The Blackheath Chamber Music Festival comes to an end with this final concert in the presence of the Governor of NSW, Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley. Given the quality of the performances over the previous two days, maintaining such a high standard through to the end is no mean feat, and the festival can pride itself on having done just that.

Opening the concert is the eagerly anticipated world premiere of Justin Williams’ Three Pieces for String Quartet and Voice. It comprises three pieces titled Love, Despair and Hope, which are settings for texts drawn from the Old and the New Testaments of the Holy Bible, an excerpt from the Second Vatican Council, and an excerpt written by the composer himself.

The world premiere of Justin Williams’ Three Pieces for String Quartet and Voice at the 2023 Blackheath Chamber Music Festival. Photo © Keith Saunders

Built around the theme of love, and through love: light and peace, the work is sung by bass-baritone Christopher Richardson. He is accompanied by the Australian World Orchestra’s Principal Violin Alexandra Osborne, Sydney Symphony Orchestra’s Assistant Concertmaster Lerida Delbridge, and SSO Principals including the...