Australian String Quartet plots 2027 with two national tours and festival season

The Australian String Quartet (ASQ) traces a thread across time and place with the announcement of its 2027 national tours, immersive festivals and special collaborations bringing together composers united by fearless spirit and boundless imagination.

Featuring two national tours - Unleashed and Portraits - alongside the ASQ’s flagship festival experiences in Dunkeld and Margaret River and collaborations with the likes of the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra, Corpus Medicorum, Darwin Symphony Orchestra and Arafura Music Collective, the year reflects the ensemble’s commitment to amplifying musical experiences for audiences across Australia and around the world.

ASQ violinist Francesca Hiew said that the 2027 program creates new opportunities for audiences to immerse themselves in the world of string quartet music.

“Every encounter with music is an opportunity for curiosity, connection and discovery”, said Hiew. “The year is shaped by moments that continue to celebrate the wonder, richness and human connection of the string quartet. We are so grateful to be able to share these with our community.”

The ASQ’s flagship national touring activity opens in April with Unleashed, bringing together works from Mozart, Bacewicz and Shostakovich - three composers who pushed the boundaries of composition in new and unexpected directions.

From Mozart’s radiant String Quartet in G Major, to Bacewicz’s folk inspired String Quartet No. 4 and Shostakovich’s profound String Quartet No.3, written in the shadow of war and personal struggle, this program unleashes the creative genius of three composers through monumental works for string quartet.

Portraits will conclude the Quartet’s national touring activity in August and September with a program featuring works by György Kurtág, Robert Schumann and Philip Glass, alongside the World Premiere of an evocative new string quartet, The Cattery, by Australian composer Alice Chance.

Commissioned by the Australian String Quartet through its ASQ Richard Divall Australian Music Fund, The Cattery marks a major personal and artistic highlight for Chance.

“It’s a genuine thrill to be commissioned to write my third string quartet, nicknamed The Cattery, for the ASQ. Ever since writing Nose Scrunch Reel for the ensemble in 2020 and seeing the life the piece has taken on since, I’ve been dreaming about what I could write next for these extraordinary musicians. I’m thrilled to now have that chance. They are a group of musicians I have so much respect for and I can’t wait for this new quartet to be heard across the nation as part of their Portraits national tour”, Chance said.

The Quartet’s flagship bespoke festivals will return in 2027 beginning in March with the much-loved Dunkeld Festival of Music in Victoria’s Southern Grampians. The ASQ will perform with acclaimed Scottish classical accordionist James Crabb and celebrated Australian pianist Daniel de Borah. Crabb will also join the quartet in November for their Margaret River Weekend of Music - a sensational weekend of music and hospitality in one of Australia’s most iconic wine regions.

2027 will also feature a series of collaborations deepening the Quartet’s musical and community connections including performances with Melbourne Chamber Orchestra in Kinship, Corpus Medicorum in Absolute Jest and the Darwin Symphony Orchestra in partnership with Arafura Music Collective as part of their Beethoven Festival. The May performances will mark 200 years since Beethoven’s death and the ASQ’s return to Darwin following its most recent visit in 2022.

The ASQ will continue its longstanding commitment to nurturing the next generation of chamber musicians through their role as Quartet-in-Residence at Adelaide University’s Elder Conservatorium of Music and School of Performing Arts. Highlights of the year ahead include the Elder Conservatorium’s String Quartet Weekends in May and September, which offer emerging ensembles from Australia and New Zealand the opportunity to hone their craft through mentoring from the ASQ and other leading Australian chamber musicians.

“We are incredibly proud of the experiences on offer through our 2027 national tours, festivals and collaborations”, said ASQ Chief Executive Officer Angelina Zucco. “These projects reflect the many ways we connect with people through music, from major festivals and concert stages to deep and enduring community partnerships. Together, they represent a key part of a rich and diverse year of musical activity that will unfold across Australia and internationally throughout 2027.”

Tickets for the ASQ’s 2027 national tours and festivals are on sale from 11am ACST, Wednesday 30 September 2026. For more information and bookings please visit asq.com.au or call their friendly team on 1800 040 444 during business hours.

ABOUT THE AUSTRALIAN STRING QUARTET

The Australian String Quartet (ASQ) is Australia’s pre-eminent organisation dedicated to string quartet music and Quartet-in-Residence at Adelaide University’s Elder Conservatorium of Music and School of Performing Arts.

Defined by excellence in performance and the joy of musical expression, the ASQ’s DNA comprises three inseparable parts. At the centre is the Quartet - four full-time musicians, each a creative force in crafting the world’s most dynamic and intimate music. Surrounding the Quartet is an innovative production company that presents, tours, records, and promotes exceptional artistry. Sustaining this, is a vital community of partners including a national Board, visionary Patron - Maria Myers AC, Major Partner - Adelaide University, Instrument Partner - UKARIA and Government Supporters.

Together, the ASQ celebrate music from the past to the present, from near and afar, and strive to reflect contemporary Australia through their performances, collaborations, advocacy, learning programs, and development of new work. Their landmark ASQ Richard Divall Australian Music Fund, supports the ensembles ground-breaking Australian Anthology project that proudly champions the work of Australian artists.

They are energised by their purpose to create chemistry and amplify intimacy through experiences that engage people across regional and metropolitan Australia and around the world.

Dale Barltrop plays a 1784 Guadagnini Violin, Turin
Francesca Hiew plays a 1748-49 Guadagnini Violin, Piacenza
Chris Cartlidge plays a 1783 Guadagnini Viola, Turin
Michael Dahlenburg plays a c.1743 Guadagnini Violoncello, Piacenza