When composer and pianist Paul Grabowsky was invited to write a new work for Camerata – Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra – he didn’t just bring a score. He brought a provocation.

The result is Elegy and Caprices, a world premiere airing on 6 and 7 May, that glides between written and improvised material, blending deep lyricism with sudden, unpredictable energy.

“It’s called Elegy and Caprices,” says Grabowsky. “And I think that says a lot about the piece.”

“Being a good improviser makes you a better interpreter of written music” – Paul Grabowsky. Photo © David Kelly

The work, he explains, grew out of an artist-in-residence role Grabowsky has held at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre. “It gave me the opportunity to ask: how can I be useful here? How can I make a difference, and what can I explore that might open up a few doors?”

The idea to which he kept returning was improvisation: the way in which it has been central to his own practice over decades, and its potential to reimagine the relationship between composer and performer. “During the...