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Support Us

“Ensemble Offspring doesn’t wait for the future to happen, we create it! We commission more new music than any other ensemble in the country, and our Hatched Academy and First Nations Composer Program fill vital roles in Australia’s musical ecosystem. Donate today to support the future of Australian music and join a community who understand that music is more exciting on the cutting edge.”

Claire Edwardes OAM
Artistic Director and Percussionist

Target Your Support

  • Become a Hatched Academy Patron

    Hatched Academy is Ensemble Offspring’s emerging artists program and it has nurtured 90 talented musicians since 2013. In 2024, Hatched enters a new decade and Ensemble Offspring are excited to be expanding the program with transformative new follow-up opportunities for outstanding participants.

    Contributions start at $1,000. Tell us to send your support to Hatched Academy in the donation form or by emailing us directly.

    Explore Hatched Academy

  • Join Our Commission Fund

    Commissioning new music is at the heart of Ensemble Offspring’s mission. We have commissioned over 350 works, more than any other group in Australia. Enable the creation of cutting-edge music and shape the future of Australian culture by donating to our Commission Fund.

    Contributions start at $1,000. Tell us to send your support to the Commission Fund in the donation form or by emailing us directly.

    Explore Our Past Commissions

  • Become a First Nations Program Patron

    Ensemble Offspring’s multi-faceted First Nations Composer Program includes an annual First Nations Composer in Residence and the ground-breaking Ngarra-Burria: First Peoples Composers program. Lift the voices of First Nations composers by donating today.

    Contributions start at $1,000. Tell us to send your support to the First Nations Program in the donation form or by emailing us directly.

    Explore Our First Nations Program
  • Will Hansen playing double bass outside

    Leave a Bequest

    Leave a gift in your will to support the future of Australian music through Ensemble Offspring. The process is straightforward, and a bequest can make a big difference to the capacity of a small organisation like ours to support living new music. Our team would be happy to start an obligation-free conversation about the impact your bequest could have on the future of Australian music.

    Enquire

Be a Trailblazer

Ensemble Offspring is a registered charity and all donations over $2 are tax deductible.
If you would prefer to donate via bank transfer, please feel free to request bank details.

Testimonials

  • Shane Simpson AM

    Shane Simpson AM (Ensemble Offspring Patron)

    “This is an ensemble for which the ‘old and safe’ is Berio, Adams and perhaps Legiti but its true focus is really the music of today, the unfamiliar, the exploratory, the untried, and in particular, the Australian. The Ensemble has an extraordinary record of commissioning Australian composers, often early in their career, and giving audiences the opportunity to hear the music of today performed by players of unquestionable musicianship.”

  • Leta Keens

    Leta Keens

    “Silo Collective [which I coordinate] has commissioned four pieces with Ensemble Offspring, and it’s always been a really amazing experience – being involved in the process of creating a new piece, including being invited to open rehearsals, has been thrilling, surprising and a whole lot of fun. [The ensemble’s concerts] definitely add enormously to my life. Thanks, Ensemble Offspring for everything you do!”

    Read Leta's Story
  • Don Macleod

    Don Macleod

    “At 81 years of age, I'm old enough to remember the fore-runner of Ensemble Offspring, The Spring Ensemble at Roger Woodward's Sydney Spring Festivals - I attended every concert. At the festival, we got to hear music by young EO founders Damien Ricketson and Matthew Shlomowitz, so it was natural for me to attend EO concerts when they started. All praise must go to EO for continuing to perform new music. Long may you continue!!“

    Read Don's Story

  • Kay Vernon

    “Ensemble Offspring presents music that is new, fresh, sometimes challenging and always engaging. Their performances always energise me and invite me to re-frame and enlarge my understanding of music in an exciting and compelling way. Ensemble Offspring’s support for established and emerging Australian composers is another reason I am so pleased I am able to support them.”

