Armed with four Guadagninis, the Australian String Quartet aims to foster opportunities for “curiosity, connection and discovery” across the country in its 2027 season, says violinist Francesca Hiew.

Here’s the plan of attack: two national tours, two beloved returning festivals and a handful of unique collaborations that span Melbourne to Darwin.

Australian String Quartet. Photo supplied

ASQ kicks off its 2027 with Unleashed in April, which shines a light on the artistry of three composers “representing a milestone of achievement in string quartet craft”. Mozart’s Spring String Quartet, the first of his sextet dedicated to Haydn, will be performed next to Bacewicz’s folklore-inspired String Quartet No. 4 and Shostakovich’s String Quartet No. 3,

Portraits is the ASQ’s second tour, travelling nationally in August and September. The program features Kurtág’s Six Moments Musicaux (the composer turns 101 in 2027), Schumann’s String Quartet No. 1 (Op. 41 No. 1 ) and Philip Glass’s Quartet Satz, which borrows its title from Schubert’s never-completed Quartettsatz and was originally written for the Kronos Quartet.

Following on from her work Nose Scrunch Reel (which Limelight readers voted as one of their favourite Australian works in 2025), composer Alice Chance has also  been commissioned to write her Third String Quartet, The Cattery, for the program; she calls the opportunity “a genuine thrill”.

Alice Chance. Photo © Soumya Subramanian

“Ever since… seeing the life [Nose Scrunch Reel] has taken on [since 2020], I’ve been dreaming about what I could write next for these extraordinary musicians. I’m thrilled to now have that chance,” said Chance.

“They are a group of musicians I have so much respect for and I can’t wait for this new quartet to be heard across the nation as part of their Portraits national tour.”

The ASQ’s Dunkeld Festival of Music returns to Victorian audiences in March 2027, with accordionist James Crabb and pianist Daniel de Borah as its guest stars. Crabb also joins the ASQ in its Margaret River Weekend of Music in across 12–14 November, which ushers classical music into the fine cellar doors of Western Australia.

The ASQ also has a number of collaborations set for 2027 (with, no doubt, more to be announced next year). The first, Kinship, sees it join forces with the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra in March at Melbourne Recital Centre for a program with Matthew Hindson’s The Rave and the Nightingale – a fantasy on Schubert’s  String Quartet No. 15, dipped in techno – as its centrepiece.

ASQ also bands with Corpus Medicorum, Melbourne’s orchestra of medical professionals and students, for Absolute Jest on 16 May, for a concert featuring John Adams’ titular work, Dvořák’s Carnival Overture and Stravinsky’s Petrushka.

Australian String Quartet. Photo supplied

ASQ heads north later in the month for a Beethoven Festival with Darwin Symphony Orchestra and Arafura Music Collective to celebrate 200 years since the composer’s death with three of his legendary string quartet works, including his Razumovsky quartet.

It also continues in its role as Quartet-in-Residence at the Elder Conservatorium.

“We are incredibly proud of the experiences on offer through our 2027 national tours, festivals and collaborations”, said ASQ Chief Executive Officer Angelina Zucco.

“These projects reflect the many ways we connect with people through music, from major festivals and concert stages to deep and enduring community partnerships. Together, they represent a key part of a rich and diverse year of musical activity that will unfold across Australia and internationally throughout 2027.”

More about the Australian String Quartet’s 2027 season can be found here.