Penny Quartet ×
Ben Robinson
A new string quartet collaboration.
The collaborationThis partnership began when we collaborated on an arrangement for Penny Quartet's national tour with First Nations singer-songwriter Jess Hitchcock. Through that process, we discovered a shared, energetic musical language and a clear momentum to continue creating music together. This project builds on that momentum.
The projectAt its centre is a newly commissioned 20-minute string quartet, developed in close collaboration with the ensemble and expanded into a full program through new quartet arrangements of my recent orchestral and chamber works.
Conceived as a fully collaborative body of work created with a single ensemble, it brings together composition, performance, recording and release in one integrated process, resulting in a shared artistic vision.
The musicTogether, we will create a work that draws from ideas expressed in my recent work, channeling the restless energy of contemporary life while celebrating the intimacy and immediacy of the string quartet, fully engaging Penny Quartet’s technical agility and expressive range.
Alongside the new work, three existing compositions will be reimagined for string quartet:
Good Morning Zapruder — reflecting on the hold our phones have over our attention and the numbness that can grow from constant exposure.
Gross. I Love It. — embracing the strange and unexpected, and exploring satire as a coping mechanism for a generation navigating chaos and uncertainty.
Have a Nice Trip — tracing a passage through panic and into sleep, with human connection as an anchor.
Together, the works form a concept album with a clear conceptual arc, while creating a substantial new program for Penny Quartet to perform.
The PremiereThe project will premiere in November 2026 at Phoenix Central Park’s coverted church in Alexandria, followed by a studio recording for national broadcast and digital release.
Make a tax-deductible gift
Donating via the Australian Cultural Fund ensures your donation to this project is tax-deductible.
By supporting us, you are directly backing the artists involved and helping us to grow this collaboration from a single new work into a broader, ambitious body of music.
This campaign closes 28 February 2026.
Support
This project wouldn’t be possible without the generosity of our supporters:
Penny Le Couteur and Greg Dickson
Mark Wakely in memory of Steven Alward
Dr Liam Johnson
Gill Bowers
Paul Kildea
David Boyce
Forty Winks
Anonymous (1)
Partners
Recording & broadcast partner
performance partner