Omega Ensemble

Omega Ensemble is a Sydney-based chamber ensemble recognised for profiling elite Australian musicians in challenging and innovative chamber music presentations. Founded in 2005 by Australian clarinettist David Rowden, the Ensemble has been hailed as ‘first-rate musicians’ (The Daily Telegraph) and ‘the best chamber music outfit in town’ (Sydney Morning Herald) and received numerous five-star reviews for their performances and recordings (Limelight Magazine). The Ensemble presents an annual national touring program, presenting diverse programming to metro and regional cities, as well as frequently taking part in national music and cultural festivals. The Ensemble has previously collaborated with international artists including Paul Meyer (FR), Dimitri Ashkenazy (CH), and the Faust Quartet (DE), and twice toured to China, presenting performances and masterclasses in Beijing. Omega Ensemble is a champion of commissioning, presenting the world premieres of over 50 new musical works and presenting the local premieres of many more. The Ensemble has worked with notable Australian composers including Elena Kats-Chernin, Andrew Ford, Matthew Hindson, Paul Stanhope, Gerard Brophy, and Sally Whitwell. Recent commissions with international composers Nico Muhly and Airat Ichamouatov have gained global exposure for the Ensemble. The commissioning of Australian music has formed the foundation for the Ensemble’s education and outreach programs, presenting interactive in-school workshops, as well developing a growing resource to support classroom teaching. The Ensemble maintains a growing digital profile and has recorded two studio albums with ABC Classic, as well as releasing a number of live recordings. The Ensemble was Ensemble-In-Residence at Sydney’s City Recital Hall from 2014-16, and has been nominated for APRA/AMCOS Classical Music Awards for Best Performance (2007) and Best New Work (2020) and in 2019 was nominated for Artist of the Year by Limelight Magazine.