Our Story

The Sydney Guitar Collective was established in early 2023 with a simple idea: to create a space where passionate professional guitarists could continue making chamber music together beyond their university studies. What began as an opportunity for a group of young musicians to perform together has grown into an ensemble with a much broader artistic vision.

From the very beginning, Dr Simon Powis made the formation of the Sydney Guitar Collective financially possible through his generous support. His belief in the ensemble gave us the opportunity to establish ourselves, develop our first programs and begin our journey as a professional ensemble. Simon continues to support the Collective today, playing an important role in helping us develop and pursue our artistic ambitions.
 

Led by Musical Director Dr Janet Agostino, the Collective brings together five Sydney-based classical guitarists who share a passion for performance, collaboration and exploring the possibilities of the guitar ensemble. We seek to present the classical guitar not simply as a solo instrument, but as a powerful and expressive chamber ensemble capable of remarkable colour, texture and versatility.
 

As the Collective has developed, so too has our artistic identity. A central part of our work is the exploration and celebration of Australian music. We believe Australian composers have an important and growing contribution to make to the guitar repertoire, and we are committed to helping that music reach audiences.

This commitment has gradually taken us beyond performing existing works. We have begun to actively contribute to the repertoire ourselves through commissioning, composition and arrangement. Members of the Collective have created new works for the ensemble, while our collaborations with composers and musicians have opened the guitar to new sounds, traditions and possibilities.
 

One of the most significant examples is Richard Charlton's Port Jackson Suite, written specifically for the Sydney Guitar Collective. Our collaboration with Suwitra Jaya Gamelan also led to the commissioning of Ngubeng by Australian composer Eitan Muir, alongside new arrangements that brought the classical guitar together with Balinese Gamelan. Projects such as these reflect an important part of our identity: we are not only interested in preserving the guitar's existing traditions, but in helping shape where the instrument can go next.
 

Our journey has also taken us beyond our own concerts. We have been invited to perform as part of the Glebe Music Festival, the Phoenix Central Park Concert Series and Richard Charlton's tribute concert, while developing our own concert programs that bring together established repertoire, Australian works and newly commissioned music.
 

In 2026, the Collective took another step forward with our first touring program, bringing Australian guitar music and the distinctive sound of the ensemble to audiences across New South Wales and Canberra. We have also recorded an album dedicated to Australian works, continuing our commitment to documenting and sharing this repertoire. The album is scheduled for release in late 2026.
 

Our vision extends beyond any single concert, commission or recording. We want to help build a stronger Australian guitar music scene—one that provides opportunities for composers and musicians today while creating a lasting body of repertoire for future generations.
 

We see the future of the Sydney Guitar Collective as one of continued creativity, collaboration and discovery. Each year, we aim to work with Australian composers and musicians in new ways, while bringing the versatility, colour and expressive potential of the guitar to increasingly diverse audiences.
 

With the continued support of people who believe in our work, we hope to build something lasting: an ensemble that not only performs great music, but creates, documents and champions the future of Australian guitar music.