From the Classroom to the Concert Hall

Indeed, our school performances are seen by more than 170,000 students every year, from the capital cities to Jindabyne and Kununurra.

Plunkett Street Public School is part of MVA’s National Music Education Residency program where a resident music teacher – in this case Tim Hansen – helps embed music education across the learning environment.  

It means that teachers and students are primed to tap into the benefits that music brings to a child’s development, including cultural awareness, social cohesion and academic learning.

For children who take up the study of a musical instrument – and those who embark on a career in music – we offer enriching opportunities for learning and engagement through our Emerging Artists programs. 

The Strike A Chord contest for school-age groups, and the Melbourne International Chamber Music Competition for young ensembles, provide performance opportunities, social interaction and artistic assessment. 

Masterclasses with guest artists offer practical teaching on technique and musicianship, as well as the wisdom of life as a working musician. Imagine being in the room with didgeridoo virtuoso and composer William Barton when he gave a masterclass for young students at Ngutu College, Adelaide.

We are proud of our FutureMakers mentorship program, a two-year fellowship for early-career artists as they produce a new piece of work. Alumni include violinist Harry Ward – now a member of the Berlin Philharmonic – and percussion/sculpture artist Matthias Schack-Arnott, whose monumental creation, The Cage Project, will appear in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra next year.. 

All of these initiatives depend on the generosity of donors through the Emerging Artists Giving Circle. We think of it as an investment in Australia’s musical future and the artists of tomorrow. 

Finally, our mainstage concerts continue to bring exceptional musical experiences to audiences around the country. We are the only organisation in Australia to present a program of diverse chamber ensembles in a national subscription season. Audiences can expect to hear the great repertoire performed by superb musicians, as well as new commissions and fresh discoveries.

Each of our concerts is an opportunity for donors to match their passion for chamber music with philanthropic support, as Concert Champions, or as Ensemble Patrons across an entire tour. The Creative Development Collective is an investment in Artistic Director Paul Kildea’s innovative reimagining of chamber concerts, seen in such brilliantly realised works as A Winter’s Journey and The Cage Project.