Support the future of
Hatched Academy
Ensemble Offspring
x AusArt Day
We are joining Creative Australia’s AusArt Day for the very first time. AusArt Day is a national day that supports Australian artists and organisations to raise funds for the work we’re passionate about.
Thanks to our generous Hatched Academy Patrons, we’ve secured a $25,000 matching pool, meaning every donation made through AusArt Day will be matched until we reach our $25,000 fundraising target.
That’s $50,000 in total to help the next generation of Australian performers and composers through our next chapter of Hatched Academy.
Donate to Ensemble Offspring this AusArt Day (22 October 2026) to double your impact.
“Since 2014, Hatched Academy has created unique and meaningful opportunities for emerging composers and performers to develop their practice, make connections, receive mentorship from leading composers, and have their work developed and performed by some of Australia’s finest new music specialists. Many Hatched alumni have gone on to become important creative collaborators for Ensemble Offspring, while others have been commissioned by major organisations including Musica Viva and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.”
Jason Noble
Hatched Academy Director
“We’re so excited about the next chapter of Hatched Academy! From 2028, we’re planning to bring 6 emerging composers together with 15 emerging performers together for a new two-week intensive. They will get to work side-by-side with Ensemble Offspring’s core musicians to make, experiment, collaborate and develop new work. And we’re going to finish with a mini festival so everyone can see what they’ve cooked up!
It’s a big evolution for Hatched and there’s nothing quite like it in Australia. Be part of the future of Australian music and support this next chapter of Hatched Academy!“
Claire Edwardes OAM
CEO, Artistic Director and Percussionist
Support Your Passion
Become a Hatched Academy Patron
Our emerging artist program Hatched Academy has nurtured over 90 talented composers and performers since 2013. When you become a Hatched Academy Patron you join our community of friendly supporters, receive updates on the program, and gain exclusive behind the scenes invites to workshops and rehearsals.
Contributions start at $500. Simply tell us to send your support to Hatched Academy in the donation form or by emailing us directly.
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John Barrer
Christine Bishop
The Darin Cooper Foundation
Helen Eager & Christoper Hodges
Deirdre Ferguson
John & Irene Garran
Shane Geha
Glynis Johns
Phlyssa Koshland
Anthony & Sarah Lowe
Marni Oaten
The Ogden Family
Jenna Price & John Kavanagh
The Simpson-Michel Foundation
Victoria Taylor
The Tindale Foundation
Mark Wakely
Anonymous (2)
Support a Commission
Commissioning new music is at the heart of Ensemble Offspring’s mission. We have commissioned over 350 works, more than any other group in Australia. When you support an EO Commission you become part of the creation of cutting-edge music and gain unique opportunities to attend workshops of new compositions before a world premiere.
To express interest in supporting a commission, email us directly and we can find the best fit for you.
Become a First Nations Patron
Ensemble Offspring’s multi-faceted First Nations Composer Program includes an annual First Nations Composer in Residence and Burranbala, our exciting new music residency program. When you become a First Nations Patron, you lift the voices of First Nations composers and will be invited to witness their collaboration with the Ensemble.
Contributions start at $500. Simply tell us to send your support to the First Nations Program in the donation form or by emailing us directly.
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Jenny Bisset
Cathy Gray
James Kirby & Claire Wivell Plater
John Barrer
Terry & Dianne Finnegan
John & Irene Garran
Jane Kift
Hugh Liney
Simon & Naomi Miller
Trish Richardson in memory of Andy Lloyd James
Victoria Taylor
The Tindale Foundation
Kay Verrnon & Toni Robertson
Mark Wakely
Anonymous (2)
Become a Performer Chair Sponsor
Led by internationally acclaimed percussionist Claire Edwardes OAM, Ensemble Offspring unites the country’s most fearless and virtuosic instrumentalists with a core "pierrot plus one" line up of flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano and percussion. By becoming a Performer Chair Sponsor, you become a special part of the EO community and gain unique insight into the performers’ creative practices, building meaningful relationships with Australia’s most exciting performers of new music.
To express interest in becoming a Performer Chair Sponsor, email us directly and we can find the best fit for you.
Let’s create a future full of new music, together!
All donations over $2 are tax deductible.
Performer Chair Sponsors
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Claire Edwardes
Kim Williams AM percussion Co-Chair Sponsor
Julianne Maxwell percussion Co-Chair Sponsor -
Jason Noble
Simpson-Michel Foundation clarinet Chair Sponsor
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Blair Harris
Contact us to become Blair’s Chair Sponsor
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Lamorna Nightingale
Simon Miller flute Co-Chair Sponsor
Anonymous (1) flute Co-Chair Sponsor -
Véronique Serret
Kay Vernon & Toni Robertson violin Chair Sponsor
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Ronan Apcar
James Kirby & Claire Wivell Plater piano Chair Sponsor
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Niki Johnson
Contact us to become Niki’s Chair Sponsor
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Benjamin Ward
Contact us to become Benjamin’s Chair Sponsor
Testimonials
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![Shane Simpson AM]()
Shane Simpson AM (Ensemble Offspring Patron)
“This is an ensemble for which the ‘old and safe’ is Berio, Adams and perhaps Ligeti but its true focus is really the music of today, the unfamiliar, the exploratory, the untried, and in particular, the Australian. The Ensemble has an extraordinary record of commissioning Australian composers, often early in their career, and giving audiences the opportunity to hear the music of today performed by players of unquestionable musicianship.”
