UKARIA has announced its First Release program for 2026, with 24 concerts scheduled between February and August – prestigious Australian debuts and world-premiere works among them.

UKARIA. Photo © Randy Larcombe

“Our approach to curation is based around sound, and we are always searching for artists who inspire us to listen,” said UKARIA’s CEO Alison Beare. “The selection of music is artist-led, so each program is a deeply personal expression of what they want to explore and create.”

A procession  of powerhouse international guest ensembles arrives at the idyllic Adelaide Hills venue over the year. Returning to Australia for the first time in six years, American vocal ensemble Roomful of Teeth bring works by William Britelle, Caroline Shaw, Missy Mazzoli to UKARIA on 15 February.

The UK’s The Gesualdo Six return for a performance on 28 June, and the two-time Grammy-winning Attacca Quartet makes its UKARIA debut on 2 August with a program including music by Shaw, Beethoven, Ravel and Radiohead.

Attacca Quartet. Photo © David Goddard

Also featuring in 2026 are the Lonquich–Clerici–Mehner Trio (cellist Umberto Clerici brings his trio to Australia for the first time), Berlin’s Leonkoro Quartet (on its debut Australian tour) and the Sitkovetsky Trio, which performs both a trio and a quartet program – the latter featuring Australian Chamber Orchestra Principal Viola Stefanie Farrands.

UKARIA also offers intimate programs from local and international performers.

In March, Cédric Tiberghien presents a program of French music, and violinist Sergej Krylov performs with Konstantin Shamray; in May, cellist Ivan Karizna and pianist Aura Go join forces.

French pianist Lucas Debargue and German cellist Maximilian Hornung present solo recitals in June. Canadian violinist James Ehnes and US pianist Orion Weiss do their bit for North American solidarity as a duo. British pianist Paul Lewis brings his Musica Viva Australia program, Mozart+, to UKARIA in October.

Among the Australian talents are the Australian Guitar Quartet, the Australian-based Ukrainian virtuoso Alexander Gavrylyuk, recent ARIA Award winner Andrea Lam, trumpeter David Elton and flautist Joshua Batty.

Other highlights include UKARIA’s first-ever Irish music program with fiddler Martin Hayes, and concerts featuring jazz pianist Makoto Ozone and Radical Son – the musical moniker of Kamilaroi–Tongan vocalist David Leha.

More about UKARIA’s 2026 First Release can be found here.