Where contemporary classical reimagines your favourite pop anthems. 

Driven by a pursuit to radically reimagine chamber music, Quartet X blur the lines between classical, pop and everything in between.  

Featuring some of Australia’s most versatile female musicians, with Courtenay Cleary on the violin, Claire Edwardes on percussion, Emily Granger on harp and Karin Schaupp on guitar, every performance stretches, bends and redefines what the traditional string quartet  can be. From the distinct rhythmic sound worlds of Caroline Shaw and Holly Harrison into fresh arrangements of Seal, Billie Eilish and Michael Nyman’s The Piano, you can expect radiant new interpretations of the songs you know by heart.  

If you’ve ever bopped along while watching Bridgerton, consider this your ticket to a musical experience that is as much a guilty pleasure as it is moving.   

Sydney Opera House thanks Event Partner Champagne Pommery, The Greats donors and Ezekiel Solomon AM for their support of Utzon Music.

Presented by Sydney Opera House

Repertoire

Michael Nyman, The Heart Asks Pleasure First (from the Piano)
arr. Richard Charlton 

Meredith Monk, Ellis Island arr. Matt Moisey

Adeola Samuel (Seal) & Henry Olusegun, Kiss from a Rose
arr. Richard Charlton

Caroline Shaw, Valencia arr. Ben Murphy 

Ray Lin, The Feeling of Home

Caroline Shaw, Valencia arr. Ben Murph

Robert Davidson, Wandering*

Leslie Feist & Sally Seltman (Feist), 1234 arr. Richard Charlton

Ariana Grande, pov arr. Samuel Andrews

Joanna Newsom, Divers arr. Richard Charlton

Holly Harrison, X Factor*

Agnes Obel, The Curse arr. Richard Charlton

Billie Eilish & Finneas O'Connell, Birds of a Feather arr. Joe Fallon

Toni Watson (Tones and I), Dance Monkey arr. Richard Charlton