There is a rare, intoxicating vulnerability when world-class chamber music is experienced in an intimate performance space, and tonight at the Sydney Opera Houseâs Utzon Room, Brisbane-based Ensemble Q delivered a concert that was not merely heard, but deeply feltâan experience that bypassed the intellectual mechanics of music and touched the soul directly. The venueâs tight, warm acoustics placed the audience in striking, captivating proximity to the musicians. Sitting so close that you could hear the soft intake of breath before a phrase, see the delicate bow hair catch the strings, and feel the physical resonance of every note created an immediate, deeply personal connection that elevated the entire performance, making it feel less like a distant spectacle on a cavernous stage and more like a shared, living conversation between artist and listener.
Founded by husband-and-wife duo Paul Dean, a professor at the University of Queensland and one of Australiaâs foremost clarinettists, and Trish Dean, an internationally respected cellist, Ensemble Q brings together a powerhouse lineup of extraordinary Australian talent. Joining them on stage were violinist Asma Chalabi, Head of Violin at ANAM performing on an exquisite 1805 Joseph Panormo violin; the brilliant violinist Anne Horton, whose international career boasts major competition victories in Cremona and Osaka; and acclaimed violist Benjamin Roskams, who added immense emotional warmth on a magnificent c. 1720 Joseph filius Andreae Guarneri viola. Completing the ensemble was acclaimed broadcaster, author, and narrator Ed Le Brocq, whose sensitive, grounded storytelling provided a gentle emotional spine for the evening’s narrative works.
The program was a masterclass in balance, artfully weaving dark classical intensity with poignant contemporary narrative and whimsical charm. The performance opened with Ludwig van Beethovenâs stormiest early chamber work, the String Trio in C minor, Op. 9 No. 3. Being so physically close to the players emphasized the fierce, conversational dialogue between violin, viola, and cello, showcasing the ensemble’s breathtaking synchronisation and flawless technique.
The emotional apex of the evening was Anne Cawrseâs ‘Sonam and the Silence’, commissioned by Ensemble Q for their 2026 season and written for narrator, clarinet in Bâ, and string quartet. Based on a picture book set in bustling, Taliban-ruled Kabulâwhere music is forbiddenâit tells the tender story of a young girl who discovers the enduring power of music. Cawrseâs evocative score paired with Le Brocqâs sensitive storytelling left the room in pin-drop silence, creating an overwhelming sense of shared empathy and hope.
In a similarly enchanting vein, the ensemble performed Calvin Bowmanâs ‘Curly Pyjama Letters’, a work across seven movements for narrator and string quartet set to texts by the late Michael Leunig (1945â2024). Originally commissioned for the Flinders Quartet in 2011, the piece brought Leunigâs beloved, whimsical universe to life. Bowmanâs scoreâstylistically inspired by the sound world of the Academy of Ancient Music, gargling angels, and Schubertâmatched the quirky correspondence between lone voyager Vasco Pyjama and his mentor Mr. Curly of Curly Flat with immense warmth, wit, and charm.
The concert concluded with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozartâs timeless Clarinet Quintet in A major, K. 581. Paul Deanâs clarinet tone was liquid gold throughout, and the famous Larghetto movement, performed with transcendent delicacy, felt like a private lullaby played specifically for each person in the room.
What made the night truly unforgettable was this remarkable synthesis of raw virtuosity and ultimate physical closeness. Ensemble Q did not simply play music; they opened a window directly into the human spirit, demonstrating not only breathtaking technical mastery but also a rare ability to tell profound stories through sound. An unmissable event.
To book tickets to Ensemble Q With Ed Le Brocq, please visit https://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/classical-music/ensemble-q-ed-le-brocq.
Photographer: Gavin Rebetzke
