Mozart and Brahms: Tenderness and Torment

Two works, two moods, one unforgettable evening of chamber music. Mozart's D Minor String Quartet is among his most turbulent and emotionally charged creations — a work of shadow and intensity rarely matched in his output. Paired against it, Brahms's Horn Trio unfolds in richer, warmer territory, its famous finale breaking into a joyous hunting-call rondo. Together, they trace a journey from darkness into light.

Performing are some of Sydney's most experienced chamber musicians — Adele Ohki (violin), Robert Johnson (French horn), Alexander Yau (Piano), James Eccles (viola), Chris Bennett (cello), and David Saffir (violin) — artists who have built careers on stages across Australia and internationally, now sharing an intimate performance space where the music can be felt up close.

This concert is the first in a series of pop-up performances building momentum toward the launch of the Sydney Chamber Music Institute (SCMI) this October. Featured alongside their professional musicians will be a few of Sydney's most talented students — a preview of the kind of mentorship and opportunity for student performance the Institute is built around. As performers who are also educators, they believe this exchange — professionals learning from professionals, students learning from the musicians who came before them — is where chamber music truly comes alive.