The Quartet’s offerings include a new quartet by James Ledger, as well as works by Dean, Widmann, Mendelssohn and Shostakovich.

Australian String Quartet, Season 2018

The Australian String Quartet has unveiled its 2018 national season, which will feature a world premiere by Australian composer James Ledger, as well as works by Dean, Widmann, Mendelssohn, Shostakovich and more. The ASQ commissioned Adelaide illustrator Chris Edser to create a series of surreal illustrations to capture the spirit of the programme, Unleash the Mind, including one that has been dubbed “the Beethoven burger” for its June/July tour.

Australian String Quartet, 2018The Australian String Quartet’s violist Stephen King. Illustration © Chris Edser, photo © Jacqui Way.

“Major works of the master composers, Mendelssohn, Beethoven, Schubert and Shostakovich headline each of our concert programmes for 2018,” said the ASQ’s second violin Francesca Hiew. “Interspersed among these milestones are a selection of audacious contributions from leading figures of the contemporary musical world.”

The ASQ, which consists of Hiew, first violin Dale Barltrop, violist Stephen King and cellist Sharon Grigoryan, begins its main season in February with a programme...