Vivaldi concert brings exceptional string playing to Warragul

A performance of Vivaldi's The Four Seasons at Warragul Anglican Church left local audiences calling for more after 98 per cent of seats were sold.

The intimate Warragul Anglican Heritage Church was transformed into a concert hall on July 18 when The McCaffery Family presented violinist Matthew Rigby and the Renaissance Revival Orchestra in Antonio Vivaldi's complete Four Seasons.

The concert brought together an outstanding ensemble of regional and metropolitan musicians, with Rigby joined by Samantha Cohen on theorbo and baroque guitar, Peter Hagen on harpsichord, Craig Doherty on pipe organ and a string orchestra drawn from Gippsland and Melbourne.

For producer Malcolm McCaffery, the near-capacity audience demonstrated Gippsland residents were eager to experience ambitious classical performances close to home.

"People in regional communities should not always have to travel to Melbourne to hear music performed at this level," Mr McCaffery said.

"Our goal is to bring exceptional artists together with musicians from our own region and create concerts that feel welcoming, exciting and genuinely special."

Rigby delivered the demanding solo violin part with energy, precision and theatrical flair, bringing Vivaldi's musical pictures of birdsong, summer storms, harvest celebrations and icy winds vividly to life.
The violinist began his professional concerto career at 15-years-old and has since performed more than 30 concertos and solo works with orchestra. His career has included performances with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Queensland Symphony Orchestra and Melbourne Chamber Orchestra, as well as engagements throughout Australia, Europe and China.
Following the concert, Rigby wrote: "Had such a great time performing Vivaldi's Four Seasons yesterday in Warragul with the Renaissance Revival Orchestra."
The experience proved so positive that Rigby and The McCaffery Family are now discussing several possible future collaborations.
Ideas include a solo recital tracing the evolution of virtuosic violin repertoire and showcasing some of the instrument's most challenging music, including the Paganini Caprices. Plans are also being explored for Rigby to perform Bach's celebrated Double Violin Concerto with the Renaissance Revival Orchestra in 2027.
The distinctive sound of Cohen's theorbo was another highlight. The long-necked Baroque instrument is rarely heard in regional concert programs. Cohen has performed with ensembles including the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, Australian Chamber Orchestra, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Melbourne Chamber Orchestra.
Audience member Annie Oakley described the performance as a privilege for the community.
"We absolutely loved the concert," she said. "It was such a privilege to experience a performance of such an incredibly high standard here in Warragul. The musicians were exceptionally talented, and the whole concert was simply wonderful," she said.
Some audience members travelled considerable distances to attend.
Jan Pickburn said Warragul residents were fortunate to have such an event only a few minutes from home.
"What a wonderful afternoon of entertainment," she said. "Vivaldi's Four Seasons, performed by the Renaissance Revival Orchestra in the Warragul Anglican Church—what an amazing venue. It was perfect."
Mrs Pickburn particularly appreciated the supplementary Listen for the Sounds sheet, which helped audience members follow the musical storytelling.
Vivaldi composed the four concertos to portray scenes associated with spring, summer, autumn and winter. The concert program presented the accompanying seasonal sonnets in both Italian and English, allowing listeners to follow images including singing birds, thunderstorms, sleeping shepherds, harvest dances, cracking ice and winds at war.
Audience member Mary Hughes praised every aspect of the presentation, from the musicianship to the printed program and promotion.
"Malcolm deserves so much appreciation for the quality of every aspect: marketing, classy printed program, commitment to the musicians and to classical music lovers in Gippsland," she said.
The enthusiastic response has strengthened The McCaffery Family's commitment to creating further large-scale baroque concerts.
The Renaissance Revival Orchestra's next performance will be Symphony of Love, featuring one of Australia's top young conductors, Leonard Weiss, on Saturday, September 5 at Drouin Secondary College at 2pm.