Image Kristoffer Paulsen

Affinity Quartet—Australia’s most highly awarded string quartet, championing the next generation of chamber music

Founded in 2015 at the Australian National Academy of Music, Affinity Quartet rapidly established itself as one of the leading string quartets of its generation, internationally recognised for exceptional music-making and commitment to the string quartet’s evolving form.

The ensemble has received critical acclaim for “captivating playing” (Süddeutsche Zeitung), “flawless ensemble” (Limelight Magazine), and “first class string playing” (Classic Melbourne). David Harrington of the legendary Kronos Quartet recently declared, “It’s time the world gets shaken awake and Affinity can do it!!” Australian composer Brett Dean describes the ensemble as “a much needed new guard of Australian chamber music.”

Affinity Quartet has appeared at major venues and festivals in Europe, Japan and Australia, including the Rheingau Musik Festival (Germany), Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival (Finland), and as part of Australia’s Official Cultural Program at World Expo Osaka 2025. Other international engagements have included the Amsterdam String Quartet Biennale (Netherlands), Fundación Juan March (Spain), Prussia Cove (UK), and Festival Voix Intimes (Belgium), and in advanced residential training programmes in Europe, Canada and the United Kingdom.

A defining influence on the Quartet’s artistic development has been mentorship from 2022 and 2024 with the late Günter Pichler, founding first violinist of the Alban Berg Quartet. Following several major international competition successes, Affinity Quartet made history in 2023 as the first Australian ensemble to win First Prize, the Grand Prize and Audience Prize at the Melbourne International Chamber Music Competition.

Highlights of the Quartet’s 2026 season include performance and mentoring residencies at the Australian National Academy of Music and the Monash University Sir Zelman Cowen School of Music. Collaborations include a world premiere with Djinama Yilaga Choir at Four Winds, Bermagui, and TAIWA, a dialogue between Australian and Japanese chamber music featuring newly commissioned works written for the quartet to mark the 50th Anniversary of Friendship between Australia and Japan. Affinity Quartet makes its Mexican debut at Festival de Música de Morelia as part of the 60th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between Australia and Mexico.

Based in Melbourne and operating as a not-for-profit organisation, Affinity Quartet is renowned for distinctive performances of the core quartet repertoire alongside their commissions and premières of new Australian works. The quartet is dedicated to supporting the next generation of Australian chamber musicians and composers.


Affinity Quartet
Shane Chen, violin
Nicholas Waters, violin
Josef Hanna, viola
Mee Na Lojewski, cello

  • A man with black hair dressed in a black suit holding a violin, sitting against a dark background.

    Shane Chen

    Violin

  • A young man with curly ginger hair playing a violin, dressed in a black suit, against a dark green background.

    Nicholas Waters

    Violin

  • A young man with dark curly hair and facial hair holds a violin, sitting against a dark green background. He wears a black blazer and black shirt, and looks directly at the camera.

    Josef Hanna

    Viola

  • A woman with black hair holding a cello and looking at the camera against a dark green background.

    Mee Na Lojewski

    Cello