Australian Music Centre | Breaking sound barriers

Event Details

Renowned for their work with emerging, mid-career, established and celebrated Australian composers, Flinders Quartet's 2024 ASCEND composer program culminates with the world premieres of newly commissioned works by Nicole Brady, Andrew Howes, Aristea Mellos and Chris Williams.

In 2024's Ascend program, the four composers selected from a record number of applicants have each created a 12 minute piece for a string quartet. Over the course of the year, the composers have spent numerous hours with FQ musicians and composer mentors to develop works that best reflect their unique musical voice and FQ is thrilled to present these four world premieres in November. Finding one’s own unique way of expressing oneself through the string quartet medium is a rite of passage for many composers.

“The Ascend program has helped me to understand that the string quartet is just as vital an ensemble for communication in the 21st Century as it was in the 18th. In this project, the four distinct voices of the Flinders Quartet have nurtured the diverse compositional voices of four Australian composers. As a participant of the program, I found myself marvelling at the flexibility and precision of the ensemble, and admiring the ingenuity and craftsmanship of my colleagues. ” Aristea Mellos, 2024 Ascend composer

FQ is excited to share these new compositions with live audiences and viewers via livestream, continuing its mission to champion talent in the music world.

“The string quartet is a very special instrument in itself and history has shown that composers choose the string quartet medium to explore and reveal their innermost musical thoughts. We have relished getting to know Nicole, Andrew, Aristea and Chris through these pieces; we love them all. What shines through in each of them is a quirkiness, warmth and joyful communication between the instruments as well as a celebration of the collective sound a string quartet can make.” Zoe Knighton, FQ Artistic Director and cellist.

Further information for this event is available online at the event's website or by email to admin@flindersquartet.com

Featured Australian Works

Featured artists

• Presented by Flinders Quartet
• New work by Andrew Howes
• New work by Aristea Mellos
• New work by Chris Williams