Welcome to the Ensemble Q Australia 2026 Concert Season.
We are thrilled to share a year of exceptional chamber music, performed in inspiring spaces across Australia. 2026 is a year of evolution and Ensemble Q Australia embraces Australia from 2026 onwards to reach more people, more often.
In 2026 we launch phase one of our national concert series, performing two programs in July and August in Sydney and Melbourne, in the beautiful Utzon Room at the Sydney Opera House and the Primrose Potter Salon at the Melbourne Recital Centre - both perfect locations for high quality chamber music.
Our main-stage Brisbane season, Sundays by the Lake, returns to the much-loved GHD Auditorium at UQ, where great chamber masterpieces sit alongside rarely heard gems.
Our Whiskey Bar series remains a highlight, offering four intimate concerts featuring special guests including Helena Rathbone (ACO), and Brisbane’s own Glenn Christensen (Associate Concertmaster, QSO) and Doretta Balkizas (Head of Strings, UQ).
In July and August, we partner with ABC Classic presenter Ed le Brocq to tour a joyful program featuring Mozart’s Clarinet Quintet and Calvin Bowman’s Curly Pyjama Letters (Leunig) to audiences across Queensland, Victoria, Sydney and Melbourne - sharing the magic of chamber music far and wide.
Our celebrated immersive event, Step Inside the Music, returns to Sandgate Town Hall on 16 May. Building on last year’s success as Soundscapes & Stories, this unique one-day experience invites audiences into a deeper connection with music, guided by leading artists and emerging voices.
We warmly welcome leading violists Roger Benedict for two special May performances, and Benjamin Roskams, who joins us for a July–August residency. And we are delighted to welcome Anne Cawrse as our 2026 Composer in Residence. Her work will feature throughout the season, including a new commission for our regional and national tours.
We gratefully acknowledge our presenting partners and venues, including the UQ School of Music, Sydney Opera House, Melbourne Recital Centre, HOTA Gold Coast, Mackay Chamber Music Festival, and Brisbane City Council, among many others.
Warmest thanks to our extraordinary supporters - including major sponsors Professor Ian Frazer AC & Caroline Frazer and Dr Philip Bacon AO - and to Arts Queensland, whose generous support continues to strengthen our organisation for the long term.
Most of all, thank you to our audience, for embracing Ensemble Q Australia and sharing our journey. We look forward to seeing you at our concerts throughout 2026.
Trish & Paul Dean Co-Artistic Directors
FEBRUARY
WHISKEY BAR The family
22 STANTHORPE REGIONAL GALLERY &
SUNDAYS BY THE LAKE
MARCH APRIL MAY
WHISKEY BAR Northern Lights
SUNDAYS BY THE LAKE Mother's Day Special
STEP INSIDE THE MUSIC Sandgate Town Hall one day event
WHISKEY BAR with Glenn Christensen & Doretta Balkizas
Hailed as "Australia's top echelon of musicians" by Limelight magazine amidst a swathe of 5-star reviews, Ensemble Q Australia has established itself as one of Australia's leading ensembles and ambassador for Queensland. They have held coveted positions as National Touring Artists for Musica Viva (2022 and 2024) as well as regional touring artists for the same, Ensemble in Residence for Queensland Conservatorium and Company in Residence with the Queensland Performing Arts Centre. They have appeared as a featured ensemble at the Australian Festival of Chamber Music, Queensland Music Festival, Brisbane Festival, Bellingen Music Festival, George Town Festival (Penang) and Brisbane Music Festival.
Directed by partners Trish Dean and Paul Dean, Ensemble Q Australia was formed in 2017 and through its touring and recording activities for ABC Classic has established a strong national presence. They perform regularly at Ukaria Cultural Centre in South Australia and in 2026 begin their national season with performances at the Sydney Opera House and Melbourne Recital Centre.
The ensemble is anything from a duo to a 15 piece ensemble of string quintet, wind quintet, piano, trumpet, harp and percussion, enabling a vast range of programming and touring possibilities.