  • Penny Le Couteur & Greg Dickson

    Penny Le Couteur & Greg Dickson

    “Ensemble Offspring demonstrates absolute excellence in all that it does. We got to know the ensemble when we commissioned Holly Harrison to compose them a piece. Since that time we have attended numerous performances and commissioned a number of pieces for them. The players have absolute mastery of their instruments, frequently using difficult extended techniques to create novel and beautiful sound worlds.”

Supporters

  • The Berg Family Foundation

  • Charles Davidson
    Penny Le Couteur & Greg Dickson
    Peter Howard
    The Keir Foundation
    Jules Maxwell (Percussion Co-Chair Sponsor)
    Modest Expectations Foundation
    Russell Staley (Violin Chair Sponsor)
    Simpson-Michel Foundation (Clarinet Chair Sponsor)
    The Wales Family Foundation
    Mark Wakely
    Kim Williams AM (Percussion Co-Chair Sponsor)

  • John Barrer
    Christine Bishop
    The Darin Cooper Foundation
    Helen Eager & Christopher Hodges
    Glynis Johns
    Michael & Frederique Katz
    Phlyssa Koshland
    Simon & Naomi Miller (Flute Co-Chair Sponsor)
    Helen & Peter Murdoch (Cello Chair Sponsor)
    Ken & Liz Nielsen
    The Stoneglen Foundation
    Kay Vernon & Toni Robertson

  • John & Irene Garran
    Kathie & Reg Grinberg
    Sylvia Jamieson (Piano Chair Sponsor)
    James Kirby & Claire Wivell Plater
    Don MacLeod
    Anonymous (1) (Flute Co-Chair Sponsor)
    Anonymous (1)

  • Jenny Bisset, Malcolm Crompton, Claire Edwardes, Cathy Gray, Stewart Jackson & Judy Greenwood, Sue Healey & Richard Harvey, Leta Keens, Hugh Liney, Fiona & Adrian Loader, Anthony & Sarah Lowe, Don MacLeod, Marni Oaten, Merry & Robert Pearson , Damien Ricketson, Geoff Stearn, Victoria Taylor, Christopher Whitehead & Peter Wilson, Anonymous (2)

  • Marissa Banu-Lawrence, Sandy Belford, Gwen Bennett, Amanda Brown, Neil Burns, Mary Jo & Lloyd Capps, Ian Cleworth, Martin Denny, Robert Edwardes, Deirdre Ferguson, Kris Gale, Michael Hannan, Di Haskell, Heinz Herrmann, Elizabeth Hristoforidis, Chrissie & John Hughes, Jane Kift, Kate Lidbetter, Juliet Lockhart, Trish Ludgate, Graham & Pamela MacDonald, Clare Maclean, Hannah Mason, John Nicoll, Philip O'Keefe, Ben Perche, Katherine Boyle & Ben Reynolds, Trish Richardson, Michael Sanders, Wayne Smithson, Petr Spelina, Geoff Stearn, Janusz Florek & Gosia Stepuch, Mark Tucker, Kim Walker, Alan Watt, Anna Cerneaz & Graeme Wood, Phillip Yetton & Joan Spiller, Anonymous (2)

Program Patrons

  • Kim Williams AM percussion Co-Chair Sponsor (Claire Edwardes)

    Jules Maxwell percussion Co-Chair Sponsor (Claire Edwardes)

    Anonymous (1) flute Co-Chair Sponsor (Lamorna Nightingale)

    Simon Miller flute Co-Chair Sponsor (Lamorna Nightingale)

    Simpson-Michel Foundation clarinet Chair Sponsor (Jason Noble)

    Russell Staley violin Chair Sponsor (Véronique Serret)

    Helen and Peter Murdoch cello Chair Sponsor (Blair Harris)

    Sylvia Jamieson piano Chair Sponsor (Benjamin Kopp)

  • Jenny Bisset

    Hugh Liney

  • Anonymous (1)