It’s something of an understatement to say that pianist Kathryn Selby and the Goldner String Quartet have a bit of history.

“I almost hate to say this, but I think I’ve known them for at least 40 years,” Selby laughs. “Dimity [Hall, Goldner violinist] was at the [Sydney] Conservatorium High with me and I met Julian [Smiles, cello] when he was only 19 and a Canberra boy. It’s been a long, long friendship. They are all very important people to me, in so many different ways.”

So, it’s not without some emotion that Selby is now preparing to play a series of farewell concerts with the Goldner String Quartet from 11–19 May at venues in New South Wales, Victoria, the ACT and South Australia. Titled Luminaries, the concerts form part of the Goldners’ year-long farewell to three decades of performing as a group.

Goldner String Quartet. Photo supplied

“I was blown away when Dene [Olding] called me up and told me they were calling it a day,” says Selby. “For me it came out of nowhere. I completely respect their decision – 30 years is a long time to be doing this – but it’s a big deal in the collective cultural life of Australia. Dene, Dimity, Irina [Morozova] and Julian have made such a huge and necessary contribution to the musical community. There’s just no way to overstate it. They are Australian musical royalty.”

Almost everyone working in chamber formats in Australia owes some debt to the work done by the Goldners over its three decades, Selby says. “Their contribution is not just as performers but as pedagogues, as advocates. They’ve commissioned so many works and developed important relationships with Australian composers and they’ve inspired so many younger players, too, people starting out trying to create their own spaces.”

Kathryn Selby. Image supplied.

It’s no exaggeration to say that the Goldners have changed the way chamber music is experienced, Selby says. “They’re not just great musicians, they are incredible communicators, they love to talk from the stage. It used to be that musicians would play, say nothing, let the music speak for itself and leave. But Dene and Julian in particular love speaking from the stage and always have something fascinating to say about the works they’re playing. They’ve enlarged the whole idea of chamber performance.”

When the Goldners asked if Selby would be interested in playing concerts together, “I didn’t have to blink,” she says. “Basically, because it’s an honour. That’s why I wanted to make this a big tour, something on a scale we usually can’t afford.”

In Luminaries, Selby and the Goldners will play music drawn from three centuries: Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 12; Tchaikovsky’s String Quartet No. 1 in D major, and Shostakovich’s Piano Quartet in G minor.

The program fell into place very easily, Selby says. “When they said they wanted to play, I figured, well, the first half will be just them and then I’ll come on and do a quintet to finish. But then Julian said they had decided on the Mozart and I nearly fell over because that’s a dream come true. Mozart piano concertos are the pinnacle, I love playing them. And to play one in his own version with these guys … bloody amazing.”

The Tchaikovsky will see the Goldners playing sans Selby. “They have been preparing it for this farewell year. And I figured, well, that’s good enough for me. I’m happy to just listen,” says Selby, adding that the Shostakovich was “always always, always” on the cards.

“When they agreed to it, I was so grateful because it’s an opportunity to a play work I love seven times with fantastic players. You can’t ask for more. And the pieces go together so beautifully, too. It’s such a wide range of styles and genres.”

Selby & Friends: Luminaries featuring the Goldner String Quartet is performed at Turramurra Uniting Church, 11 May; Primrose Potter Salon, Melbourne Recital Centre, 13 May; City Recital Hall, Sydney, 16 May; the James Fairfax Theatre, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, 17 May; Bowral Memorial Hall, 18 May and Elder Hall, University of Adelaide on 19 May. 

Information and ticketing here.