The Australian String Quartet is preparing for a musical expedition with Voyager, its final tour for 2026. The program takes audiences on a journey through the beauty, complexity and boundary-breaking innovation of some of the most dynamic music written for string quartet.
The tour arrives in Adelaide on 23 October, bringing together the raw intensity of Bartók, the grandeur of Beethoven and the other-worldly explorations of Irish composer and violist Garth Knox.
A journey through space, movement and sound
The program opens with Knox’s Satellites, reuniting the Quartet with the composer’s work for the first time since sharing the stage with Knox at the 2025 Adelaide Festival. Written in 2015 and originally commissioned for the Kronos Quartet in Seattle in 2016, Satellites takes the string quartet into orbit, exploring the sonic possibilities of four string instruments and inviting audiences on a journey through space, movement and sound.
According to ASQ violist Christopher Cartlidge, Satellites sets the scene for an immersive concert experience.
“Satellites transports us to another world, taking our instruments and playing to another level. Together, we go on a journey through the music, feeling every shift in the sound as we move through a series of emotional dimensions.”
For Cartlidge, the program provides a fitting finale to a highly successful 2026 season for the ASQ.
“The pairing of Knox, Bartók and Beethoven is an incredible send-off for the year. It’s the perfect opportunity to celebrate and continue pushing the boundaries of string quartet music.”
The program
The Voyager program features:
- Garth Knox, Satellites
- Bartók, String Quartet No.4
- Beethoven, String Quartet in B-flat Major, Op.130, and Grosse Fuge, Op.133
About the Australian String Quartet
The Australian String Quartet is Australia’s pre-eminent organisation dedicated to string quartet music and Quartet-in-Residence at Adelaide University’s Elder Conservatorium of Music and School of Performing Arts. Their landmark ASQ Richard Divall Australian Music Fund supports the ensemble’s ground-breaking Australian Anthology project, championing the work of Australian artists.
The four musicians perform on historic Guadagnini instruments: 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), and Michael Dahlenburg plays a c.1743 Guadagnini Violoncello (Piacenza).
Tour dates
The Adelaide concert takes place on 23 October at 7pm. The broader national tour includes Perth (12 October), Sydney (19-20 October), Mount Barker (20 October), Canberra (25 October), Brisbane (27 October) and Melbourne (29 October).
For more information and bookings, visit asq.com.au or call 1800 040 444 during business hours.
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