For over five decades, David Harrington has been at the forefront of musical exploration as the founder and violinist of Kronos Quartet. Now, he takes on a new role as a curator for Chamber Landscapes, a festival-within-a-festival at the UKARIA Cultural Centre.

Here, in conversation with Limelight Digital Editor Jason Blake, Harrington discusses his approach to programming, the joy of musical matchmaking, and the broader significance of artistic collaboration.

David Harrington (left) and artists of the Chamber Landscapes series.

JB: This is your fifth trip to Australia – what does it mean to return this time, not just as a musician, but as a curator?

DH: Well, I’ve been involved in curating Kronos concerts for 51 years, but this is the very first time I’ve done something like what I’m doing for Chamber Landscapes. I was just looking over the program before our call and thinking about all the musicians who will be joining me for Horizons. I’m so happy about this – most of them have not met each other before. In fact, it might be the case that none of them have. The link between them is me, my imagination,...