Live At The Independent Is Combining Coffee, Cake And Classical Music For Sublime Sunday Concerts

The Independent Theatre is hosting a new classical music series from the Live at Yours platform with Live at The Independent: Concert and Cake Sundays, where the music is marvelous and the cake is complimentary.

The heritage-listed venue, which has survived fire, the effects of time and lockdowns, is a hidden gem in North Sydney that’s old-world charm and style. Its recent acoustic upgrades make it a stand-out live music venue that is at once intimate and refined for performances that are a touch classy but not ostentatious.

With some of Sydney’s best musicians taking to the stage as well as cake from French Patisserie Madame and Yves, this live music experience is a real treat where audiences can also get involved.

The performances at the Independent Theatre feature Australia’s top talent on piano, violin, cello and more playing Bach, Beethoven and Brahms to name just a few. They take place on select Sunday afternoons from now until the end of the year with a special few Live at The Independent: Concert and Cake Sundays also featuring opera singers, flamenco dancers and a jazz trio band.

Take a look below at all the amazing concerts part of Live at The Independent Concert and Cake Sundays and use your NSW Discover Vouchers to get your tickets.

Live at The Independent Concerts

Ligeti and Beethoven by Chroma Quartet

Chroma Quartet was formed in mid-2020, post-first-lockdown, and has emerged as one of Sydney’s top quartets for the inclusive and intimate atmospheres they create. Though youthful, their talent is undeniable and has seen them snapped up by orchestras around the country and the world.

For their Concert and Cake Sundays debut, they will play two groundbreaking works—Ligeti’s quartet no.1 and Beethoven’s epic op.131—in succession. Parts of each musical score will melt into the next changing their nature—a metamorphosis.

When: Sunday 5 June, 3pm

Live at The Independent: Concert and Cake Sundays – Metamorphosis with Chroma Quartet

Flamenco dance and music by Bandaluzia

Led by ARIA-nominated Flamenco guitarist Damian Wright, Australia’s distinguished contemporary Flamenco ensemble Bandaluzia will be joined by dancer Rosalie Cocchiaro, who has performed in traditional tablaos in Spain for ten years, and award-winning dancer Jessica Statham for a Flamenco showcase.

Incorporating elements of jazz, sounds from the Orient and South America, the Concert and Cake performance will take audiences on an awe-inspiring and passionate journey.

When: Sunday 3 July, 3pm

Live at The Independent: Concert and Cake Sundays – Bandaluzia’s Flamenco Fire

Bach and Schubert by renowned pianist Daniel de Borah

Bach’s Partita in B-flat and Schubert’s sonata in B-flat come together by the hands of Daniel de Borah, one of Australia’s leading pianists.

With his finesse on the black and white keys you’ll get to witness what Bach described as more experience than exercise ”prepared for the enjoyment of music lovers” followed by the simplicity yet stirring sadness of one of Schubert’s final sonatas.

When: Sunday 14 August, 3pm

Live at The Independent: Concert and Cake Sundays – Recharge my soul, Bach and Schubert

Brahms, Chopin, Rachmaninov and Tchaikovsky by pianist Alexey Botvinov

When it comes to Rachmaninov, there are few pianists in the world that can be defined as a specialist in the music of the virtuoso Russian composer. However, Alexey Botvinov, the most famous Ukrainian pianist, is one of them.

To accompany the coffee and cake served at The Independent, the program of romantic works from Brahms, Chopin, Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov by the man described as a “true mark for authentic sense of music” will surely delight. It’s a performance not to be missed.

When: Sunday 18 September, 3pm

Live at The Independent: Concert and Cake Sundays – From Odessa with Love

Bach, Xenakis and Piazzolla by marimbist Elman Mecid and violinist Ben Adler

The marimba is a little-known instrument, but it will be front and centre come October when international virtuoso Elman Mecid makes his Australian debut at Concert and Cake Sundays.

The world-renowned percussionist will be joined by Australia’s own Ben Adler on the violin for a performance that includes works by Bach, avant-garde composer Xenakis and the famed Histoire du Tango by Piazzollo—one of the most well-known compositions which conveys the history and evolution of the tango from bordello to concert halls.

When: Sunday 2 October, 3pm

Live at The Independent: Concert and Cake Sundays – Histoire du Tango

Ferdinand the Bull by Simon Tedeschi and Andrew Haveron

Current concertmaster of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and former lead of the World Orchestra for Peace Andrew Haveron joins Australian classical pianist Simon Tedeschi for the musical adaptation of “Ferdinand the Bull”—the charming picture book by Munro Leaf that was banned by both Hitler and Franco.

The program will be rounded out with Spanish dances by De Falla and a number of Bartok’s Romanian Folk dances as well as other folk tales for a magical experience perfect for young and old alike.

When: Sunday 6 November, 3pm

Live at The Independent: Concert and Cake Sundays – Ferdinand the Bull

Live at The Independent tickets

Live at Yours is not only making classical music relevant once again, but it is also making it accessible to old and new fans alike with concerts at the Independent Theatre and other venues across the city.

While Concert and Cake Sundays Premium Tickets guarantee the best seats possible at the Independent Theatre, there are also tickets for patrons under the age of 35 at a special price. And by special, they’re almost half-price.

Concert and Cake Sundays at Live at The Independent are also accepting NSW Discover vouchers so that you can save up to $25 off of your purchase. You could then use this saving and put it towards the purchase of coffee and the tantalising treats from Madame and Yves—the French Patisserie headed up by illustrious pastry chef Yves Scherrer.

Cakes are complimentary.