EUROPE & UK TOUR 2026
Ensemble Offspring heads to Europe & the UK to present new Australian music written especially for us. Come see us in Amsterdam, London, Edinburgh, Cromarty, Aberdeen and Glasgow!
DETAILS
THURSDAY 16 APRIL 8PM, MUZIEKGEBOUW, AMSTERDAM
THURSDAY 23 APRIL 6:30PM, LONDON
SATURDAY 25 APRIL 8PM, FRUITMARKET GALLERY, EDINBURGH
SUNDAY 26 APRIL 7PM, THE STABLES, CROMARTY
MONDAY 27 APRIL 6PM, ANATOMY ROOMS, ABERDEEN
TUESDAY 28 APRIL 8PM, CIVIC HOUSE, GLASGOW
Ensemble Offspring’s 2026 Europe and UK Tour showcases a bold cross-section of new Australian and international music. The program features world premieres by Felicity Wilcox, Alice Chance and Matthew Whiteside, highlighting the ensemble’s commitment to boundary-pushing contemporary voices. In London, Ensemble Offspring joins forces with string band, Ruthless Jabiru for a powerful new collaboration, while a Scottish tour with The Night With… expands the reach of new Australian and First Nations chamber music. The tour begins in Amsterdam with the premiere of a major new percussion concerto by Kate Moore, written for Claire Edwardes and performed with Holland's foremost new music enemble, Het Muziek, affirming the ensemble’s global artistic impact.
Het Muziek Program
IVAN VUKOSAVLJEVIĆ Dead in Love (2025)
KATE MOORE Percussion Concerto*▴ (2026)
* World Premiere
▴ Ensemble Offspring co-commission with generous support from the Keir Foundation and Geoff Stern
Kate Moore’s Percussion Concerto is a co-commission between Ensemble Offspring and Het Muziek (Amsterdam).
Ruthless Jabiru Program
BRENDA GIFFORD Bardju (Footprints)† (2017)
NARDI SIMPSON Of Stars and Birds† (2020)
ROBERT DAVIDSON Kookaburra Riff & Raven Riff from Bird Riffs† (2024)
GERARD BROPHY Hummingbirds from Beautiful Birds† (2019)
BRENDA GIFFORD Biwaawa (2023)
FLORENCE MAUNDERS Not Getting Out (2020)
HOLLY HARRISON Black Ice (2021)
ERROLLYN WALLEN Movt. II from Triple Concerto (2018)
THIERRY PÉCOU Rorqual (2013)
† Ensemble Offspring Commission
The Night With… Tour Program
BRENDA GIFFORD Mungala (Clouds) (2018)
NARDI SIMPSON Of Stars and Birds† (2020)
ROBERT DAVIDSON Bird Riffs† (2024)
Kookaburra Riff
Magpie Riff
Raven Riff
CAITLIN YEO A Tawny Tale† (2025)
FELICITY WILCOX Call and (a) Response* (2026)
JULIA POTTER When It's All Gone (2023)
HOLLIS TAYLOR & JON ROSE Bitter Springs Creek† (2019)
ALICE CHANCE Crimson Rosellas*▴ (2026)
MATTHEW WHITESIDE Beneath the Surface* (2026)
* World Premiere
† Ensemble Offspring Commission
▴ Commissioned by Ensemble Offspring with assistance from Liz and Ken Nielsen
PERFORMERS
Claire Edwardes (Artistic Director, percussion)
Lamorna Nightingale (flutes)
Jason Noble (clarinets)
Louise McMonagle (cello)
Het Muziek (Amsterdam)
Ruthless Jabiru (London)
“The experience is totally immersive yet gently, rather than boldly, persuasive.”
“This is an ensemble of Australia’s finest musicians performing innovative, relevant and engaging new music that bursts with imagination, energy and inspiration.”
“Yet the charm of the song of birds...mingled with music in seven recent Australian pieces, did not fail. Most magical was Hollis Taylor and Jon Rose’s Bitter Springs Creek 2014”
“...the musicians joined the contrapuntal web, matching the avian virtuosity with their own”
Photo: Caitlin Yeo by Daniel Boud
