Australia Ensemble UNSW

The Australia Ensemble UNSW has been a cornerstone of chamber music excellence in Australia since its foundation in 1980. Its Sydney-based series consistently presents a mix of substantial and unusual repertoire, with a focus on elite artists and works by Australian composers, sustained since Roger Covell and Murray Khouri established the group at UNSW. Its core membership has been maintained by key artists, which in 2024 includes Dimity Hall (violin), David Griffiths (clarinet), and Julian Smiles (cello), working with emeritus and guest artists. As the heart of culture at UNSW, the Australia Ensemble draws community to campus and is an embodiment of the UNSW motto 'Knowledge by Heart, Hand and Mind'.

As well as concert performances, the Australia Ensemble UNSW has a long history of commissions, workshops, recordings, and touring, and continues to deliver the Layton Emerging Composer Fellowship to support the next generation of leading Australian composers.

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Mar
23
AE 2024 Ensemble IMAGE

With the magical sound of bird-song, Gareth Farr takes us to where music begins in his vivid rendering of spring in New Zealand.

May
18
Concert 2

So maybe Mozart didn’t write his Kegelstatt trio at the bowling alley, but he would have loved the earthy rhythmic power of the popular gumboot dances of...

Aug
17
James Crabb High Res 2 (photo credit Christoffer Askman - www.askman.dk)

Imagining times past, Dvořák evokes the Balkan bagpipe with the accordion in his Bagatelles, where Piazzolla’s instrument depicts the sacred and profane moods...

Gareth FARR IMAGE

With the first concert of the Australia Ensemble UNSW approaching in one month's time, the MPU team reached out to interview New Zealand composer, Gareth Farr and...

Alex Turley 2

We are delighted to announce composer, Alex Turley as the winner of the...

DC6151_10617_AE 2020_foto Keith Saunders - Copy

How can we begin to summarise the incredible contribution of Dene and Irina to the Australia Ensemble and to Australian musical life more broadly?