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...