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.
EMERGE PROGRAM 2023
The 2023 Emerge composers are:
Lisa Cheney
Ian Whitney
Pat Jaffe
Huangkai (Kaykay) Lai
Jonathan Mui
Hao Zhen
Lisa Cheney (top left), photo credit Jason Thorpe-Buchanan
Ian Whitney (top mid), photo credit Will Taylor
Pat Jaffe (top right), photo credit Kevin Peterson
Huangkai (Kaykay) Lai (bottom left)
Jonathan Mui (bottom mid)
Hao Zhen (bottom right), photo credit University of Vanderbilt
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 this program, participating composers write a 5-6 minute work for string quartet to be performed by FQ at the conclusion of the program.
Over a 12-month period, these six composers will receive:
6 online sessions with members of FQ dissecting scores by master string quartet composers
In-person time with FQ workshopping and rehearsing their composition
Performance of their 5-6 minute string quartet at the conclusion of the program
Filmed performance of their work
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
On sale soon
Friday 29 November
Premiere performance + live-stream
David Li Sound Gallery, Monash University, Clayton
On sale soon
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
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.