An afternoon of brilliant guitar – support the Woodend Winter Arts Festival

Ziggy & Miles: Sidekick

Internationally-acclaimed Australian guitarist brothers Ziggy and Miles Johnston return home for an evening of virtuosic playing and captivating music-making. Based in New York, the duo has been praised for their “deeply considered musicianship, immaculate care and superlative technique” (5MBS). Winners of the 2023 Young Concert Artists International Auditions, they are rapidly establishing themselves as two of Australia’s finest young musicians on the world stage.

Inspired by their time living in New York City, brothers Ziggy & Miles present a program that demonstrates the guitar duo's unique strengths: its chamber music-like interplay, ability to sound as a unified entity, and capacity to evoke the rich colours of a full orchestra. 

Written for the brothers, the title piece of this concert, Sidekick by Katie Jenkins, intentionally inflates and satires the brothers’ relationship with musical bickering and sparring virtuosity. She writes “They make fun of each other but need each other, they compete with one another but are stronger together. Sidekick satires their unbreakably strong but at times hilarious brotherly dynamic.” This concert also features the brother’s arrangement of Claude Debussy’s Suite bergamasque. Through their arrangement, Debussy’s timeless classic finds a natural home on the guitar through its similar focus toward intimacy and colour. Bookending the concert are two of the most important guitar duo pieces from Latin America. Beginning with Astor Piazzolla’s fiery Tango no.1: Deciso from the Tango Suite, and finishing with Radamés Gnattali’s Suite Retratos, both works are masterclasses in guitar chamber music and interpretive freedom. 

When: Saturday November 15 at 2.30pm
Where: St Ambrose Church, Woodend

All funds raised will support the Woodend Winter Arts Festival, ensuring that we can continue to bring outstanding music, art, and ideas to our community each winter.

We warmly invite you to join us for what promises to be an unforgettable evening.

In addition we are already selling tickets for our Carols event this year. If you get tickets to both concerts now you can save on booking fees!

With thanks for your continued support,
The Woodend Winter Arts Festival Team

The Woodend Winter Arts Festival is a registered charity. All donations over $2 are tax deductible. Donate here or visit our website for more information on how to donate.