Composer, Writer & Broadcaster
Ford’s chamber music includes six string quartets, and numerous works for mixed ensemble, some involving piano.
Please click work titles for more information and resources (audio, sheet music, program note etc.) about individual works in this category.
Text: John Kinsella
Commissioned by the Australian Chamber Orchestra
First performance by Emily Sun, Emily Beauchamp (violins), Caroline Henbest (viola), Henry Say (cello), Phoebe Russell (double bass), Andrew Ford (narrator), Australian Festival of Chamber Music, Denise Glasgow Performing Arts Centre, Pimlico, Queensland, 31 July 2025
Commissioned by Owen J Conlan
First performance by the Australian String Quartet, William Mabo (didgeridoo), Australian Festival of Chamber Music, Townsville Civic Theatre, Townsville, Queenland, 28 July 2025
Commissioned by Nick Hewett
Commissioned for the Brodsky Quartet by Julian Burnside AO QC.
First performance by the Brodsky Quartet, William Barton (didgeridoo), Canberra International Music Festival, Fitters' Workshop, Canberra, 30 April 2023
1. Golden Summer 2. Near Heidelberg 3. The Selector's Hut (Whelan on the Log) 4. The Spirit of the Drought 5. After Streeton
Text: interviews with Eda Ritchie, Bruce Pascoe, Vivienne Ritchie, Ian Langford and Gwenda Langford. Editing and sound engineering by Russell Stapleton.
Commissioned in celebration of the Melbourne Recital Centre's 10th anniversary.
First performance by Arcadia Winds, Primrose Potter Salon, Melbourne Recital Centre, Melbourne, 9 October 2019.
Commissioned by Sandy Rendel in celebration of his sister Polly Woods's 75th birthday.
First performance by Dinah Woods (cor anglais), Jules Evans (horn), Helen Mountfort (cello), Midland Hotel, Castlemaine, Victoria, 20 July 2019
1. Go Down, You Blood Red Roses
2. Sally Brown
3. Lowlands
4. Spanish Ladies
Commissioned by Sydney Brass
First performance by Sydney Brass, Bondi Junction RSL, Sydney, 1 July 2018
1. Night Flight -- 2. Fanfares -- 3. Lullaby for Lost Children.
Commissioned by Plexus
First performance by Plexus, Melbourne Recital Hall, Melbourne, 29 May 2017
1(=picc)-1-1(=bass cl)-1(=contrabsn) / 1-0-0-0 / pno / 1-1-1-1-1
Commissioned by Steven Alward for the Omega Ensemble to celebrate the 60th birthday of Mark Wakely
First performance by the Omega Ensemble, City Recital Hall, Sydney, 20 April 2016
1. Preludio —
2. Scherzo perpetuo
3. Lamentoso —
4. Sunrise with Wedding Dresses
5. Finale
Movements 2 and 4 may be performed separately.
Commissioned by the Flinders Quartet with support from David and Kaye Birks, Julian Burnside AO QC and Ben Quilty
First performance by the Flinders Quartet, Ballarat, Victoria, 28 October 2018