Adam Chalabi, Glenn Christensen, Anne Horton - violins
Benjamin Roskams, Roger Benedict, Julian Duthoit - violas
Trish Dean, cello
Phoebe Russell, bass
Alison Mitchell, flute
Huw Jones, oboe
Paul Dean, clarinet
David Mitchell, bassoon
Nicholas Mooney, Peter Luff - horn
Daniel de Borah, piano
Emily Granger, harp
Daniel Fossi, Operations Manager | Amira Ryan, Production Assistant
Gavin Rebetzke, photograher | David Spearritt, video & sound
"...best of all was being reminded of just how good Ensemble Q are - my notes for the third movement, for instance, read “ridiculously tight,” and with playing that good, it’s not just a pleasure to listen to the performance but also to watch the players working together."
"Top notch"
March 2025
Limelight,
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Ensemble Q’s line-up presents some of the most important musical influencers and top flight players in Australia. Their presence on QPAC’s concert hall stage made an impact even before a note was heard which prompted an expectation of superior performance. The expectation was fulfilled."
Limelight, May 2025
ENSEMBLE Q AUSTRALIA
Ensemble Q Australia embarks on their annual national concert series with two performances in July and August at the beautiful Utzon Room in the Sydney Opera House and Primrose Potter Salon at the Melbourne Recital Centre.
WED JULY 22 UTzon room, SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE
FRI JULY 24 MELBOURNE RECITAL CENTRE
Ensemble Q Australia with Ed le Brocq
Beethoven String Trio Opus 9 No 3 Anne Cawrse/Ed le Brocq Sonam & the Silence Bowman/Leunig Curly Pyjama Letters
Mozart Clarinet Quintet in A major K. 581
3PM SUNDAY 8 MARCH
The Mendelssohns
PROGRAM
Anne Cawrse Sanctuary
Felix Mendelssohn Piano Trio
No. 1 in D minor, Op. 49
Fanny Mendelssohn-Hensel
String Quartet in E-flat major
3PM SUNDAY 10 MAY
Mozart for Mums
PROGRAM
Webern Langsammer Satz
Anne Cawrse/Ed le Brocq Sonam & the Silence
Puccini Crisantemi
Bowman/Leunig Curly Pyjama Letters
Mozart Clarinet Quintet in A major K.581
Featured artists include Adam Chalabi and Anne Horton, violins | Benjamin Roskams and Roger Benedict, violas | Trish Dean, cello | Phoebe Russell, bass | Paul Dean, clarinet | David Mitchell, bassoon | Nick Mooney, French horn | Daniel de Borah, piano.
Sundays by the lake series
3PM SUNDAY 23 AUGUST
Bartok & Brahms
PROGRAM
Béla Bartók Contrasts
Margaret Sutherland Nocturne
Johannnes Brahms Piano Quartet No 3 in C minor
3PM SUNDAY 1 NOVEMBER
Schubert Octet
PROGRAM
Melody Eötvös Baelo Franz Schubert Octet in F major, D.803
Ensemble Q Australia gratefully acknowledges the generous support of the School of Music at The University of Queensland in providing the beautiful venue for this series.
8 MARCH - Sundays by the
lake series
the mendelssohns
Anne Cawrse’s Sanctuary for violin and cello duo opens our 2026 season in complete harmony with the birds and lake that surround the venue, art imitating life and contemplating the question ‘what makes a place special’. Cawrse re-examines perceptions of natural space, stillness, and reverence in this beautiful work that will provide the perfect soundtrack for the view beyond the stage.
Felix Mendelssohn’s Piano Trio in D minor, Op. 49 is one of the great cornerstones of the chamber repertoire. Written when Mendelssohn was 30, it combines Classical clarity with Romantic expressiveness and virtuosic brilliance. Praised by Robert Schumann as “the master-trio of the age,” it remains a defining work of Romantic chamber music.
