For ensembles, 2021 might have been (another) frustrating year, but seeing the 2022 programs feels like a new sunrise after months of cancelled performances. One theme that keeps popping up is that of collaboration and connection, both between ensembles and guest artists, and ensembles and composers. There’s some seriously stirring interdisciplinary and genre-spanning performances to come (and re-energised takes on old favourites), but it’s also heartening to see the number of ensembles commissioning new works, and focus on underrepresented female voices. There are fresh new ways of listening, too – the Australian Digital Concert Hall’s easily streamed concerts are becoming a serious game-changer for ensembles across the country, for instance.

Nationwide, Musica Vivahas some fascinating programming lined up. Artistic Director Paul Kildea notes that the program presents the “broadest possible definition” of chamber music, giving us such boundary-stretching delights as a re-engineered Australian-themed performance of Schubert’s Winterreise, mandolinist Avi Avital and cellist Giovanni Sollima exploring Mediterranean music of all kinds, and a unique...