Flinders Quartet has a steadfast committment to the development of Australian chamber music, and regularly commissions and premieres new works by Australian composers. Following is a list of works that the quartet has commissioned and premiered during its twenty-two year history.
Please contact us if you are interested in finding out more about the commissioning process, or talking to us about commissioning a new work for Flinders Quartet.
2024
Gordon Kerry String Quartet No. 6
Commissioned by Flinders Quartet with support from Siobhan Lenihan, for Dolores and Denis Lenihan
Bryony Marks “The Mendelssohns” incidental music
2023
Brenda Gifford Dissipate
Commissioned by Flinders Quartet with the support of FQ Syndicate #4
Maria Grenfell Silhouettes
Commissioned by Flinders Quartet with the support of FQ Syndicate #5
2022
Katy Abbott (b. 1971) Splitting the Ambivalence for mezzo-soprano and string quartet
Commissioned by Flinders Quartet with support from Kim Williams AM
Melody Eötvös (b. 1984) Hope. Fear. Anything. for mezzo-soprano and string quartet
Commissioned by John and Irene Garran
Clara Schumann Op. 16 arranged for string quartet by Jessica Wells
Commissioned by Flinders Quartet
Beethoven Vignette commissions:
Natalie Nicolas Blue
Commissioned by Flinders Quartet with support from FQ Syndicate #2
Naomi Brown Fractured Peace
Commissioned by Flinders Quartet with support from FQ Syndicate #1
Claire Higgins Remnant #133
Commissioned by Flinders Quartet with support from Richard Gubbins
Clare Strong Tribute to LvB
Commissioned by Flinders Quartet with support from FQ Syndicate #3
Claire L. Farrell fugue state
Commissioned by Flinders Quartet with support from Dimity Reed and Garry Joslin
Julian Yu J.S. Bach Goldberg Variations arranged for erhu and string quartet
Commissioned by Carrillo Gantner AC and Ziyin Gantner as part of The Myer Foundation’s Family Grant Program
2020
Katy Abbott (b. 1971) Hidden Thoughts II: Return to Sender for mezzo-soprano, narrator and string quartet
Deborah Cheetham AO (b. 1964) Bungaree
Commissioned by Flinders Quartet with support from Andrew Dixon, in memory of Jean and John Dixon
Ella Macens (b. 1991) A Love Worth Fighting For
Commissioned by Flinders Quartet with support from Peter and Leila Doyle
2019
Matthew Laing (b. 1988) Out of Hibernation
Commissioned by Flinders Quartet
Stuart Greenbaum (b. 1966) Translations for Er-Hu, string quartet and recorder
Commissioned by Carrillo Gantner for his wife, Ziyin Wang Gantner
2018
Iain Grandage (b. 1970) after Felix Mendelssohn Puck's Dream (after Midsummer) [available on FQ Digital]
Directed by Richard Piper
Commissioned by Flinders Quartet
Andrew Ford (b. 1957) String Quartet No. 6
Jointly commissioned for Flinders Quartet by David and Kaye Birks and Julian Burnside AO QC
2017
Calvin Bowman (b. 1972) String Quartet in two movements
Commissioned for Flinders Quartet by Julian Burnside AO QC
2016
Stuart Greenbaum (b. 1966) String Quartet No. 6 The Lonely Planet
Commissioned by Flinders Quartet with support from Julian Burnside AO QC
Elena Kats-Chernin (b. 1957) Piano Quintet No. 1 The Offering [available on The Offering]
Commissioned by Flinders Quartet with support from Chris Arnold and Margot Costanzo
Stuart Greenbaum (b. 1966) 4 before (and after) 5
Commissioned by Flinders Quartet with support from Julian Burnside AO QC
Stuart Greenbaum (b. 1966) String Quartet No. 7 Recognition
Commissioned by Julian Burnside AO QC
2015
Andrew Ford (b. 1957) Scherzo perpetuo
Commissioned by Flinders Quartet
Mattias Lysell (b. 1971) Le Sculpteur Express
Commissioned by Flinders Quartet
Tom Henry (b. 1971) Scenes from a Poet's Life for string quartet [available on The Offering]
Commissioned by Melbourne Recital Centre / University of Melbourne with support from Majlis Pty Ltd
2014
Paul Grabowsky (b. 1958) The Nightingale and the Rose
Commissioned with support from Australian Communities Foundation
Paul Dean (b. 1966) Moments of Transformation
Commissioned with support from Richard Gubbins and Peter Kingsbury
2013
Elena Kats-Chernin (b. 1957) Joyce's Mob
Commissioned with support from Joyce Evans
2012
Calvin Bowman (b. 1972) The Curly Pyjama Letters [available on FQ Digital]
Commissioned with support from Richard Gubbins
Behind Closed Doors A one act play by Adam J. A. Cass
Commissioned with the support of the City of Port Phillip Cultural Development Fund and Red Stitch Actors Theatre
2011
Ian Munro (b. 1963) String Quartet No. 2 A Colonial Sketchbook
Commissioned by John and Irene Garran in memory of Irene’s parents, Kathryn and Bill Purnell
2010
Peter Sculthorpe (b. 1929) Song for Neilma
Peter Sculthorpe (b. 1929) String Quartet No. 18 [available on The Offering]
Jointly commissioned by Edinburgh Festival for Tokyo String Quartet and Peter and Leila Doyle for Flinders Quartet
Richard Mills (b. 1949) String Quartet No. 4 Glimpses from my Book of Dada [available on The Offering]
Commissioned with assistance from the Australia Council and dedicated to Flinders Quartet on their tenth birthday
2009
Ross Edwards (b. 1943) In Exile
2008
Calvin Bowman (b. 1972) Homage to Mozart [available on Reinventions]
2007
Richard Mills (b. 1949) String Quartet No. 2 Fantasias and Capriccio
Commissioned by Anthony Adair and Karen McLeod Adair
2006
Ian Munro (b. 1963) Divertissement sur le nom d’Erik Satie
Katy Abbott (b. 1971) It Is Just The Heart
2005
Elena Kats-Chernin (b. 1957) Re-Inventions [available on Reinventions]
2000
Katy Abbott (b. 1971) Vertical Horizon