The spirit of exploration took a musical turn at ACMD on 1 October 2026, when the Australian String Quartet (ASQ) performed as guests of the Chair and Board, offering an exclusive preview of its national Voyager tour.
Held in the Brenda Shanahan AO Auditorium, the evening brought together supporters of music and medical discovery for a program with a fitting theme: pushing the boundaries of what is possible.
Featuring music by Garth Knox, Bartók and Beethoven, Voyager explores the expressive possibilities of four string instruments. Knox’s Satellites experiments with sound and texture; Bartók’s String Quartet No.4 combines rhythmic intensity with Hungarian folk influences; and Beethoven’s String Quartet in B-flat Major, Op.130, and Grosse Fuge bring lyricism, scale and bold invention to the tour program.
For ACMD, the occasion offered a connection between artistic exploration and scientific discovery. Both call for imagination, precision, collaboration and the willingness to venture beyond familiar territory.
The musicians performed on a matched set of historic instruments crafted by Giovanni Battista Guadagnini: Dale Barltrop’s 1784 violin from Turin, Francesca Hiew’s 1748–49 violin from Piacenza, Chris Cartlidge’s 1783 viola from Turin, and Michael Dahlenburg’s circa 1743 cello from Piacenza. These instruments are loaned to the ASQ for its exclusive use through the generosity of UKARIA—a reminder of the enduring contribution philanthropy can make to creative endeavour.
ACMD warmly thanks ASQ Chief Executive Officer Angelina Zucco and musicians Dale Barltrop, Francesca Hiew, Chris Cartlidge and Michael Dahlenburg for sharing their artistry and bringing Voyager to ACMD.
Special thanks to Deviation Road, Adelaide Hills and Voyager Estate, Margaret River, our wine sponsors for the evening.
Pictured: L-R The virtuoso quartet, ACMD Chair Brenda Shanahan AO with Geoff Slade, Anita Ziemer and John Barlow, ASQ’s CEO Angelina Zucco and Development Manager Michelle Richards with ACMD director Lih-Ming Wong and incoming CEO Michelle Goldsmith.
