FQ’S STRING QUARTET COMPOSER PROGRAMS

The extraordinary success of Flinders Quartet’s celebrated Composer Development Program (established in 2016) has inspired the introduction of two separate streams - ASCEND and EMERGE - acknowledging the need for emerging composers to have access to mentoring by a professional string quartet while offering more established composers vital industry exposure and advocacy.

 

 

ASCEND PROGRAM 2024

From a field of nearly 70 submissions by Australian composers residing all over the world, we are excited to announce that the 2024 participants in the Ascend composer program are:

Nicole Brady

Andrew Howes

Aristea Mellos

Chris Williams

Nicole Brady (upper-left) photo credit Daniel Boud
Andrew Howes (upper-right) photo credit Christine Chen
Aristea Mellos (lower-left) photo credit Letícia Almeida
Chris Williams (lower-right) photo credit Michele Stapleton

Thursday 7 November
Open-to-the-public and live-streamed workshop
Performance Space, Library at the Dock, Docklands

Tuesday 26 November
’Preview’ premiere performance
Noisy Ritual, Brunswick East
BOOKINGS

Friday 29 November
Premiere performance + live-stream
David Li Sound Gallery, Monash University, Clayton
BOOKINGS


Flinders Quartet’s “ASCEND PROGRAM 2024” will offer these four composers:

  • $6,000 commission fee to write a new string quartet 

  • Time with FQ workshopping and rehearsing their composition

  • High quality studio recording of their work

  • Premiere performance of their new work to an in-person and live-streamed audience

  • Filmed performance of their work

  • Chance to be awarded an All That We Are residency with flights provided between the nearest capital city and Hobart

  • Industry advocacy and career coaching

EMERGE PROGRAM 2025

The Emerge composer program offers an opportunity to work with Flinders Quartet in a year-long program of score study and deeply engaged learning about the craft of string quartet writing. During the course of the 2025 program, participating composers will write 6 minutes of string quartet music shaped by a brief, as part of a partnership with the renowed Hush Foundation. At the conclusion of the program, FQ will studio-record, perform and film the works.

We often get the question: who is Emerge is for?

It’s a self-assessment - if you consider yourself an emerging Australian composer, you are eligible to apply for this program.

Over a 12-month period, the participating composers will receive:

  • Online sessions with members of FQ dissecting scores by master string quartet composers 

  • In-person time with FQ workshopping and rehearsing their composition

  • Live performance and studio recording of their 6 minutes of music for string quartet

  • Filmed performance of their work

ALL AUSTRALIAN COMPOSERS WHO CONSIDER THEMSELVES ‘EMERGING’ ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY

Application open: 31 October 2024
Applications close: 30 November 2024 (5pm AEDT)
Outcome notified: by the end of December 2024

2025 Emerge commences 30 January and concludes in early December 2025.

FQ’s composer program is supported by:

PAST COMPOSER PROGRAM CONCERTS AND MINI-DOCOS



Flinders Quartet's 2021 Composer Development Program performance, live-streamed 24 November 2021 by 5stream.

2020 COMPOSER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM CONCERT

Flinders Quartet's 2017 composer workshop performance, live-streamed 5 December 2017 by 5stream.

Flinders Quartet's streamed performance following the inaugural composer workshop project. Filmed and streamed by 5stream.

Flinders Quartet’s 2021 Composer Development Program workshop, live-streamed 20 November 2021 by 5stream.

Flinders Quartet’s 2019 Composer Development Program performance live-streamed 22 June 2019 by 5stream.

Short documentary about Flinders Quartet's inaugural composer workshop project. Filming, sound recording and editing: Justin Batchelor, Batchedit

Flinders Quartet’s 2021 Composer Development Program workshop, live-streamed 13 November 2021 by 5stream.

2019 COMPOSER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM MINI-DOCO

Flinders Quartet's 2018 Composer Development Program performance, live-streamed 12 August 2018 by 5stream.