The New York-based Attacca Quartet is on a hot streak.

It’s twice earned the Grammy for Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble (2020’s Orange & 2023’s Evergreen), both collaborations with composer Caroline Shaw.

Earlier this year, it released note to a friend, featuring music by American composer David Lang and earlier this month, Attacca cellist Andrew Yee released a recording of her landmark work Trans Requiem, placing a transfeminine voice at the centre of this traditional, sacred musical form.

Attacca Quartet. Photo © David Goddard

Celebrated for its innovative blend of of classical and contemporary repertoire, the quartet will bring its unique sound to Aussie shores this month, with stops at Melbourne Recital Centre (31 July,) UKARIA (2 August) and ACO On The Pier in Sydney (8 August).

Before it embarks, the quartet chats to Limelight about its program and the music its performers love.

How does it feel to be coming to Australia?

For some of us in the group, this will be the first time we’ll be coming to Australia, which is very exciting. Amy and Andrew, Attacca’s founding members, competed in the Melbourne International Music Chamber Music Competition some years ago, so for them, we can only imagine it will feel like a triumphant return. In any event, we are thrilled to be welcomed onto stages in Melbourne, UKARIA, and Sydney!

How did you approach programming for this tour?

The one rule we have in Attacca is that we only play music we love, or are at the very least on board with. This is no exception in our programming in Australia, and we are excited to share with you the music we love, no matter in which century it was written.

You’re performing works by Caroline Shaw on every program. What attracts you to her music?

Caroline’s music has this cheeky way of opening up your heart. It is finely crafted while not calling attention to itself, it’s extremely beautiful, it’s both funny and charming, and ultimately leaves the listener in an inspired state of awe.

There’s also some Radiohead on all three programs; 2+2=5 features at UKARIA and in Melbourne. Why did you pick this track to arrange and perform?

This arrangement by Nathan Schram [Attacca’s violist], is not only super fun to play, but does an awesome job of connecting two of our favorite composers, Paul Wiancko and Caroline Shaw. The use of extended techniques creates a colorful transition in our “Attacca Playlist” idea, while also occupying an emotional space of its own.

Our goal in this mixtape was to curate an emotionally satisfying musical journey for the listener that contextualized some of our favorite music from all genres. 

You’re also performing Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 15, Opus 132 in Melbourne and UKARIA. Out of all of his works, why this one?

Opus 132 is one of Beethoven’s most profound and personal statements on the human experience. It is about being broken and giving oneself over to something bigger, something beyond. The slow movement is famous for its hymn-like structure, and its harmonically disorienting use of an ancient Gregorian mode maintains a sense of stasis and wonder. The movement opens with a simple chorale which suddenly changes key to leap into joyful exclamation, “neue Kraft fühlend” (feeling renewed strength). As the joyful music winds down, each time the chorale returns, it is more richly elaborated (or as one scholar put it, “contaminated”) with increasingly intricate counterpoint.

The organic way this movement unfolds has awed students of music for centuries, and is a fitting centerpiece to one of the most celebrated works of music ever conceived. The rest of the piece hinges on this movement, yet the surrounding movements are no less amazing in their emotional range and dramatic power.

The Attacca Quartet performs at Melbourne Recital Centre on 31 July; UKARIA Cultural Centre on 2 August and ACO on the Pier, Sydney on 8 August.

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