Canberra International Chamber Music Festival

Canberra celebrates the highest of aural pleasures, from classical to contemporary this festival has more sounds than you can cram into a chromatic scale.

Event Details

Event Type:

Classical Music

Editorial Review

Release your ears from the grip of your iPod and introduce them to some live music as the Canberra International Music Festival fills the city with sound. In 2008 artists from around the world bring a diverse collection of music to the nation's capital for 12 days of chamber music.

With more than 20 composers and 50 musicians contributing to the soundscape you're sure to find something to appeal to the most selective of ears with performances of medieval music and classical masterpieces included alongside recitals of contemporary jazz, cabaret and experimental music.

The National Film and Sound Archives hosts a bodiless band with CeLL, the robotic orchestra confined to a shipping container. Created by Miles van Dorssen, composer Nick Wishart and laser artist Robin Fox, the musical organism transforms digital data into symphonic sequences.

The genre crossing program includes international guests such as the 19-member strong Crash Ensemble form Ireland, and The Swiss Piano Trio alongside a crop of local talent including The Australian String Quartet, the Topology Ensemble and the Grainger String Quartet. The festival concludes with a marathon seven-hour jam featuring the combined talents of several festival artists.

Kat Harley