Fanny Mendelssohn’s String Quartet in E-flat major is a remarkable and forward-looking work by one of the 19th century’s most gifted yet longoverlooked composers. Written five years before her brother Felix’s D minor trio, it reflects her independent musical voice - harmonically daring, emotionally charged, and structurally inventive. More personal and dramatic than many chamber works of its time, it stands as a testament to Fanny Mendelssohn’s originality and her rightful place among the great composers of the Romantic era.
PROGRAM
Anne Cawrse Sanctuary
Felix Mendelssohn Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor, Op. 49
Fanny Mendelssohn-Hensel String Quartet in E-flat major (1834)
VENUE
3pm Sunday 8 March
BRISBANE - GHD Auditorium, Advanced Engineering Building, University of Queensland
10 MAY - Sundays by the lake series MOZART FOR MUMS
Not just for Mums, but this is certainly going to be a special way to spend the afternoon on Mother's Day!
In a very special performance designed to capture hearts, Ensemble Q Australia is joined by much loved ABC Classic presenter and writer Ed le Brocq in a program featuring the inimitable clarinetist Paul Dean in one of the pieces that have made people swoon worldwide, the Mozart Clarinet Quintet. We also welcome another special guest - the distinguished violist Roger Benedict - soloist, conductor and former Principal viola with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.
Our 2026 Composer in Residence Anne Cawrse has been commissioned by Ensemble Q to create a work to go alongside Ed le Brocq's beautiful story about the power of music in Afghanistan "Sonam and the Silence", and then Ed will narrate one of our favourite works, a collaboration between Calvin Bowman and his dear friend, the late Michael Leunig - Curly Pyjama Letters. It's more of a work for renaissance string quartet and poet and will delight all who hear it. Pair all of that with a little Puccini, Webern and a glass of free champagne and a few special treats for the mums, and you have a very, very special afternoon to look forward to.
PROGRAM
Webern Langsammer Satz
Anne Cawrse/Ed le Brocq Sonam & the Silence
Puccini Crisantemi
Bowman/Leunig Curly Pyjama Letters
Mozart Clarinet Quintet in A major K.581
VENUE
3pm Sunday 10 May (Mother's Day)
BRISBANE - GHD Auditorium, Advanced Engineering Building, University of Queensland
*This program will also tour to Rockhampton, Townsville, Mackay, Sydney, Melbourne, Dandenong, Toowoomba and Gold Coast from July 14 - August 9.
23 AUGUST - Sundays by the lake series BARTÓK & BRAHMS
Béla Bartók’s Contrasts lights the fuse: a virtuosic trio for clarinet, violin and piano that draws on Hungarian and Romanian folk impulses - raw, playful and rhythmically unpredictable. Margaret Sutherland’s Nocturne shifts the lens inward, its quiet shimmer and suspended lines revealing a composer of striking subtlety, portrayed exquisitely by violinist Adam Chalabi.
Brahms’ Piano Quartet in C minor Op. 60, is an emotionally charged and deeply romantic work whose sombre beauty and soaring lyricism echo his lifelong, unspoken love for Clara Schumann.
Featuring Ensemble Q Australia musicians at their peak - Daniel de Borah (piano), Paul Dean (clarinet), Adam Chalabi (violin) and Germany-based violist Benjamin Roskams - this is chamber music at full tilt.
PROGRAM
Béla Bartók Contrasts
Margaret Sutherland Nocturne
Johannnes Brahms Piano Quartet No 3 in C minor, Opus 60
VENUES
7pm Friday 21 August
SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE Utzon Room
7pm Saturday 24 August
MELBOURNE RECITAL CENTRE Primrose Potter Salon
3pm Sunday 23 August
BRISBANE - GHD Auditorium, Advanced Engineering Building, University of Queensland
1 NOVEMBER - Sundays by the lake series
SCHUBERT OCTET
Schubert’s Octet in F major, D.803 (1824) is one of his most substantial chamber works and a landmark in the genre. It was written at the request of clarinettist Ferdinand Troyer, who admired Beethoven’s Septet and asked Schubert for something in a similar spirit. Schubert responded by expanding the forces to eight players and stretching the scale to symphonic proportions. The result is chamber music that feels orchestral in scope: six movements, broad melodic canvases and radiant writing for each instrument.
