Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 22, 2026

Ensemble Offspring

Ensemble Offspring is an Australian music ensemble. The group is led by artistic director Claire Edwardes, and features some of Australia's most innovative performers. The group has toured to locations such as Hong Kong, London and Warsaw, are regularly featured at MONA FOMA, Sydney and Melbourne Festivals, and have a cult following at their Sizzle series at Petersham Bowling Club. Ensemble Offspring has premiered over 200 works in its 23-year history. The ensemble was previously known as Spring Ensemble.

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Jun 22, 2026
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Ensemble Offspring
Years active1995-present
Websiteensembleoffspring.com

Ensemble Offspring is an Australian music ensemble. The group is led by artistic director Claire Edwardes,1 and features some of Australia's most innovative performers. The group has toured to locations such as Hong Kong, London and Warsaw, are regularly featured at MONA FOMA, Sydney and Melbourne Festivals, and have a cult following at their Sizzle series at Petersham Bowling Club. Ensemble Offspring has premiered over 200 works in its 23-year history.2 The ensemble was previously known as Spring Ensemble.3

Together with Kamil Ellis it was nominated for the 2019 ARIA Award for Best Children's Album for Classic Kids: Music For The Dreaming.4

Members

  • Claire Edwardes (percussion)
  • Geoffrey Gartner (cello)
  • Jason Noble (clarinet)
  • Lamorna Nightingale (flute)
  • Veronique Serret (violin)
  • Zubin Kanga (piano)
  • Bree van Reyk (drums, percussion)
  • Blair Harris (cello)

Former members

  • Damien Ricketson - composer, co-founder and co-artistic director (1995-2015)5

Discography

Albums

List of albums, with selected details
Title Album details
Springtime
  • Released: February 20106
  • Label: Ensemble Offspring
Between the Keys
  • Released: 21 May 20137
  • Label: Ensemble Offspring
Fractured Again
  • Released: June 2013 8
  • Label: Damien Ricketson
Cycles and Circles
  • Released: 20159
  • Label: Ensemble Offspring
Noise Husbandry
(with James Humberstone)
  • Released: 6 August 201610
  • Label: Ensemble Offspring
Offspring Bites 1
  • Released: 3 November 201711
  • Label: Ensemble Offspring
Classic Kids: Sounds Like Australia
(with Luke Carroll)
  • Released: 6 July 201812
  • Label: ABC Music
Classic Kids: Music for the Dreaming
(with Kamil Ellis)
  • Released: 5 October 201813
  • Label: ABC Music
Offspring Bites 2
  • Released: 21 July 201914
  • Label: Ensemble Offspring
Songbirds
  • Released: 12 June 202015
  • Label: ABC Music
Offspring Bites 3: En Masse
  • Released: 24 March 2021
  • Label: ABC Music
To Listen, To Sing – Ngarra-Burria: First Peoples Composers
  • Released: 2 December 2022
  • Label: ABC Music

Awards and nominations

AIR Awards

The Australian Independent Record Awards (commonly known informally as AIR Awards) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's Independent Music sector.

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
2023 To Listen, To Sing – Ngarra-Burria: First Peoples Composers Best Independent Classical Album or EP Nominated 1617

ARIA Music Awards

The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony held by the Australian Recording Industry Association.

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
2019 Classic Kids: Music for the Dreaming (with Kamil Ellis) Best Children's Album Nominated 18
2023 To Listen, To Sing – Ngarra-Burria: First Peoples Composers Best Classical Album Nominated 19

National Live Music Awards

The National Live Music Awards (NLMAs) commenced in 2016 to recognise contributions to the live music industry in Australia.

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
2019 Ensemble Offspring Live Classical Act of the Year Nominated 2021
2023 Ensemble Offspring Best Classical Act Nominated 22

Sidney Myer Performing Arts Group Award

The Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards (created in 1984) recognise the essential role of arts and culture in affirming our sense of belonging and lifting our community spirit as a nation.

Year Nominee / work Award Result
20202023 Ensemble Offspring Performing Arts Group Award Nominated
References

References

  1. Ford, Andrew (29 September 2018), "Spectralism with Ensemble Offspring", The Music Show, Radio National, archived from the original on 29 April 2024, retrieved 29 October 2019
  2. "Ensemble Offspring : Australian Music Centre". www.australianmusiccentre.com.au. Archived from the original on 18 February 2022. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
  3. Kerry, Gordon (15 March 1999), "Grand Old Men Flank Offspring Program", The Sydney Morning Herald
  4. Brandle, Lars (10 October 2019), "Tones And I Leads 2019 ARIA Awards Nominations", Billboard, archived from the original on 17 August 2020, retrieved 29 October 2019
  5. "Damien Ricketson : Represented Artist Profile : Australian Music Centre". www.australianmusiccentre.com.au. Archived from the original on 18 February 2022. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
  6. "Springtime (DD)". Apple Music. Archived from the original on 3 November 2023. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
  7. "Between the Keys(DD)". Apple Music. Archived from the original on 3 November 2023. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
  8. "Fractured Again (DD)". Apple Music. Archived from the original on 3 November 2023. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
  9. "Cycles and Circles (DD)". Apple Music. Archived from the original on 3 November 2023. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
  10. "Noise Husbandry (DD)". Apple Music. Archived from the original on 3 November 2023. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
  11. "Offspring Bites 1 (DD)". Apple Music. Archived from the original on 3 November 2023. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
  12. "Classic Kids: Sounds Like Australia (DD)". Apple Music. Archived from the original on 16 November 2020. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
  13. "Classic Kids: Music for the Dreaming (DD)". Apple Music. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
  14. "Offspring Bites 2 (DD)". Apple Music. Archived from the original on 31 October 2020. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
  15. "Songbirds (DD)". Apple Music. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
  16. "Nominees Announced for the Australian Independent Music Awards 2023". Music Feeds. 31 May 2023. Archived from the original on 31 May 2023. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  17. "King Stingray and Genesis Owusu Win Big at 2023 AIR Awards". Music Feeds. 4 August 2023. Archived from the original on 5 August 2023. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  18. "2019 ARIA Award Winners Announced". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). 27 November 2019. Archived from the original on 1 March 2020. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
  19. "Nominees Announced for 2023 ARIA Awards". Music Feeds. 21 September 2023. Archived from the original on 30 September 2023. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
  20. "Here Are Your 2019 National Live Music Awards Nominees!". NLMA. 22 October 2020. Archived from the original on 5 April 2020. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
  21. "And the Winners of the 2019 National Live Music Awards Are..." NLMA. 5 December 2020. Archived from the original on 15 September 2020. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
  22. "Nominees Announced For The 2023 National Live Music Awards". The Music. 5 September 2023. Archived from the original on 9 September 2023. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  23. "$90K Sidney Myer Performing Arts Award to Ensemble Offspring". resonate. 17 March 2020. Archived from the original on 18 February 2022. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
External links