The 2022 Australian Festival of Chamber Music opens in Townsville tonight, under its new Artistic Director Jack Liebeck. Paul Dean is the composer-in-residence and has many works programmed across the 10-day event. His newly commissioned Concerto for Small Orchestra will have its world premiere as part of The ’22s concert on Sunday 31 July. The festival will also feature his compositions A Brief History, Blue Ginger, Concerto for Cello and Wind Quintet, written for his wife, cellist Trish Dean, The Sea Meets Infinity, the Lockdown Miniatures and Dance Suite. Dean, who is a well-known clarinettist and the co-Artistic Director of Ensemble Q with Trish Dean, will also play at many of the concerts. He spoke to Limelight about the festival.

Composer Paul Dean

Paul Dean. Photo © Trish Dean

Congratulations on being chosen as composer-in-residence at this year’s AFCM. When did you first meet the festival’s Artistic Director Jack Liebeck?

I have to say it was a great thrill to get the call from Jack some time back about being the composer at this year’s festival. We met 15 years ago at the 2007 AFCM and have been the best of friends ever since,...