Australian violinist Madeleine Easton performs at the coronation of Charles III at Westminster Abbey in London.
“I am completely honored and a little star-shocked. I keep pinching myself and wondering how this could have happened. of?” she told the AAP.
“But strange and surprising things happen.”
Easton will play her rare 1682 Giovanni Grancino Violin with English Baroque Soloists and the Monteverdi Choir at the May 6 event.
The star violinist has performed at Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace on numerous occasions and expects strict security protocols to be applied on those occasions.
King Charles is a renowned classical music lover and royal patron of the Monteverdi Choir and Orchestra, the Royal College of Music, the Philharmonia Orchestra and the English Chamber Orchestra.
Perhaps the first such enthusiastic monarch since George II in the 18th century, King Charles is expected to champion classical music during his reign.
“Classical music is part of him, part of his soul on a very deep level,” said Easton.
She plays works by JS Bach and Anton Bruckner under the direction of her mentor, Sir John Eliot Gardiner, a friend of the King, when the people enter the Abbey.
Easton has worked with renowned conductors and Bach experts since 2003 and has performed on many of his recordings.
Sir John’s country estate in Dorset adjoins the King’s Highgrove House in Gloucestershire, and the two have a passion for organic farming and animal breeding.
“On tour, John Elliott said many times, ‘Yeah, Charles and I swapped breeding cows the other day…we got together and had a glass of wine and swapped cows,'” Easton said. said.
She says she is “very proud” to represent Australia at the coronation.
“Regardless of whether you are a monarchist or not, Australia is part of the Commonwealth and it is important that the Commonwealth is represented on this occasion,” said Easton.
Easton is the founder of Bach Academy Australia and will kick off the Sydney season with a performance of Bach’s Missa Brevis in F in late March.