The Australian Festival of Chamber Music is back in 2025 for its 34th year from 25 July, with 36 musicians, a world premiere and a “deep dive into some of classical music’s greatest feuds”, according to Artistic Director Jack Liebeck.

Jack Liebeck, Artistic Director of the Australian Festival of Chamber Music. Photo supplied

British clarinettist Michael Collins heads the lineup of 11 international performers including soprano Carolyn Sampson and German horn player Stefan Dohr in their festival debuts, and returning US violinist Adam Barnett-Hart.

The Australian String Quartet takes the torch as this year’s Quartet-in-Residence from the now-disbanded Goldner Quartet, with Australian musicians including violinist Emily Sun, cellist Timo-Veikko Valve, double bassist Phoebe Russell, accordionist James Crabb, flautist Joshua Batty, percussionist Peter Neville and clarinetist Lloyd van’t Hoff on the roster.

This year’s festival kicks off on 25 July with a Long Lunch accompanied by the Andromeda Saxophone Quartet, one of this year’s International Masterclasses Program participants and an opening night concert. Reawaken! features music from Bernstein, Schubert, Australia’s...