Andrew Haveron - violin : Lerida Delbridge - violin
Justin Williams - viola : Umberto Clerici - cello
..a short but intense and impassioned creation that seems to compress all the string quartet’s expressive possibilities into a single span. This pint-sized piece was thoroughly enjoyable thanks to the beautifully shaped melody, excellent string writing and humour: amusingly, the piece breaks midway into a drunken stagger with lurching violin atop lopsided pizzicato cello.
So fun, and so well played.
In Daily
Graham Strahle: 18 August, 2023
Pianist: Daniel de Borah
Three Intermezzi for solo piano
…three beautifully crafted Intermezzi after Brahms and Scriabin which were full of heartfelt sentiment and virtuosity.
Limelight
Brett Allen-Bayes: 22 May, 2023
Queensland Symphony Orchestra Conducted by Umberto Clerici
The dramatic theme of the work was interspersed with pauses, a nod to the passing of time, while offering short orchestral solos from violin and woodwind in particular.
ArtsHub
Suzannah Conway: 25 September, 2023
…the rich orchestration showcased Williams' deep understanding of the orchestra.
Weekend Notes
John Andrew: 24 September, 2024
Movement for Woodwind Quintet
…an attractive musical tableau, very visual with plenty of circus-like humorous moments, but emphasising the rich sonorities and voices of the instruments at his disposal.
It hit the spot with the audience, who gave him a resounding ovation
Limelight
Steve Moffatt: 31 August, 2025
NEWS:
Affinity Quartet to perform Movement for String Quartet at Hunters Hill Music: November 23, 2025 @ 2:30pm
Matthew Garvie to perform A Storm for solo piano in November: Riverina Conservatorium, Wagga Wagga.
Details to follow..
Justin Williams released his ‘Movement for String Quartet’ in 2020, which has since been performed throughout Australia and in Europe and Asia by the Australian String Quartet and Affinity Quartet. In 2022, Justin was the recipient of a Sydney International Piano Competition Composing the Future juror’s prize for his ‘Three Intermezzi’ for solo piano. In 2023, his set of songs ‘Three Pieces for String Quartet and Voice: Love – Despair – Hope’, was commissioned and premiered at Blackheath Chamber Music Festival, NSW, and his first Symphony was jointly commissioned by Queensland Symphony Orchestra and Sydney Symphony Orchestra and premiered by QSO under the direction of Maestro Umberto Clerici as part of the Brisbane Festival. He has since added a duo for violin and cello (Theme and Variations), and a piece for solo piano, A Storm, commissioned by the Australian National Academy of Music; a Movement for Woodwind Quintet, performed by members of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra in the Orchestra’s chamber music series, and he is in the process of writing another work for string quartet.
Justin holds the position of Assistant Principal Viola with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and was the founding violist of the Tinalley String Quartet (TSQ). He has performed as Principal Viola with Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Australian World Orchestra, Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra (AOBO), Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Melbourne Chamber Orchestra and Australia ProArte, and as ripieno viola with Australian Chamber Orchestra.
As a member of Tinalley String Quartet, Justin shared in the experience of winning the 2005 Australian Chamber Music Competition and the 9th Banff International String Quartet Competition. With TSQ he has toured extensively throughout Australia, Europe and North America and has released several recordings with Move Records, Decca Australia and ABC Classic.
in focus:
… three ‘sound drawings’ by Sydney based artist Charlotte Fetherston based on the works for solo piano, ‘Three Intermezzi’ by Justin Williams.
Click on the artworks below to be redirected to Charlotte’s website.
‘Three Intermezzi’ by Charlotte Fetherston