The Octet stands at a pivotal point in Schubert’s life, composed alongside works such as the Death and the Maiden Quartet and the Arpeggione Sonata. Its lyricism, long spans of harmonic adventure and frequent shadows of melancholy reveal a composer consciously shaping form to suit his expressive needs. While rooted in convivial Viennese tradition, the Octet looks forward to the Romantic era in its emotional weight and architectural ambition. It remains one of the great pillars of the chamber repertoire - expansive, humane and unfailingly generous in spirit.
Paired with Baelo, the brilliant sand-dune-inspired septet that we commissioned composer Melody Eötvös to write for us. This is a program not to be missed.
PROGRAM
Melody Eötvös Baelo
Franz Schubert Octet in F major, D.803
VENUE
3pm Sunday 1 November
BRISBANE - GHD Auditorium, Advanced Engineering Building, University of Queensland
SUNDAYS BY THE LAKE SERIES INFORMATION
Ensemble Q Australia is proud to partner with the University of Queensland for four beautiful concerts in the stunning GHD Auditorium in the Advanced Engineering Building. The multi award winning environmentally conscious building is situated overlooking the recently refurbished lake, allowing audience members to enjoy the performance with the stunning natural backdrop adorning the huge stage windows. Deliciously air conditioned with disability access and comfortable seats, the Advanced Engineering Building provides an exciting extension to the Ensemble Q Australia venues that bring world class music to the people and provide a pleasurable concert experience away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Plenty of free Sunday afternoon parking is available on level 3 of the Conifer Knoll parking station on Thynne Rd. Or easy access via the bus terminal across the lake and of course uber and taxis can drop you at the door.
Address: GHD Auditorium, Advanced Engineering Building (49) Jocks Rd, St Lucia
Each concert will run for approximately 70 minutes with no interval.
TICKETS
Adult
$65
Concession
$50
Under 30's $30
Student $20
Purchase a four concert package and save 20%
Tickets can only be purchased online ensembleqaustralia.com (no door sales)
2026 WHISKEY BAR SERIES
10FEBRUARY
Harking back to the days of the speakeasy bars, this gem of a venue is the setting for four very special, intimate Ensemble Q Australia concerts in 2026. Enter the room through a Narnia-inspired wardrobe and dissolve yourself in an evening of good company and incredible music played just for you by some of the finest musicians in Australia. Bring friends or make new ones, everyone is welcome.
This series is consistently sold out (months in advance) and there are strictly limited seats so you will need to be quick to get your tickets.
Adult $95 Concession $80
Venue: Mrs J Rabbits, upstairs at Electric Avenue, 23 Logan Road, Woollongabba. Time: Tuesday evenings, doors open at 6.20pm for a 7pm performance
Seating is unallocated, however there are two 6-7 person booths that can be pre-booked by emailing ensembleqaustralia@gmail.com. Please purchase your tickets first and we will reserve the table for you if it’s available. Minimum 6 people for the booth booking. Parking: Tuesday nights are very quiet so there should be plenty of street parking right outside Electric Avenue and in the local area.
THE FAMILY
10 FEBRUARY 7PM
Well not exactly family, but bassist Phoebe Russell and the Deans share many happy times, adore playing music together and there are always lots of laughs. Enjoy a new program of works by Bottesini, Gliere, Rameau & Gershwin in this lovely summer concert.
NORTHERN LIGHTS
21 APRIL 7PM
Adam Chalabi leads this stunning program of Scandinavian works, including the beautiful Crusell clarinet quartet along with super atmospheric works by Arvo Pärt and Kate Moore, and a special new arrangement by Trish Dean of some of Grieg's beautiful Lyric Pieces.
DANCES OF PERIL
09
JUNE 7pm
Glenn Christensen and Doretta Balkizas are the newest violin superstars in Brisbane and we've invited them to join us for this special concert, featuring works by Prokofiev, Cohen, Mozart, Dean and Bach.
