Utzon Music | Emily Sun & Slava Grigoryan
17 August 2025, Utzon Room, Sydney Opera House
Today we witnessed the start of a musical partnership that feels like it’s been going for years, such was the spell cast by violinist Emily Sun and guitarist Slava Grigoryan in this intimate Utzon Music concert, a short and sunny Sunday afternoon program that shimmered with virtuosity and warmth.
Curated by Genevieve Lacey, who welcomed the audience with her usual charm, the Utzon Music series celebrates new collaborations, living composers and the intimacy of live performance in a space like no other. With Sydney Harbour in all its glory glinting behind the performers and a glass of bubbles in hand, it’s the kind of atmosphere that invites both attention and ease. And this duo, playing together in concert for the first time, made the most of every moment.
They began with Centone di Sonate Op. 64 No. 1, written for violin and guitar by Niccolò Paganini, a virtuoso himself. Sun’s violin took the spotlight, the writing playful and expressive, while Grigoryan’s guitar provided sensitive accompaniment. The connection between them was immediate, a subtle lean, a shared smile, a knowing nod, all translated to the audience a sense of fun.
Next came Astor Piazzolla’s Histoire du Tango, performed in full. This beloved work traces tango’s evolution across the 20th century, from the flirtatious Bordel 1900 to the smoky Café 1930, the jazz-tinged Nightclub 1960 and finally the bold, angular Concert d’aujourd’hui. Originally written for flute and guitar, it worked beautifully here. Sun embraced the lyrical drama, while Grigoryan explored colour and rhythm, tapping the guitar body, playing harmonics and anchoring the dance. They shifted moods with ease, capturing both tango’s pulse and its poetry.
Then, a world premiere: Andrew Howes’ Prism, written especially for this concert. Sun and Howes have known each other since their teens, she joked the last piece he wrote for her was a harmony assignment. But this was no student sketch. Inspired by the interaction of light and glass, Prism shimmered with high harmonics and sweeping glissandi that arced like rays refracting through crystal. It began with distant sparks of colour, built to an intensely glowing centre, then faded to a single high note that was unexpected, sublime and suspended like light. A quietly magical moment, and a reminder of how special it is to hear new music with the composer in the room.
From contemporary shimmer to Baroque elegance, Locatelli’s Sonata in D minor, Op. 6 No. 12 brought us into 18th-century rhetoric. Originally scored for violin and continuo, Grigoryan embodied the entire ensemble. Across its four movements (Adagio, Allegro, Andante, Allegro) Sun and Grigoryan shifted from gentle restraint to percussive energy. She played with her whole body, inhabiting the musical drama; he matched her with depth and sparkle.
Finally, Sarasate’s Zigeunerweisen (Gypsy Airs) – a showstopper rich in Hungarian-Romani flair. Not a single folk dance, but a rhapsody of rhythms and moods. Sun brought dazzling virtuosity, while Grigoryan gave it pulse and fire. You could hear the stamp of a dancer’s heel, feel the push and pull of the duel between the players. It was expressive, flamboyant, full of flair and a perfect closer.
Short concerts are a hallmark of the Utzon series, no interval, just music, harbour views and a relaxing glass of sparkling. And this one had it all: brilliance, beauty and the promise of a partnership we’d gladly hear again.
Photo credit: Gabrielle Clement
