Ensemble Q & William Barton

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A kaleidoscope of sound 

Old meets new and new meets old when a crack team of classical virtuosos team up with the boundless sonic imagination of William Barton to explore Brahms, Ligeti and more. Wrap yourself in a kaleidoscope of sound with Ensemble Q. 

What are the sonic possibilities when the oldest wind instrument in the world – the didgeridoo – teams up with instruments that found their final form only two centuries ago? And who better to explore them than distinguished artist and composer William Barton?

Ensemble Q is a group powered by the passion and fizz of curiosity and underpinned by the virtuosic integrity of some of Australia’s finest musicians. It might just be the perfect playground for making music. Their ear-catching program includes works by William Barton and Paul Dean alongside hand-picked masterpieces by Brahms and Ligeti, which promise to wrap audiences in a multi-faceted kaleidoscope of sound.

"The possibilities are extraordinary. [William Barton] is a great man. He radiates. "
— Sir Simon Rattle
"[Ensemble Q was] quite possibly the best performance I’ve seen all year and an astonishing feat of music-making...Frankly, this was a jaw-dropping performance."
— Limelight 
½
"This is sublime music... traversing land and seascapes, the seasons and the elements..."
— Limelight
"... eight ancient and modern instruments each expertly guided and delivered"
— The West Australian

 

Listen to the music before you witness Ensemble Q & William Barton live.

ALISON MITCHELL flute 
HUW JONES oboe 
PAUL DEAN co-artistic director and clarinet 
DAVID MITCHELL bassoon 
PETER LUFF horn 
TRISH DEAN co-artistic director and cello 
PHOEBE RUSSELL double bass 
WILLIAM BARTON didgeridoo /composer 

LIGETI Six Bagatelles
PAUL DEAN Concerto for Cello and Wind Quintet
BRAHMS Cello Sonata No. 1 in E minor, Op. 38 (arr. Breuer)
WILLIAM BARTON Journey to the Edge of the Horizon (2024)*

*World premiere performances. Commissioned by Musica Viva Australia with the support of the Hon. Anthe Philippides SC and the WA Commissioning Circle.

Concert duration: The concert has an approximate duration of 92 minutes (including interval).

William Barton

For two decades, William Barton has forged a peerless profile as a performer and composer in the classical music world, from working with the Philharmonic Orchestras of London and Berlin to appearances at historic events at Westminster Abbey for Commonwealth Day 2019, to Anzac Cove and the Beijing Olympics.

His awards include Winner of Best Original Score for a Mainstage Production at the 2018 Sydney Theatre Awards and Winner of ARIA Best Classical Album for Kalkadungu in 2012. With his prodigious musicality and the quiet conviction of his Kalkadunga heritage, he has vastly expanded the horizons of the didgeridoo – and the culture and landscape that it represents.

Commissioned by Musica Viva Australia with the support of the Hon Anthe Philippides SC and the WA Commissioning Circle , William Barton will be premiering his work with Ensemble Q on our national tour.

With special thanks to Ensemble Patrons Ian and Caroline Frazer for their support of this tour.

View or download the program guide by pressing this button below .
Zoom or view in a full screen using these buttons below .

Event and Ticketing Details

Dates & Times

Perth   30 September 7:30pm
Adelaide   3 October 7:30pm
Canberra   5 October 7pm
Sydney   7 October 7pm
Melbourne   8 October 7pm
Newcastle   10 October 7:30pm
Brisbane   12 October 7pm

Location

Multiple Venues

Please check the venue in your city when booking tickets.

Event notes

Concert Duration

The concert has an approximate duration of 92 minutes (including interval).

Venue Information

Read more about the venues here.

Masterclasses

Find out about our Perth and Adelaide masterclasses here.

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