Melbourne Recital Centre
October 25, 2018

Sharply-dressed and full of interpretive insight, the Orava Quartet has earned its emerging reputation as one of Australia’s most exciting ensembles. Formed in 2007 by brothers Daniel and Karol Kowalik (violin and cello), and violist Thomas Chawner, later to be joined by violinist David Dalseno, Orava first came to the world’s attention when they won the Musica Viva Tony Berg Award for the most outstanding Australian ensemble at the Asia Pacific Chamber Music Competition in 2013, during which time they were the graduate Quartet-in-Residence at the University of Colorado, studying under the Takács Quartet. They hold residencies at Canada’s Banff Arts Centre and Australia’s Bundanon Trust and have played at most of the major venues and festivals across Australia since their return home. Earlier this year, they became the first Australian ensemble to be selected by Deutsche Grammophon Australia for its first recording release. A Brisbane-based ensemble, Orava are set to be Camerata’s 2019 Artist-in-Residence. It is difficult to see these still relatively young performers slowing down any time soon, and Australian classical music is all the better for it.

The Orava Quartet: Daniel Kowalik,...