A Gwen Harwood Cycle

A Gwen Harwood Cycle for saxophone, piano and narrator, composed by Linda Kouvaras, is a 60-minute composition of original music woven as a contrapuntal texture around a series of live narrated Gwen Harwood poems, amplifying Harwood’s texts that focus on women’s voices, creativity and the struggles of the woman artist.

The musicians performing are Duo Eclettico, internationally award-winning musicians Coady Green (piano), and Justin Kenealy (saxophones), with iconic Australian actress Helen Morse narrating.

Gwen Harwood (1925–1990) is one of Australia’s finest poets. With Kouvaras's evocative, moving and compelling musical settings, this project counters the mid-twentieth century labelling of Harwood as a housewife in the popular press, demonstrating as she herself lamented, that she was not taken seriously as a poet.

Supported by the City of Melbourne Arts Grants and Creative Victoria, this work receives its full première at the 2025 fortyfivedownstairs Chamber Music Festival.