Celebrating 40 years of the Australian String Quartet

Hot off the heels of its European tour, Adelaide’s own Australian String Quartet will mark its 40th anniversary alongside the 10th anniversary of the Adelaide UNESCO City of Music with a day of free concerts, exhibitions, hands-on opportunities to try string instruments, and a virtual reality experience at the iconic Adelaide Town Hall on Sunday, 28 September.

As Australia’s leading organisation dedicated to string quartet music, the Australian String Quartet celebrates a long history as a globally renowned music group. Their most recent tour saw the Quartet, comprising Dale Barltrop and Francesca Hiew (violins), Chris Cartldige (viola), and Michael Dahlenburg (cello), performing with indie band The National’s frontman Bryce Dessner, along with cellist Anastasia Kobekina and GRAMMY-winning mezzo Fleur Barron, at the 1400-seat Festival club Huvila. The tour also included four sold-out shows of ‘Impermanence’ with Sydney Dance Company at Dance House Helsinki, as well as Quartet-only performances at the historic St Martin-in-the-Fields on Trafalgar Square, London, and at the intimate Jacqueline du Pré Music Building as part of Music at Oxford’s renowned series.

While touring Europe, the ASQ Management team visited Estonia to explore the enchanting medieval Old Town of Tallinn, just a scenic ferry ride across the Baltic from Helsinki. A fellow UNESCO City of Music, Tallinn is renowned for preserving centuries-old choral traditions while fostering innovative contemporary music and maintaining a vibrant music economy.

 

Lennart and Andres at ASQ Huvela Gig with Angelina and ASQ Supporters

Lennart and Andres at ASQ Huvela Gig with Angelina and ASQ Supporters.

The Adelaide City of Music office (ACOM) works to celebrate and connect South Australian musicians, music organisations, and presenters across the UNESCO Creative Cities Network. We were excited to link the ASQ’s management team with Tallinn Philharmonic Director, Lennart Sundja, in Tallinn. Through this connection, the ASQ team experienced Tallinn’s stunning music venues firsthand and enjoyed a special visit to the Arvo Pärt Centre with Director Anu Kivilo. Located in the coastal village of Laulasmaa in Lääne-Harju Parish, Estonia, about 35 kilometres (22 miles) west of Tallinn and surrounded by beautiful pine forest, the Arvo Pärt Centre is a foundation that maintains the personal archive of classical composer Arvo Pärt and serves as an information centre about the composer and his works.

“The strength of the UCCN lies in its vibrant network of personal relationships that bridge cultures and open doors to transformative creative collaborations. It was a privilege to visit the enchanting medieval Old Town of Tallinn, Estonia, as part of ASQ’s recent European tour. We experienced firsthand the city’s extraordinary music venues and enjoyed a particularly memorable visit to the Arvo Pärt Centre, graciously hosted by Director Anu Kivilo. We have returned to Adelaide with full hearts and brimming with ideas for future collaborations.” – Angelina Zucco, Chief Executive Officer, Australian String Quartet.

These kinds of cultural connections between artists and arts organisations are at the heart of our purpose at ACOM, and we are excited to support the continuing collaboration between our respective artists and arts organisations. We wish the ASQ every success with their upcoming 40th Anniversary celebrations and encourage the community to come out and be part of their Big Gig.

Thanks to the City of Adelaide for partnering with the ASQ and marking this birthday with a family-friendly party to remember. Tickets are sold out, though for more information about waitlisting, please visit asq.com.au

Tallinn City of Music
Tallinn Ampitheatre

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