Internationally emerging composer Sam Wu has been commissioned to compose a major new work celebrating the 150th anniversary of Cairns-Gimuy, with the world premiere set to headline the Opening Night of the Australian Festival of Chamber Music (AFCM) in 2026.

The commission, supported by Cairns Regional Council, coincides with the first time the internationally renowned festival will be staged in Cairns-Gimuy, marking a dual milestone for both the city and the event.

Sam Wu. Photo © Brian Cassey

Wu, who grew up in Melbourne and is now based in Washington DC, will create a work inspired by the landscapes, people and stories of the region, drawing on community engagement and an immersive stay in Far North Queensland. The piece has been described as a cinematic musical portrait of the city where rainforest meets reef.

The world premiere will be performed by AFCM artists including pianist Piers Lane and Artistic Director and violinist Jack Liebeck alongside Josh Batty, Stefanie Farrands, Emmalena Huning, Julian Smiles and Lloyd Van’t Hoff.

Wu is the inaugural AFCM Emerging Composer-in-Residence, supported by Music Australia and Creative Australia. In addition to the anniversary commission, he has also been commissioned to write a second new work for the AFCM Fellowship Ensemble as part of the Festival’s Pathways Program. That work will be premiered by the Orpheus Quintet, which will tour the piece throughout regional North Queensland ahead of the 2026 Festival.

“Sam is a young composer of exceptional talent with a remarkable international trajectory,” said AFCM Executive Director Ricardo Peach. “His ability to connect place, people and story through music makes him the ideal artist to create a work of this significance for Cairns-Gimuy.”

The Australian Festival of Chamber Music will take place in Cairns-Gimuy from 24 July to 1 August 2026.

The full program will be announced on 2 February, with tickets on sale to AFCM Friends the same day and to the general public from 2 March.