Interwoven
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Friday, 1 May 2026
11:00 am
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Wesley Music Centre
20-22 National Circuit, Forest ACT 2603
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In Association with
Update 28 April 2026: Please note that this concerts is now at Wesley Music Centre
Chamber music at its best
The Australian String Quartet, one of the nation’s leading chamber ensembles, joins forces with Timothy Young, Head of Piano at the Australian National Academy of Music, for a program that illuminates two landmark works separated by more than 170 years yet united by craft, intensity and expressive imagination.
Robert Schumann’s Piano Quintet in E flat major, Op.44, written in 1842 during his extraordinary ‘chamber music year’, stands as a cornerstone of the genre. Here, the piano’s symphonic richness meets the nuanced intimacy of the string quartet, creating an equal partnership defined by bold gestures and finely etched lyricism.
The opening movement surges with rhythmic vitality, followed by a solemn and noble funeral march that blooms into turbulence. A spirited Scherzo lifts the mood with its fleet motifs and playful episodes. The finale crowns the work with contrapuntal brilliance and glowing exuberance, weaving earlier themes into a triumphant close. Premiered and championed by Clara Schumann, the quintet continues to be celebrated as one of the most influential works in nineteenth-century chamber music.
Elizabeth Younan’s String Quartet No. 1, Interwoven, reveals a distinctively Australian voice shaped by rigorous craft and emotional clarity. Refined through major commissions, the work’s intricate chromatic writing and tightly bound counterpoint create a restless but luminous sound world. Across three movements, Younan threads tension, colour and expressive precision, culminating in a radiant finale that affirms her place as one of Australia’s most compelling emerging composers.
Together, these works showcase the expressive reach of the string quartet and piano quintet, brought to life by performers at the height of their artistry.
Artists
Australian String Quartet
Dale Barltrop violin
Francesca Hiew violin
Christopher Cartlidge viola
Michael Dahlenburg cello
Timothy Young piano
Program
Elizabeth Younan, String Quartet No.1, Interwoven
Robert Schumann, Piano Quintet in E flat major, Op. 44
This concert is generously supported by Marjorie Kobold and Margaret Reid
Duration: 50 min, no interval
Photo credit: Laura Manariti
ARTIST Learn more about the artist
Artist Australian String Quartet
The Australian String Quartet (ASQ) is Australia’s pre-eminent organisation dedicated to string quartet music and Quartet-in-Residence at the University of Adelaide’s Elder Conservatorium of Music.
Defined by excellence in performance and the joy of musical expression, the ASQ’s DNA comprises three inseparable parts. At the centre is the Quartet – four full-time musicians, each a creative force in crafting the world’s most dynamic and intimate music. Surrounding the Quartet is an innovative production company that presents, tours, records, and promotes exceptional artistry. Sustaining this, is a vital community of partners including a national Board, visionary Patron – Maria Myers AC, Major Partner – The University of Adelaide, Instrument Partner – UKARIA and Government Supporters.
Together, the ASQ celebrate music from the past to the present, from near and afar, and strive to reflect contemporary Australia through their performances, collaborations, advocacy, learning programs, and development of new work. Their landmark ASQ Australian Music Fund, supports the ensemble’s ground-breaking Australian Anthology project that proudly champions the work of Australian artists.
In their 40th year, they are energised by their purpose to create chemistry and amplify intimacy through experiences that engage people across regional and metropolitan Australia and around the world.
Dale Barltrop plays a 1784 Guadagnini Violin, Turin
Francesca Hiew plays a 1748-49 Guadagnini Violin, Piacenza
Chris Cartlidge plays a 1783 Guadagnini Viola, Turin
Michael Dahlenburg plays a c.1743 Guadagnini Violoncello, Piacenza ‘Ngeringa’
Photo credit: Laura Manariti