A bright schoolkid was asked what they thought the Cologne-based ensemble Musikfabrik’s name meant. The answer, “where they create music that hasn’t been made yet”, captures perfectly the essence of this group of experimental musicians who have been working together now for 35 years.

Three of the present membership are currently over from Germany for a 17-day world tour funded by the Goethe Institute and supported by UNESCO Cities of Music Initiative, and they featured in a small and intimate concert for new music enthusiasts at Sydney’s Goethe Institute.

Their nationalities are as diverse as the unlikely combination of instruments that go to make up a trio for the tour, featuring some recently commissioned new works.

Ensemble Musikfabrik’s Peter Veale. Photo © Janet Sinica

Oboist Peter Veale was born in New Zealand and studied and worked in Adelaide before moving to Germany, where he is one of the ensemble’s longest serving members with 50 works written for him to date.

US hornist Christine Chapman started off with recorders and cornet before switching to French horn as a schoolgirl in Michigan, where her first musical memories were of foghorns from the boats on...