“Chamber musician” might not seem like a particularly viable career choice, given the sadly dwindling interest in classical music of the public at large, yet the Australia Piano Quartet are not only managing to make this vocation viable; they’re thriving. Perhaps even more refreshingly, the secret of this success has nothing to do with dumbing down or caving to the seductive commercialism of cross over. Moreover the APQ have shown that musical excellence, a commitment to championing bold programming, and sheer bloody hard work can be the bedrock to build an impressively accomplished and fruitful reputation. “Classical music can be a very narrow, difficult and fickle industry to work in,” says APQ cellist and founder member Thomas Rann. “Working in chamber music is even harder, but we’re all completely committed to it. The reality for a lot of musicians is that they have to juggle orchestral and teaching jobs with chamber music, but we’re focused on making the quartet work.”

The Australia Piano Quartet outside the UTS’s Dr Chau Chak Wing Building

If recent achievements are anything to go by, making it work is exactly what this...