David Kary

ENSEMBLE OFFSPRING ANNOUNCES 2023 SEASON

Bold, brave and fearless, Ensemble Offspring is poised to navigate uncharted musical territories in  2023. Our daring season features over twenty world premieres which traverse themes of the  human psyche, nature and the cosmos. With a fierce commitment to emerging, female-identifying  and First Nations voices, our trusted brand of musical trailblazing burns bright in 2023.

This year we’re taking the best Australian music around the country and overseas with tours to  Berlin and Helsinki in addition to hometown performances at Sydney’s Carriageworks, The  Neilson, Casula Powerhouse and Sydney Opera House. Come with us on a journey of “visceral,  joyous music at its most elemental” (Sydney Morning Herald) and become an Ensemble Offspring  Subscriber today. 

2023 highlights include the return of our beloved Avant Gardens series, taking music out of the  concert hall and into the fresh air with house concerts in Ashfield, Alexandria, Glebe and  Woollahra; Incredible Floridas at Carriageworks, reviving a brooding and complex masterpiece  by the great Australian modernist Richard Meale, with new contemporary tributes from young  Australian composers; Still Life with Avalanche at the Sydney Opera House, featuring a world  premiere by in-demand Australian clarinetist and composer Paul Dean; a regional tour of The  Surge, delivering poignant social revelations and shameless ’90s nostalgia; the Hatched  Composer Showcase, celebrating the next generation of musical thinkers in our debut  performance at The Neilson; and Lone Hemispheres, where our world-renowned instrumentalists  step into the spotlight as soloists. 

On curating the action-packed 2023 season, Artistic Director and percussionist Claire Edwardes  OAM writes, “Ensemble Offspring stands at the intersection of open-mindedness, inclusivity and  excellence, and our purpose is to champion new Australian music from this exciting perspective.  Our 2023 season represents this more than ever: 

“We’ve commissioned original works from composers at every stage of a thriving career, including  emerging composers Josephine Macken and Courtney Cousins, rising stars Lachlan Skipworth  and Holly Harrison, and established Australians Paul Dean and Ensemble Offspring’s founding  Artistic Director, Damien Ricketson. Artistically, we’re embracing minimalism, modernism, pop and  folk fusions, First Nations music and much more. 

“We welcome our 2023 resident artists through our various development programs: Hatched 

Associate Artist Abbey Felton (Perth guitarist), First Nations Composer in Residence James  Henry (Melbourne), and Noisy Women Commission recipient May Lyon (Melbourne). All three  musicians have exceptionally strong artistic voices which resonate with the values of Ensemble  Offspring. We’re incredibly excited to collaborate with them all and bring their unique creative  visions to life. 

“Finally, we’re introducing three new audience initiatives which invite younger generations to get  involved in the music of today and connect with our community of passionate listeners. We are  offering $35 tickets for audiences under 35, discounted season subscriptions and a free new  concert series ‘Mondays @ The Church’ to help ensure that Australian art music is accessible for  everyone.  

“It’s an action-packed year focussed on big ideas and untrodden paths. We can’t wait to share it  with you.” 

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2023 PROGRAMS 

  • Avant Gardens 1 at private homes in Ashfield (Feb 25) & Alexandria (Feb 26) • Avant Gardens 2 at private homes in Glebe (Mar 18) & Woollahra (Mar 19) • Echoes and Orbits at Tempo Rubato, Melbourne (May 10), Monash University, Melbourne (May  11), Orange Conservatorium, Orange (May 12) & St George’s Anglican Church, Mount Wilson  (May 13) 
  • Incredible Floridas at Carriageworks, Sydney – Jun 23 & 24 
  • Still Life with Avalanche at Sydney Opera House, Sydney – Aug 26 
  • The Surge at New Annual Festival, Newcastle (Sep 29 – Oct 1), Malachi Gilmore Hall, Oberon  (Oct 7), Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre, Shoalhaven (Oct 8), Central Coast Conservatorium,  Gosford (Oct 13) & Riverside Theatres, Parramatta (Oct 15) 
  • Hatched Composer Showcase at The Neilson, Sydney – Nov 11 
  • Lone Hemispheres at Melbourne Recital Centre, Melbourne (Dec 8) & Casula Powerhouse,  Sydney (Dec 9) 

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UNDER 35 DISCOUNTS 

We’re passionate about making contemporary art music accessible and affordable for all ages, so  listeners under 35 can now enjoy $35 tickets in Ensemble Offspring’s 2023 season. 

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SUBSCRIPTIONS 

Another new initiative in 2023, Ensemble Offspring Subscribers receive a 15% discount for our  five major programs in stunning Sydney venues. Subscribers under 35 enjoy a further 15% off the  discounted $35 tickets as an Ensemble Offspring Young Subscriber.  

Subscription costs: 

  • Ensemble Offspring Subscriber (over 35 as of Dec 31, 2023) – $255  
  • Ensemble Offspring Young Subscriber (under 35 as of Dec 31, 2023) – $150 

The programs included in the 2023 subscription are: 

  • Avant Gardens 1 in Alexandria
  • Incredible Floridas 
  • Still Life with Avalanche 
  • Hatched Composer Showcase 
  • Lone Hemispheres in Sydney 

All subscriptions must be purchased by February 1, 2023. 

Explore Ensemble Offspring’s entire 2023 season at https://www.ensembleoffspring.com