ASCEND PROGRAM 2024

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

Nicole Brady

Andrew Howes

Aristea Mellos

Chris Williams

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

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

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

• 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 opened: 31 October 2024
Applications closed: 30 November 2024 (5pm AEDT)
Outcome notified: by the end of December 2024

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