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![Leta Keens]()
Leta Keens
“Silo Collective [which I coordinate] has commissioned four pieces with Ensemble Offspring, and it’s always been a really amazing experience – being involved in the process of creating a new piece, including being invited to open rehearsals, has been thrilling, surprising and a whole lot of fun. [The ensemble’s concerts] definitely add enormously to my life. Thanks, Ensemble Offspring for everything you do!”
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Kay Vernon
“Ensemble Offspring presents music that is new, fresh, sometimes challenging and always engaging. Their performances always energise me and invite me to re-frame and enlarge my understanding of music in an exciting and compelling way. Ensemble Offspring’s support for established and emerging Australian composers is another reason I am so pleased I am able to support them.”
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![Don Macleod]()
Don Macleod
“At 81 years of age, I'm old enough to remember the fore-runner of Ensemble Offspring, The Spring Ensemble at Roger Woodward's Sydney Spring Festivals - I attended every concert. At the festival, we got to hear music by young EO founders Damien Ricketson and Matthew Shlomowitz, so it was natural for me to attend EO concerts when they started. All praise must go to EO for continuing to perform new music. Long may you continue!!“
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![Penny Le Couteur & Greg Dickson]()
Penny Le Couteur & Greg Dickson
“Ensemble Offspring demonstrates absolute excellence in all that it does. We got to know the ensemble when we commissioned Holly Harrison to compose them a piece. Since that time we have attended numerous performances and commissioned a number of pieces for them. The players have absolute mastery of their instruments, frequently using difficult extended techniques to create novel and beautiful sound worlds.”
Thank you to our generous supporters
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The Berg Family Foundation
Kay Vernon & Toni Robertson
Kim Williams AM & Catherine Dovey
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John Barrer
The Darin Cooper Foundation
Charles Davidson
Helen Eager & Christopher Hodges
John & Irene Garran
Peter Howard
The Keir Foundation
James Kirby & Claire Wivell Plater
Phlyssa Koshland
Penny Le Couteur & Greg Dickson
Julianne Maxwell
Simon & Naomi Miller
Helen & Peter Murdoch
Liz & Ken Nielsen
The Ogden Family
The Simpson-Michel Foundation
Geoff Stearn
The Stoneglen Foundation
Victoria Taylor
The Tindale Foundation
Peter Wise
Anonymous (1) -
Christine Bishop, Jenny Bisset, George Clark & Diana Hosking, Claire Edwardes, Robert & Dora Edwardes, Shane Geha, Cathy Gray, Kathie & Reg Grinberg, Alan Hauserman and Janet Nash, Stewart Jackson & Judy Greenwood, Peter & Margaret Janssens, Michael Katz & Frederique Katz-Hochuli, Leta Keens, Robert & Catharine Kench, Hugh Liney, Don MacLeod, Hannah Mason, Philip O'Keefe & Kelly Hargreaves, Merry & Robert Pearson, Trish Richardson in memory of Andy Lloyd James, Lynne Saunder, Mark Wakely, John Wynter and Raffi Qasabian, Anonymous (6)
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Michael Appleby, Marissa Banu-Lawrence, Anita Beuthien, Amanda Brown & Simon Marnie, Louise Buckingham, Neil Burns, Lloyd & Mary Jo Capps AM, Miguel Carrasco & Renee Martin, Deirdre Ferguson, Terry & Dianne Finnegan, Michael Fitzgerald & Sean Morris, Janusz & Malgorzata Florek, Ciaran Frame, Kris Gale, Barbara Jane Gilby, Michael Hannan, Anni Heino, Gabrielle Henry, Sonya Holowell, Elizabeth Hristoforidis, James Humberstone, Glynis Johns, Jane Kift, Georges Lentz, Kate Lidbetter, Anthony & Sarah Lowe, Elisabeth Luke, Graham & Pamela MacDonald, Jeffrey & Anna Mellefont, Lamorna Nightingale, Marni Oaten, Jenna Price, Jacqui Smith, Jenny Stewart, Mark Tucker, Alan Watt, Christopher Whitehead & Peter Wilson, Phillip Yetton & Joan Spiller, Anonymous (7)
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Terese Abbey, Ian Cleworth, Meg Collis, Ruth De La Lande, Craig Donarski, Grant Donohue, Alison Dunn, Mary Faragher, Anne Frankenberg, Yvonne Frindle, Emily Granger, Tim Gray, Ardyce Harris, Keryn Hassall, Peter Jenkin, Zoe Johnson, Zoe Knighton, Liza Lim, Alexander Maltas, Mary McMenamin, Megan McMurchy, Ben Perche, Terry Savill, Patricia Spinks, Elizabeth Starr, Deborah Szapiro, Nhi Tran, Margaret Tung, Katy Tyrrell, Tanya Volkofsky, Felicity Wilcox, Anonymous (8)
Government Supporters
Other Industry Supporters
SPECIAL THANK YOUS
Ensemble Offspring extends heartfelt thanks to Kirsty McCahon and Kees Boersma for so generously loaning their cello to us for the following concerts in 2025 (Lumen Machine, Avant Gardens: Double Symmetry, Divine Darkness & Moonstruck) and in 2026 (The Oracle).
Thank you to Canberra Symphony Orchestra for lending us their percussion for our Canberra concerts.