Why do we put our iPod on shuffle? Because we want to listen to something unexpected, to surprise our musical senses. Well, it’s time to put your live music experience on shuffle with OMG: The Brodsky Quartet Series featuring Brodsky Quartet, Eddie Perfect and Topology, when it comes to Brisbane Powerhouse from Friday 6 to Sunday 8 August.

The Brodsky Quartet are at the forefront of the international chamber-music scene. Their mastery of the traditional string quartet repertoire is evident from their highly acclaimed performances of composers ranging from Beethoven to Bartok. At the same time, the quartet are known for their pioneering work with a diverse range of artists including Elvis Costello, Sting, Michael Collins and Björk.

This August, Brodsky Quartet will blur musical boundaries as the dip in and out of the worlds of Eddie Perfect, Topology and the musicians of ANAM, in the first of the OMG (Other Musical Genres) series

Comedian, actor, composer, performer and 2009 Helpmann Award winner, Eddie Perfect, is an exciting collaborator with the ever-innovative Brodsky quartet and musicians from The Australian National Academy of Music. The same man who penned songs on everything from politics, the media, capitalism and popular culture to an entire musical on the life of Shane Warne, has decided to get personal with a cycle of songs about growing up in middle class, Mentone. Ranging from the historical to the intimate, the painfully factual to the patently fanciful, Songs from the Middle on Fri 6 Aug will pay homage to a place where every third or fourth person knew your name.

Sat 7 Aug brings a rare treat as the acclaimed Brodsky Quartet play Schubert, Golijov, Bartok and Ravel. Three of these are composers known and appreciated for their hunger and exploration of cross-cultural musical genres, with no musical borders being imposed on their creative voices, just like Brodsky Quartet. To open the program is a short gem by Schubert, one of the great classical composers for string quartet. The only existing movement of an unfinished quartet, it is a microcosm of emotional extremes and one can only imagine the composer felt no more need be said.

Sun 8 Aug brings a fascinating meeting of musicians, resulting in truly new music as Topology and Brodsky Quartet both move out of their comfort zones for their combined concert. When Elvis Costello famously began working with Brodsky Quartet, his songwriting took a whole new turn. It was a true collaboration, with both parties meeting in the middle. For this concert, the Brodskys will bring a new chamber version, scored for the two groups, of Elvis Costello’s critically acclaimed ballet suite, Il Sogno. Topology will also work with the group to compose a new work taking some of its melodic material from the spoken voices of the players.

See one show or broaden your musical horizons and see them all. For more information call 07 3358 8600 or go to brisbanepowerhouse.org. Brodsky Quartet, Eddie Perfect and musicians from The Australian National Academy of Music are also performing at South Melbourne Town Hall and Sydney Opera House.