MEDIA COVERAGE
MUSIC TRUST, August 2023
Review of Flinders Quartet’s recordings of Deborah Cheetham Fraillon’s “Bungaree” released on ABC’s Women of Note: Vol. 5
“This powerful work, a major addition to the repertoire for string quartet, is given a splendid performance by the Flinders Quartet: Thibaud Pavlovic-Hobba and Wilma Smith (violins), Helen Ireland (viola) and Zoe Knighton (cello).”
LIMELIGHT, May 2023
Review of Flinders Quartet’s recordings of Deborah Cheetham Fraillon’s “Bungaree” and Ella Macens’ “A Love Worth Fighting For” released on ABC’s Women of Note: Vol. 5
"… intimate and thoughtful, with careful attention to detail and nuance.”
ADELAIDE ADVERTISER, March 2023
Review of Karin Schaupp & Flinders Quartet Musica Viva Australia Adelaide concert
“… gently amplified guitar sonorities blended seamlessly with the Flinders Quartet’s measured and always refined playing, producing a sumptuous sound…”
SYDNEY ARTS GUIDE, February 2023
“… seamless joint string voice from Flinders Quartet was here full of aching arched expression.”
“… incredible warmth of the quartet’s voice as well as strong solo voices of each string player where required.”
LIMELIGHT, February 2023
“…easy sense of cohesion and sensitivity…”
LOUD MOUTH - THE MUSIC TRUST EZINE, October 2022
Review of ABC Classic album release, "Women of Note: Volume 4”
“In Margaret Sutherland’s Quartet for Cor Anglais and Strings … I was struck by the generosity of the musicians: Ben Opie and the Flinders Quartet. The piece itself, weaving between tuneful and conversational, then complex and almost angry, was not one I had heard before, and had real moments of glory, unveiled after several close listening sessions. To me, the instruments become characters – interacting, arguing, consoling.”
CLASSIC MELBOURNE, August 2022
“… an exemplary performance … It was a joy to hear this finely wrought music so superbly rendered.”
CLASSIC MELBOURNE, July 2020
Review of premiere performance of Katy Abbott’s “Hidden Thoughts II: Return to Sender”
“The Quartet played with immense sensitivity, totally immersed in Abbott’s depiction of a heart-wrenching situation. Actor Richard Piper and mezzo-soprano Dimity Shepherd were no less committed and compelling as they revealed heartfelt messages sent to detainees.”
THE AGE, July 2020
Review of premiere performance of Katy Abbott’s “Hidden Thoughts II: Return to Sender”
”In delivering what is both a disquieting piece of social activism as well as a moving affirmation of human solidarity, Abbott was blessed with performers perfectly in tune with her vision. The Flinders Quartet (for whom this work was written) engaged sensitively with singer Dimity Shepherd and narrator Richard Piper, both of whom made clarity and sincerity their hallmark.”
SYDNEY ARTS GUIDE, March 2020
”Flinders Quartet work so beautifully together making high class choices in their interpretations. This was an outstanding concert.”
NIGHT WRITES, March 2020
“...clearly a passionate and precise group that give exquisite clarity to each piece performed."
ON THE TOWN, July 2019
Review of ‘Shostakovich: through the lens of the string quartet’ concert program
”The FQ musicians attacked the compositions with bravura and total commitment, the violins in ‘great debate’ with the cello and viola is breathtaking stuff.”
CLASSIKON, July 2019
Review of ‘Shostakovich: through the lens of the string quartet’ concert program
”… Flinders Quartet were able to create a sense of clarity from music that is deeply complex to its core. Violinists Thibaud Pavlovic and Nicholas Waters, violist Helen Ireland, and cellist Zoe Knighton all brought individual interpretations yet maintained a stunning synchronicity and cohesiveness.”
WHAT’S ON SYDNEY, July 2019
Review of ‘Shostakovich: through the lens of the string quartet’ concert program
”Flinders Quartet played with such ferocious intensity that shredded violin bows and left the audience gasping.”
NIGHT WRITES, July 2019
Review of ‘Shostakovich: through the lens of the string quartet’ concert program
”The collaboration between Flinders Quartet and Richard Piper once again proves fruitful in this bespoke homage to the 20th century Russian.”
MUSIC TRUST, May 2019
Review of FQ’s recording of Peter Sculthorpe’s String Quartet No. 18
”… performed on the album by the Flinders Quartet with what can only be described as reverence…”
CLASSIC MELBOURNE, March 2019
“... exciting and effervescent ... had the audience sitting up in their seats paying close attention to the impeccable intonation, rhythmic unity and open communication of the four players...”