HELENA
08
SEPTEMBER 7pm
Principal violin of the Australian Chamber Orchestra, Helena Rathbone likes nothing more than to hang out in Whiskey Bars with the Deans and you lot. Featuring the extraordinary Kodaly duo, this concert will be extremely special.
We HATE BREAKING HEARTS
It's true, the Whiskey Bar series does sell out within days of being released, so don't delay in grabbing your tickets. It's a small venue seating only 40 guests and you are able to watch some of the most celebrated classical performers performing for you at close range, so it's special. If you do miss out, please put your name on the waitlist (this will come up on the ticketing box when the concert is sold out) and you will be automatically notified if a ticket becomes available.
If you have tickets and can't attend, PLEASE let us know so someone else has the chance to fill your place for the night.
SATURDAY 16 MAY
Indulge in a day of music like no other. Be swept away by the beauty of music by Mozart, Vivaldi and Telemann, to Schoenberg, Vaughan Williams and Australian composers.
It’s an experience that will redefine your perception of music, give you goosebumps and take you to places you’d never dreamed of before.
Town Hall
A FULL DAY IMMERSIVE EVENT featuring THREE Magical performances at Sandgate
Be prepared to feel the music, to be surrounded by musicians, to experience music in a way you have never had the chance to before.
Visit the Ensemble Q Australia website for more information.
Step inside the music is proudly supported by Professor Ian Frazer AC and Caroline Frazer
Step Inside the Music | Saturday May 16, 2026 | Sandgate Town Hall
CONCERT ONE
Baroque from within
Albinoni String Sonata a 5 in G major Vivaldi concerto for 4 violins RV580
Bach Brandenburg Concerto No 6
Vivaldi E minor bassoon concerto RV 484
Interwoven with new works
Presented in orchestral seating format
CONCERT TWO In Spaces Between
Mozart Divertimento in F No 138
Ian Clarke Within....
Anne Cawrse In Spaces Between Taylee Jurekie-Rofe & Lisa Walsham A Double Dose
Vaughan Williams The Lark Ascending Angela Zhang Rising from the Ruins Presented in the round
CONCERT THREE Enchanted evening
Esenwalds In Paradisum for viola, cello and choir
Paul Dean world premiere (choral) Queensland Nocturnes by nine composers
Audience song
Schoenberg Verklarte Nacht
"This was a very special experience. I am still buzzing from it. People should grab a ticket for next year, it's a truly unique event.
Thank you to all the amazing musicians, composers and singers for your artistry and spirit." JS
2026 Featured artists
Glenn Christensen, violin
Roger Benedict, viola
David Mitchell, bassoon
The Australian Voices
with Anne Horton, violin
Trish Dean, cello
Phoebe Russell, bass
Felix Hughes-Chivers, viola
Paul Dean, clarinet
Musicians and composers from the University of Queensland
Mini Q
"A
PRICING
Step Inside the Music is designed to be experienced as a one-day event with three concerts from 11.30am - 4.30pm.
Full day tickets only will be available, however if not sold out prior, some limited release individual concert tickets may become available in May.
Full day pass $129 adult/$99 concession/$39 student Please see our website for more details and ticketing.
stupendous day of sublime music! So rich and so very moving and emotional - the heart was full and soared all day" AW
On the road..
Ensemble Q Australia is dedicated to bringing high quality music to a wide audience and contributing to the local music scene wherever possible.
Ensemble Q Australia offers free workshops and side-by-side events in all regions for young musicians.
In July/August 2026 performances and educational residencies will be held in:
ROCKHAMPTON
MACKAY
TOWNSVILLE
STANTHORPE
TOOWOOMBA
GOLD COAST (HOTA)
DANDENONGS, VIC
COMPOSER IN RESIDENCE PROGRAM 2026
We are delighted to announce ANNE CAWRSE as the Ensemble Q Australia 2026 Composer in Residence. This position will bring the following advances to Australian music:
The creation of a new work for clarinet, string quartet and narrator for performance on our national and regional tour.
