As part of Open House Melbourne 2026, we are inviting our community to explore, connect and be inspired by the unique spaces that make up our Bunjil Place precinct.

From Mozart to Leunig - a journey through words, whimsy and the power of music.

Hailed by Limelight magazine as "Australia's top echelon of musicians," Ensemble Q Australia launches its 2026 National Touring Program with a vibrant mix of beloved classics and compelling new Australian works.

Featuring ABC Classic presenter and writer Ed le Brocq, the program unveils a newly commissioned work by Anne Cawrse, inspired by le Brocq's deeply moving story Sonam & the Silence, a meditation on the transformative power of music. In a similar spirit, le Brocq gives voice to Michael Leunig's whimsical imagination in Calvin Bowman's Curly Pyjama Letters.

Bookending these new works are two of the great pillars of the chamber repertoire - Beethoven's String Trio in C minor, Op.9 No.3, and Mozart's much-loved Clarinet Quintet, featuring clarinettist Paul Dean.

Free & family friendly - no bookings required just show up and enjoy.

Artists

Ed le Brocq narrator
Paul Dean clarinet
Adam Chalabi violin
Anne Horton violin
Benjamin Roskams viola
Trish Dean cello

Choose your venue

The performance will take place in two very different spaces in the precinct.

10.30 am: Bunjil Place Studio

In our black box space, Bunjil Place Studio, the boundaries between stage and audience dissolve, allowing music to be shared with a sense of genuine connection. It's warm acoustics create an environment where listeners can experience every nuance, conversation, and moment of musical and narrative expression.

2.30 pm - Bunjil Place Library

Bunjil Place Library is a striking, multi-level public library celebrated for its award winning design, including top honours at the 2019 Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) Design Awards. The tiered design of the 200 seat amphitheatre, provides a light filled, relaxed setting for this chamber music and storytelling performance.

About Open House Melbourne

The Open House Melbourne Weekend celebrates good design by opening up buildings, places and spaces, inspiring public engagement in conversations about the future of our city.

The Weekend 2026 theme, Generous City, explores how design, creativity and architecture can foster a culture of openness, offering space, care and possibility to the people who live, work and play here.

See the full program here.