My first year as CEO of Musica Viva Australia has been one of rebuilding and renewal.
It has been a year that has seen expansion in our Music Education Residency Program, now nationwide, and a greater reach for the 15 touring ensembles and professional development programs of Musica Viva Australia In Schools. This outstanding program was once again recognised as a finalist in the APRA-AMCOS awards for Excellence in Music Education.
We were all delighted by the once-in-four years Melbourne International Chamber Music Competition, capped off by Affinity Quartet’s achievement as the first ever Australian Grand Prize winner. Our Emerging Artists Program also saw strong demand for masterclasses Australia-wide, and two outstanding young FutureMakers supported, challenged and starting to devise performance projects.
And it was a significant moment to finally realise a full year of concert programming for our Artistic Director Paul Kildea, the first since his appointment in 2019. We’ve had wonderful responses to the performances of international and Australian artists who’ve presented works from the canon to newly commissioned works, from musicians such as Noa Wildschut and Elisabeth Brauss on the brink of significant international careers, to those like Garrick Ohlsson at the zenith of theirs.
It is a more challenging time than ever to bring outstanding artists and audiences together, as travel and presentation costs rise and economic uncertainty persists.
We have been grateful this year for the support and collegiality of Opera Australia, whose Melbourne office now houses our Victorian team.
And we absolutely could not have accomplished all this without your support – as subscribers, ticket buyers, donors, and as enthusiastic advocates. We thank you for sharing our passion for bringing performances that are alive with joy to concert halls and classrooms all over Australia.
