Unfortunately, Martin Kay is no longer able to take part in this tour due to unforeseen circumstances. Jackie Marshall will now be joining the Black Square Quartet. Visit the Jackie Marshall event page for details.
Photo by Luke Monsour
Strings meet reeds. Rules get bent.
Martin Kay (saxophone and clarinet) joins the Black Square Quartet for a program featuring folk, jazz and contemporary experimentation. The collaboration reveals conversations, collisions, and the occasional raised eyebrow.
Martin Kay is a prominent figure in Australian music, celebrated for his adventurous approach to classical and cross-genre saxophone studies. His career spans classical, jazz and experimental work, with performances alongside the Sydney Symphony, Opera Australia Orchestra, Malaysian Philharmonic, Tasmanian Symphony and Auckland Philharmonic. He has been a key member of ensembles including Continuum Saxophone Quartet, Song Fwaa, The Fantastic Terrific Munkle and Forage. A Churchill Fellow, he studied in New York and later completed a Doctor of Musical Arts in composition at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, focusing on the interaction between notation and improvisation.
Formed in 2018, the beautifully haunting Black Square Quartet takes its name from Kasimir Malevich’s influential minimalist painting. The quartet is known for championing new and Australian works, having premiered music by Thomas Green, Cathy Likhuta, Brenda Gifford and others, and collaborating with artists such as Trichotomy, Sarah Curro and Steve Newcomb.
This collaboration offers a compelling exploration of sound, style and contemporary expression.
Creatives
Martin Kay – Saxophone
Camille Barry – Violin
Mike Patterson – Violin
Charlotte Burbrook de Vere – Viola
Dan Curro – Cello
About the Artists
Black Square Quartet
Black Square Quartet was founded in 2018. Inspired by the iconic and controversial artwork The Black Square by Kasimir Malevich, one of the first true examples of artistic minimalism, the quartet aims to challenge and inspire audiences with unique and innovative repertoire choices. Strong advocates of new & Australian music, the quartet has premiered works by composers including Thomas Green, Ken Thomson, Cathy Likhuta, Marike Van Dijk, Brenda Gifford, Richard Grantham, and Philip Eames. They have collaborated with some of Australia’s finest musicians and ensembles, including Trichotomy, Shugorei, Sarah Curro, Aaron Brown, Steve Newcomb, and various others.
Dates
11 - 26 July '26
Tickets
From $25.00
plus booking fee
Duration
110 mins inc interval
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