Musica Viva has announced the finalists and first-round prize-winners of the 2021 Strike A Chord competition.

The national chamber music competition was created in 2020 to celebrate Musica Viva’s 75th anniversary. Open to all secondary students across Australia, it provides an exciting platform for the young musicians to work collaboratively as an ensembles and develop their musical skills. In this, its second year, 465 young musicians were involved in the 114 entries to the Strike a Chord competition.

Strike a Chord 2021. Photograph courtesy of Musica Viva Australia

After two weeks of deliberation, the jury has decided on the 12 groups from across Australia that will be heading to Melbourne for the Grand Finals at Melbourne Recital Centre on 14 and 15 August. The 12 finalists are: The Canberra Reds from Canberra; Bartholdy Trio, False Relations and Piccolo String Quartet from Sydney; Amogus Trio, JPMS Ensemble Spirito and “Shell Shocked” Chamber Percussion Ensemble, Sheldon College from Brisbane; Piruli String Quartet from Adelaide; Scotch College String Quartet, Trio Finifugal, and Vdub from Melbourne; and Four Strings from Perth.

Wilma Smith, Artistic Director of Competitions at Musica Viva, said, “I’m personally thrilled with the...