The creation of a collaborative work for Step Inside the Music and the mentorship of three young composers who will create short variations under Cawrse's guidance.
Performances of several of Cawrse's works across the year, including Sanctuary (violin and cello) at the Sundays by the Lake Series, In Spaces Between at Step Inside the Music.
Anne Cawrse is an award-winning Australian composer whose acoustic solo, chamber, orchestral and vocal works blend lyrical melody, rhythmic agility and an imaginative harmonic language. Drawn to text and the voices of female writers, she is a leading composer of art song and choral music, and has been the most commissioned composer of the acclaimed Adelaide Chamber Singers.
Raised in Freeling, South Australia, Cawrse studied composition at the Elder Conservatorium, completing a PhD in 2008. She is in demand across Australia, with major commissions from the Adelaide and Melbourne Symphony Orchestras, Australian String Quartet, Plexus Ensemble, Benaud Trio and Zephyr Quartet. Her first opera, Innocence, was developed with State Opera South Australia; music from the work featured at She Speaks, the mini-festival she curated celebrating women composers.
Cawrse’s honours include the 2021 APRA/AMC Chamber Work of the Year (A Room of Her Own) and the South Australian Luminary Award, alongside recognition in the Paul Lowin Orchestral Prize and numerous national awards. She is active as a lecturer at the Elder Conservatorium and enjoys life by the beach with her family.
EDUCATION PROGRAM
Recent and ongoing educational collaborations include:
Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM)
Opera Queensland
Lisa Gasteen National Opera Program
Brisbane Festival
Queensland Music Festival
SCHOOL OF MUSIC, University of Queensland
Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University
4MBS Classic FM
Queensland Youth Orchestras
Four Winds Bermagui
Queensland Music Trails
Opera at Jimbour
PIMLICO STATE SCHOOL
CENTENARY HEIGHTS STATE SCHOOL
BuNJIL ARTS CENTRE, VIC
Ensemble Q Australia's mentorship program has given hundreds of young musicians the opportunity to play alongside the very best musicians in Australia, through direct engagement in chamber music, the creation of side-by-side orchestras and in special events such as Queensland Music Trails Opera at Jimbour. Ensemble Q Australia is committed to the future of Australian music by creating significant learning opportunities for talented young musicians.
In 2025 Ensemble Q AUSTRALIA established MINI Q, a quartet residency for FOUR young highschool- aged students to be nurtured in workshops and performance opportunities
ENSEMBLE Q AUSTRALIA PARTNERS & SUPPORTERS
Ensemble Q Australia Inc. acknowledges and thanks the following brilliant partners:
Ensemble Q Australia is proudly supported by the Queensland Government through Arts
We warmly thank our key donors who help us present our programs and enrich the cultural platform of Australia
Major artists
Philip Bacon AO
Prof Ian Frazer AC and Caroline Frazer
Maestros
Di Haskell & Ken Robinson
Helen Mair
Dr Philip Aitken & Dr Susan Urqhuart
Di Jameson OAM and Frank Mercurio
Andrew Johnston
Dr Sheena Burnell
Soloists
Ruth Bereson
Dinah Blunt
Vicki Brooke
Kathleen Clifford
Robert & Christine Dagworthy
Brisbane Forum Inc
Jennette Johnstone
(soloists, continued)
Gavin Rebetzke
Marilyn Richardson
David Siddle & Christa Critchley
Nancy Underhill
Mark Wakely
Ensemble
Professor Georgia Chenevix-Trench and Professor Nick Martin
Alan Wilson
Len & Wendy McPherson
Robyn Evans
Joan and Barry Miskin
Margaret Gibbs
Denise Wadley
Robert Boughen (in memory of Christina Boughen)
Sheena Boughen & Bill Caldicott
Ensemble Q Australia Inc is a non-profit company listed on the Register of Cultural Organisations and can receive tax deductible donations to assist our operational expenses. ABN 66494650123
