With its floral theme, the last concert of the Australian String Quartet’s season was a late bloomer for Sydney audiences.

Originally scheduled for the end of July, it was cancelled at the very last minute due to COVID. I was on the bus on the way to the Opera House when the notification came through and, instead, had to circle back to watch the Matildas being beaten by Nigeria. Not a good night!

However, the wait was worth it for this was a spectacular programme, full of colours, textures and scents, and all beautifully arranged.

Australian String Quartet: Florescence. Photo © Katje Ford

The snappily dressed group with their golden-toned quartet of instruments built by Giovanni Battista Guadagnini featured music from four centuries, starting off with a work by Justin Williams, Associate Principal Viola with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and a member of the highly acclaimed Melbourne-based Tinalley String Quartet, who has recently turned to composing.

His Movement for String Quartet was written when COVID lockdowns put an end to public performance. With his intimate knowledge of how a string quartet works this was an impressive start to the evening. The...