with a selection of works that display the energy, versatility and beauty of these much-loved instruments – delivered by two of Australia’s most captivating performers.

Rarely seen together, this instrumental pairing is at once both fresh and familiar. Side by side on stage, the instruments face each other like an enchanted reflection – with striking visual and aural similarities. In this way, the sound world created by these two plucked string instruments is not dissimilar to that of a guitar duo – the harp, with its 47 resonant strings and a collection of extended techniques, providing an expanded range of expressive possibilities to the more common two-guitar pairing.

Andrew Blanch and Emily Granger fell in love with the expressive potential of this ensemble while on the other side of the world in late 2019. Both were in residence at the Banff Centre for the Arts and working on material for their own solo recording projects. Despite both living in Sydney, the two had not previously crossed paths and were excited to find a like-minded collaborator. They quickly set to work exploring the existing repertoire, commissioning new works and arrangements, and have since performed widely, including concerts for Sydney Opera House, UKARIA, Canberra International Music Festival and Australian Digital Concert Hall.

In Suite Magica, Andrew and Emily share some of the finest music from their explorations, including exciting new commissions by Australia’s leading composers, arrangements of popular favourites, and more.