It’s “hard to believe” that 2026 will mark the 20th anniversary season of Selby & Friends, says Artistic Director and pianist Kathryn Selby. Though its roots extend back further – to 1989 and classical music concerts for children – the current Selby & Friends format has been running since 2006.

Ike See, Kathryn Selby and Richard Narroway. Photo © Chris Reid

“It has been a fascinating journey and one that has included performances with outstanding artists exploring extraordinary music through the years,” said Selby. “It has also been a lovely way to meet Australian audiences and enjoy the irrepressible humour and generosity of these music lovers who have made this and every season possible.”

The 2026 program presents five tours running from May through December in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Adelaide, the Southern Highlands and Turramurra. The first is The Living Tradition (22–31 May) with returning friends violinist Alexandra Osborne and cellist Clancy Newman, and Selby on piano. Drawing on music inspired by popular tunes and standalone works, the program includes Elena Kats-Chernin’s Variation on Schubert Trauerwalzer, Beethoven’s Variations on Ich bin der Schneider Kakadu and two frequently-requested works: Schubert’s First Piano Trio and Fanny Mendelssohn’s Piano Trio in D minor.

Natalie Chee. Photo © Duncan Smith

Combining Romantic-era narrative with contemporary Australian composition, From Romance to Reckoning (17–26 July) features newly appointed MSO concertmaster Natalie Chee and cellist Richard Narroway. Fire Dances Suite – by Nat Bartsch, Olivia Bettina Davies, Natalie Williams, Maria Grenfell, Hilary Kleinig, Elena Kats-Chernin, Cathy Applegate and Isabella Gerometta – makes for a blazing opener to a program that also includes Schumann’s Romances and First Violin Sonata as well as Mendelssohn’s Second Piano Trio.

The third program, Bush, Borscht & Bonn (28 August – 7 September), features violinist Susie Park, cellist Julian Smiles and Selby. The program includes Ross Edwards’ 1998 Piano Trio for Piano, Violin and Violoncello, Anton Arensky’s Second Piano Trio and Beethoven’s Trio for Violin, Cello and Piano in E-flat major – the composer’s own arrangement of his grand Septet.

First Things First (23 October – 3 November) is a Brahms extravaganza specially requested by its guest artists – SSO Concertmaster Andrew Haveron and ACO Principal Cellist Timo-Veikko Valve. Two Sonatas and his First Piano Trio showcase the composer’s virtuosity and wide emotional range.

It’s an ambitious closer for Selby with Creation of the World (3–14 December) in quintet formation, featuring Kristian Winther, Miles Mullin-Chivers and new friends Louise Turnbull and Ariel Postmus. An arrangement of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 14, Milhaud’s ballet suite La Création du monde and Dvořák’s Second Piano Quintet build a varied program that celebrates the musical pioneering of composers throughout history.

More about Selby & Friends’ 2026 season can be found here.