FRIDAY NIGHTS AT THE Q

Musicians and the audience are loving the acoustics in our carefully restored 1876 heritage-listed building that started out as the first Sunday School in Adelaide and went through a variety of incarnations including The Q Theatre during the 1970's.

"Two if by Sea" is a captivating musical duo renowned for their dynamic performances and folk-inspired melodies. Comprising cellist Rachel Johnston and multi-instrumentalist Trent Arkleysmith, their heartfelt performances blend both original and traditional tunes with intricate acoustic arrangements, creating a mesmerizing and intimate musical experience that resonates deeply with audiences worldwide.

Scottish Chamber Folk Ensemble

Steeped in the traditional fiddle music of Scotland, the Catherine Fraser Trio presents a varied programme of acoustic music arranged for fiddle, guitar, and cello. Exploring repertoire from as far back as the 18th century, right through to original contemporary compositions, the Trio brings a fresh improvisatory approach to the arrangements. Each player adds a wealth of international experience and musicality to the collaboration, and their mutual connection and expressive joy shine through.
"Revered world-wide....precisely executed and a joy to listen to."
The Scots Magazine, Scotland

Highly regarded as one of the foremost proponents of the Scottish fiddle Catherine is a passionate and emotive performer and composer, who shares her knowledge and expertise tirelessly. Graduating with a Bachelor of Music Teaching from her home town of Adelaide she has pursued a performance career specialising in the music of her heritage, which continues to inspire her to form new collaborations and projects. She is the recipient of numerous scholarships and awards, notably Champion Fiddler, Kirriemuir, Scotland, 2005, and Australasian Golden Fiddle Award for Best Soloist in 2010. Releasing her 7th studio album “After the Haar” in 2017 she subsequently formed the Catherine Fraser Trio, receiving rave reviews for performances at the National Folk Festival, Fairbridge Festival, and the National Celtic Festival. She has been part of the faculty of both Boston Harbor Scottish Fiddle School and Rocky Mountain Fiddle Camp, USA and was elected Music Director of the Boston Harbor School in 2012. In demand as a teacher and performer Catherine has given workshops and recitals in Scotland, England, Germany, USA, New Zealand and Japan. She is an advocate for breaking down genre barriers, and is particularly excited to share her music with Australian classical audiences, breaking away from the folk music label.

Trent Arkleysmith, musician, composer, singer, songwriter, and performer,
was born and raised on a goat farm in Evans Shire, New South Wales.
His musical career began at the age of five, first with the cello and then the trumpet, before picking up guitar aged 14. After a short stint at the Hobart Conservatorium of Music, Trent moved to Brisbane to join the pop rock band Hieronymus Bosch. He ended up joining Rock'n'Roll Circus as a circus musician, and then became a street artist. For the next ten years he toured extensively both nationally and internationally with the The Oskar and Strudel Show, winning numerous international awards for street theater and comedy. In 2001 Trent relocated to Vienna, Austria, where he formed the internationally acclaimed Von Trolley Quartet, a one of a kind music comedy show which toured excessively. Trent brings to the Catherine Fraser Trio a high level of musicality and compassion - a perfect match for the Trio’s
emotive repertoire.

Originally from New Zealand, Rachel played for seven years as a member of the Australian String Quartet and has become one of Australia's best-known cellists. She maintains a diverse calendar of projects and has performed, taught masterclasses and given improvisation workshops in NZ, Australia, the UK, Singapore, China and New York. Since branching out into the non-classical arena in 2013, Rachel has performed at many of the leading classical, folk, jazz and popular music festivals in Australia as well as in NZ, the U.K., Europe, Canada and the US, collaborated on Aria award-winning albums, performed with artists such as MeowMeow, Missy Higgins, Archie Roach, Katie Noonan, Kate Miller-Heidke, You Am I, and Tony McManus, and performed in critically acclaimed productions such as Sydney Theatre Company's The Secret River.

Host or Publisher The Q on Hallett