PROOF apparent that classical music is blossoming in the regions will be seen on Sunday when the newish Highlands Music Collective makes its Canberra debut.

The piano and string ensemble, directed by violinist Myee Clohessey, formerly of the Acacia Quartet, will perform “Heart Strings and Fire!” a repeat of the sold-out finale at  Bowral Autumn Music Festival, about which I earlier wrote: “This was a breathtakingly virtuosic performance”.

With shimmering effects from the strings and pulsating arpeggios from the piano, the Highlands Music Collective pulled at the heartstrings in performing piano trios by composers Elena Kats-Chernin and (Canberra’s own) Sally Greenaway.

Greenaway’s “Le Parc Monceau”, which opens the concert, was written to celebrate the golden wedding anniversary (50 years) of Canberra musical couple, Michael and Mary Tatchell.

Following that will be Kats-Chernin’s “Ways of Enchantment”, a commissioned gift to celebrate the 25th wedding anniversary of the collective’s cellist Catherine Barnett from her husband Dr Stephen Barnett.

The second half of the program then and now features the Highlands Music Collective as a string quintet with 19-year-old violinist Cedar-Rose Newman as soloist in Astor Piazzolla’s fiery “Four Seasons of Buenos Aires”, arranged by Desyatnikov for string quintet and violin solo.

Newman is a local success story, having recently returned from studying in New York as winner of the Manhattan School of Music Pre-College String Concerto Competition in 2019.

In 2022 she was selected to attend Music at Menlo in San Francisco, a specialist chamber program for young string players from around the world. Cedar has given many recitals in the US, Europe and Australia, also making solo appearances with the Steel City Strings.

She was recently announced in Bowral as recipient of an inaugural scholarship gifted by Dr Timothy Pascoe in memory of his late wife Ewa.

Highlands Music Collective in concert, Wesley Music Centre, Forrest, 3pm, May 28.