LIMELIGHT, February 2019
Interview with composer Matthew Laing ahead of FQ’s premiere of his new work, “Out of Hibernation”
LIMELIGHT, November 2018
”… impressive unanimity of attack and expression … the balance between the four instruments was perfectly delineated.”
ON THE TOWN, August 2018
"... great vim and vigour on display by the FQ musicians that thoroughly thrilled this audience."
CLASSIC MELBOURNE, August 2018
"... enjoyable and unpretentious night of high-class music. The program was a reminder of the Flinders Quartet’s unique and refreshing ability to present an exceptional standard of classical music in a way that feels warm and human."
CLASSIKON, July 2018
"... perfectly balanced ... The energy of the group and the cohesion was as if they have all been playing together for years."
NIGHT WRITES, July 2018
"It is so satisfying to watch and listen to excellent musicians play music of life and love and movement... This was a concert about enjoyment of words and music that would have anyone bobbing along, smile twisting the lip."
SYDNEY MOZART SOCIETY, March 2018
"a beautifully balanced performance that brought fresh perspectives to the distinct technical and emotional character of three familiar and much loved works."
CLASSIKON, July 2017
“… the incomparable Flinders Quartet ... displays a tight ensemble with exemplary intonation, capable of playing with shaping and inflection of phrasing that is both refined and dynamic. They move phrases on driving forward as well as holding back and delicately dwelling on those moments that need dwelling upon as a single unit. We are indeed fortunate to have resident in Australia a quartet of this very high calibre."
SYDNEY ARTS GUIDE, June 2017
"Their dynamic and stirring performance was a joy to watch and to listen to. Together they weaved their magic by being in tune with each other and playing as one. "
CLASSIKON, April 2017
"… precision and wonderful understanding."
"… following the interval came Schubert’s String Quartet No. 15 in G major D.887. Clocking in at more than 45 minutes in 4 movements, in the assured hands of the Flinders Quartet it still managed to be over almost too soon. Switching effortlessly from restrained to dynamic, from plaintive to authoritative, from melancholy to great joy, from drama to romance, Flinders Quartet and Schubert proved themselves the most amenable of companions, working together with deftness and compassion to transport the audience through the most beautiful tonal experience to the supremely satisfying conclusion that this life really is a joyful and spirited thing."
3MBS, March 2017
Robin Usher's article following interviews with Zoe Knighton and Nicholas Waters
LIMELIGHT MAGAZINE, March 2017
Zoe Knighton's blog, "When a string quartet plays musical chairs"
3MBS MUSIC IN MELBOURNE, March 2017
Audio podcast featuring Zoe Knighton
LIMELIGHT MAGAZINE, February 2017
Zoe Knighton's blog, "When is playing a string quartet like trying food blindfolded?"
ARMIDALE EXPRESS, March 2016
“... Flinders Quartet displayed seamless ensemble as well as profound understanding of the music they played.”
BACHTRACK, March 2016
"I could hardly praise the playing of the Flinders Quartet more highly: accurate and perceptive with excellent timing and coordination."
LIMELIGHT MAGAZINE, December 2015 (reviewing Intimate Voices)
"This is a superb disc."
"Their shading, rhythmic pliability and tautness of ensemble are impeccable. To my mind, this is the finest performance of this work since the Griller Quartet’s recording from the late 1940s, and of course the Flinders Quartet enjoys much better sound."
CLASSIC MELBOURNE, October 2015
" … the quartet distinguished itself by achieving an almost impossible synchronicity and also achieving the clean, sharp sound that distinguishes this ensemble."
"... brilliant from the outset ..."
THE COURIER MAIL, September 2015
" ... intense clarity and fluid partnership ..."
SUNDSVALLS TIDNING (Sweden), July 2015
"the quartet also played with a very powerful and great timbre, great romantic expression and with great musical unity ... the nice balance and the broad, clear sound made this concert very exciting and never boring."
CLASSIKON, November 2014
"The concert had variety, intensity, lyric beauty, passion and wit in the excellent playing and tight ensemble."
SOUNDS LIKE SYDNEY, November 2014
DAILY TELEGRAPH, October 2014
THE AGE, October 2014
ALBERT'S WARS, October 2014
THE AUSTRALIAN, May 2014
" ... the quartet sounded as if they had been playing together for a lifetime: unity of interpretation, tight ensemble, fine balance, matched tone, and fluent dialogues between solo and collective lines."
CLASSIKON, May 2014
CLASSIC MELBOURNE, May 2014