By Romy Stephens
Classical music lovers will be treated to a rare solo concert by internationally-acclaimed guitarist Karin Schaupp next month.
Karin will perform a collection of narrative works and beloved musical treasures at the Montrose Town Centre on 9 November.
Steering clear from her typical collaborative work, Karin will make an unusual lone venture onto the stage.
Listeners can indulge in the guitarist’s renowned emotive delivery and delicate precision performed on two different guitars.
The first will be a romantic 19th-century replica guitar and the second, a modern-day classical guitar.
She will play repertoire by Mertz, Giuliani and Regondi on the romantic guitar and Mary Doumany’s evocative Portraits of Four Australian Women for guitar and voice – composed especially for Karin – on the modern guitar.
Karin said the smaller venue at Montrose will help create a more intimate atmosphere for attendees.
“It’s really nice to play in smaller venues,” she said.
“You’re usually much closer to the audience and also the guitar by nature is a quietly spoken instrument,” she said.
She added that the audience “will go on a journey through a couple of centuries of music.”
“Early romantic music to some very emotional, much more recent, works by Australian composers,” she said.
“My focus is on storytelling and taking the audience on a journey and putting people in touch with themselves.”
Karin’s musical instinct spans back to before she was even born, with her mother having also played the guitar.
When Karin was three years old, her grandmother gave her a guitar for Christmas and she then began lessons with her mother at the age of five.
Like many other musicians, playing was a tool for her to express herself growing up.
“I was actually born in Germany and we moved to Australia when I was eight years old,” she said.
“The guitar was a bridge for me because I couldn’t speak English.”
Karin went on to win many international competitions and awards as she grew up, including a 2017 ARIA Award for her album with singer Katie Noonan called Songs of The Latin Skies.
She is also the head of classical guitar at the Queensland Conservatorium, Griffith University.
Karin’s performance will start at 8pm. For more information, visit ach.yarraranges.vic.gov.au/Venues/Montrose_Town_Centre.
