The Australian Festival of Chamber Music (AFCM) has named its 2026 Fellowship Ensemble.

The Sydney-based Orpheus Quintet will join the program for the 2026 Festival in Cairns and participate in the 2026 Outreach tour. It will also perform and record the works composed for the inaugural AFCM Pathways Emerging Composers Initiative, by 2026 participants Elizabeth Younan and Sam Wu.

The Orpheus Quintet (clockwise from top left): Jude Austen Kaup, Dylan Roberts, Justin Wang. Kara Thorpe, Gahyun Lee. Photo © Adam Taylor

“[The musicians] so impressed us with their musicianship and skill during our Pathways classes and performances that I can’t wait to see how they develop over the next year,” said AFCM Artistic Director Jack Liebeck.

“Featuring them in 2026 will give them huge impetus to go from strength to strength over the next year and I can’t wait to see how they perform and grow. I am extremely excited to be able to showcase their talent alongside our superstar musicians in the main Festival program from whom I know they will gain so much knowledge and experience.”

The Orpheus Quintet is a young wind ensemble with performers Kara Thorpe (flute), Gahyun Lee (oboe), Jude Austen Kaup (French horn), Dylan Roberts (bassoon) and Justin Wang (clarinet). Formed last year during their studies at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, the quintet has been mentored by Shefali Pryor and Andrew Barnes, and participated in a masterclass with the LA Philharmonic Wind Quintet.

“AFCM is an exciting festival which pushes the boundaries of chamber music and we are looking forward to collaborating with other festival musicians and giving back to the local community through outreach, as together we help shape the future of chamber music in Australia,” said Jude Austen Kaup.

In June, the AFCM announced that it would move from Townsville, where it has been presented since 1991, to Cairns for its 2026 program. The move, in part, was motivated by the Townsville Council’s decision to halt plans to develop a purpose-built concert hall.

More about the Australian Festival of Chamber Music’s Pathways Program can be found here.