Flinders Quartet (Erica Kennedy, Matthew Tomkins, Helen Ireland and Zoë Knighton) has captured the imagination of audiences for over ten years and continues to carry audiences away with them into the sublime world of chamber music.
Flinders is active in generating revenue through private philanthropy and is immensely grateful to all donors who support them through the Australia Cultural Fund.
"The donations received from the Australia Cultural Fund have enabled us to commission a number of new works for string quartet by Australian composers, and to fund recording projects - the most recent of which involves a CD release with guitarist Karin Schaupp. The donations also allow us to subsidise our concert ticket prices, keeping subscriptions and tickets affordable, and serving our mantra of bringing chamber music to as many people as possible. Flinders Quartet is passionate about the role of music and chamber music plays in education and self development, and the quartet loves being able to use donated funds to initiate new education programs (such as the Melbourne Youth Orchestra string quartet program) aimed at secondary school students. Finally, the donations help fund the ongoing organisation and development of the quartet. The confidence this support gives us as a professional quartet is enormous and without it, we simply wouldn't be in existence today."
Zoë Knighton, Flinders Quartet Member
Vanguards of the Melbourne chamber music scene, Flinders initiated their own annual subscription series in 2002. The series has gained momentum each year, and the quartet now enjoys programming and presenting their own concerts in two Melbourne venues, and one Sydney venue, thrice-annually.
Flinders have a steadfast commitment to the development of Australian chamber music: they regularly commission and premiere works by Australian composers, and collaborate on recording and performance projects with some of Australia's finest musicians.
"Flinders Quartet...whose players give such care and unaminity of musical thought to Australian chamber music"
Peter McCallum, Sydney Morning Herald
"... full-blooded enthusiasm, a fine ear for lyrical content and an unfailing unanimity of intent"
Clive O'Connell, The Age
How you can help
Flinders Quartet present an annual subscription concert series. Your donation will support this series, as well as the quartet's new work commissioning and recording projects.