The Australian String Quartet Unveils 2027 Program

It might still be a few months out until the end of the year, but the Australian String Quartet (ASQ) are already excited about what 2027 will bring, announcing their 2027 program of national tours, immersive festivals and special collaborations

Headlining the announcement are two huge Australian tours – Unleashed and Portraits – alongside the ASQ's regular showpiece experiences in Dunkeld and Margaret River. The 2027 season also includes collaborations with the likes of the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra, Corpus Medicorum, Darwin Symphony Orchestra and Arafura Music Collective.

"Every encounter with music is an opportunity for curiosity, connection and discovery," says ASQ violinist Francesca Hiew. "The year is shaped by moments that continue to celebrate the wonder, richness and human connection of the string quartet. We are so grateful to be able to share these with our community."

When it comes to the major tours, Unleashed arrives in April 2027 and brings together important works from Mozart, Bacewicz and Shostakovich, while Portraits takes place across August and September 2027 and features works by György Kurtág, Robert Schumann and Philip Glass, alongside the World Premiere of an evocative new string quartet, The Cattery, led by Australian composer Alice Chance.

"It’s a genuine thrill to be commissioned to write my third string quartet, nicknamed The Cattery, for the ASQ," Chance says. "Ever since writing Nose Scrunch Reel for the ensemble in 2020 and seeing the life the piece has taken on since, I've been dreaming about what I could write next for these extraordinary musicians. I’m thrilled to now have that chance. They are a group of musicians I have so much respect for and I can’t wait for this new quartet to be heard across the nation as part of their Portraits national tour.

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The beloved Dunkeld Festival of Music in Victoria's Southern Grampians returns in March next year and will see the ASQ performing with acclaimed Scottish classical accordionist James Crabb and celebrated Australian pianist Daniel de Borah. The talented Crabb will also team up with the ASQ in November for the Margaret River Weekend of Music.

Next year's program also includes a slew of collaborative showcases with Melbourne Chamber Orchestra in Kinship, Corpus Medicorum in Absolute Jest and the Darwin Symphony Orchestra in partnership with Arafura Music Collective as part of their Beethoven Festival, while the ASQ will continue to nurture the next-gen stars through the quartet's role as Quartet-in-Residence at Adelaide University's Elder Conservatorium of Music and School of Performing Arts.

"We are incredibly proud of the experiences on offer through our 2027 national tours, festivals and collaborations," said ASQ Chief Executive Officer Angelina Zucco. "These projects reflect the many ways we connect with people through music, from major festivals and concert stages to deep and enduring community partnerships. Together, they represent a key part of a rich and diverse year of musical activity that will unfold across Australia and internationally throughout 2027."

Tickets for the ASQ’s 2027 national tours and festivals are on sale from 11am ACST on Wednesday 30 September 2026. More information is available at asq.com.au.