A closer look at the people and partnerships powering regional music
At Musica Viva Australia, we believe everyone deserves access to the best live music - no matter where they live. Through our Regional Touring Program, we bring exceptional musicians to communities across NSW, supporting local presenters and sharing unforgettable performances with over 5,000 audience members in 2024, in venues from Tyalgum to Yass. And not just concerts - our exceptional artists offer a variety of events for local communities such as workshops, masterclasses, ‘meet the artist’ post-concert chats and relaxed performances.
One of our strongest regional partnerships is with the Orange Regional Conservatorium (ORC), a vibrant hub of music in Central West NSW. For over a decade, we’ve collaborated with the Conservatorium across our concerts, education and emerging artists programs.
Every year, we present artists at the ORC, toured through our Regional Touring program, including those performing in our capital city concert seasons, providing audiences and artists alike with memorable moments on stage and off. These touring artists also value the opportunity to interact with young musicians while giving workshops during their visits.
Each year we facilitate a residency program that allows our artists to embed themselves at the Conservatorium for a week or longer, undertaking workshops, masterclasses and performances. Residency artists have included pianist Aura Go, Tomoe Kawabata, and Ian Munro, trumpeter Leanne Sullivan, guitarist Karin Schaupp, vocalist Andrew O’Connor, and most recently, trumpeter and performance coach Mark Bain.
‘I had a fantastic time in Orange during my first week of residency, visiting schools, working with high achieving music students, and contributing to lessons and rehearsals at the ORC. I also ran sessions on Music Performance Anxiety, peak performance skills, and effective practice strategies. The energy and openness from students and staff made the week a real highlight for me.
I’m really looking forward to coming back soon and reconnecting with the students and ensembles, diving deeper into the topics we explored, and performing alongside the ORC brass team. I’m also excited to work with the other tutors at the ORC Teacher Development Day.
MVA’s Regional Touring Program is supported by Create NSW, and our activity in Orange is supported through the legacy of the Late Mary Turner. With the hope of bringing students from all backgrounds together to experience music, Mary set up the Godfrey Turner Memorial Music Trust and Margaret Henderson Music Trust to honour her late husband and Aunt respectively.
For more information about regional concerts, check out our What’s On page or Regional Touring Program.