Informal Concerts
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Relaxed concerts with a playful, cosy, atmosphere. Often with audience interaction.
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For age 0-4, especially children new to concerts and those who enjoy a fun, engaging experience.
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May allow or encourage movement, especially for young children.
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Formal Concerts
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Traditional concerts focused on attentive listening and musical appreciation.
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For ages 4+ with some music experience, and those who enjoy a focused musical experience.
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Feature a seated setting where stillness and attentiveness are expected during the performance.
Lunchbreak Concert
Venue
Verbrugghen Hall, Sydney Conservatorium or Music
Dates and Times
Wednesday & Thursday WEEKLY 12:30pm
Event Duration
Approx. 60 minutes
Affordability
Free entry, gold coin donation
Baroque Masters: Australian Brandenburg Orchestra
Venue
City Recital Hall
Dates and Times
Wed 18 February, 2026 7:00 PM
Fri 20 February, 2026 7:00 PM
Sat 21 February, 2026 2:00 PM
Sat 21 February, 2026 7:00 PM
Tue 24 February, 2026 7:00 PM
Event Duration
120 mins
Affordability
$45 - $186
Age Level
Understanding Level
Instrumentation
Piece Duration
Style/Energy
6+
Medium
Baroque chamber orchestra
5 - 16 mins
Baroque/energetic/exciting
HEAR IT BEFORE YOU GO
Handel - Concerto Grosso in G major, Op. 6 No. 1, HWV 319 [12 min] (watch)
Bach - Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G major, BWV 1048 [11 min] (watch)
Bach - Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G major, BWV 1049 [16 min] (watch)
Pachelbel - Canon in D major, P 37 [5 min] (watch)
Vivaldi - La Folia, Trio Sonata in D minor, Op. 1 No. 12, RV 63 [10 min] (watch)
UNDERSTAND THE MUSIC
Often we hear Baroque music (written between 1600-1750) performed on modern instruments and made with modern materials. This has a huge impact on the sound and character of the music. The Australian Brandenburg Orchestra performs on period instruments, meaning they use only instruments and materials available to musicians of the historical period. Here's an introduction to the harpsichord (a predecessor of the modern piano), and here is an introduction to the Baroque violin.
The Australian Brandenburg Orchestra also provides a neat guide to their collection of instruments.
A Winter's Journey
Venue
City Recital Hall
Dates and Times
Sunday 22 February, 7.00pm
Monday 23 February, 7.00pm
Event Duration
90 mins
Affordability
$49 - $163
Age Level
Understanding Level
Instrumentation
Piece Duration
Style/Energy
5+
Medium
Piano + Voice
Varies
Romantic, emotional, melancholy
HEAR IT BEFORE YOU GO
SCHUBERT Winterreise, D911 (1827) watch
UNDERSTAND THE MUSIC
Jean-Yves Thibaudet in Recital
Venue
Sydney Opera House
Dates and Times
Monday 23 February 2026 7:00pm
Event Duration
105 mins
Affordability
$30 - $147
Age Level
Understanding Level
Instrumentation
Piece Duration
Style/Energy
6+
High
Piano
Varies
Impressionism, colourful, programmatic, sound painting
HEAR IT BEFORE YOU GO
DEBUSSY Préludes: Book I & II watch
UNDERSTAND THE MUSIC
ACO Up Close: Olli Mustonen plays Beethoven Sonatas
Venue
ACO On The Pier - The Neilson
Dates and Times
Sat 7 Mar 2026, 7:00pm
Event Duration
120 mins
Affordability
$35 - $129
Age Level
Understanding Level
Instrumentation
Piece Duration
Style/Energy
4+
Low
Piano
20 - 33 mins
Classical, virtuosic, pianistic
HEAR IT BEFORE YOU GO
BEETHOVEN:
Piano Sonata No.1 in F minor, Op.2 No.1 watch
Piano Sonata No.2 in A major, Op.2, No.2 watch
Piano Sonata No.22 in F major, Op.54 watch
Piano Sonata No.23 in F minor, Op.57 "Appassionata" watch
UNDERSTAND THE MUSIC
Classical & Beyond - Van-Anh Nguyen & Ezmi Pepper
Venue
Master Music Studio
Dates and Times
Thur, 12 Mar, 6:30pm
Event Duration
90 mins
Affordability
$22 - $38
Age Level
Understanding Level
Instrumentation
Piece Duration
Style/Energy
6+
Low
Piano and cello
3- 30 mins
Romantic, film music, pop
HEAR IT BEFORE YOU GO
Chopin Sonata for Cello & Piano in G minor, Op 65 (watch)
Rachmaninoff Prelude in D major Op 23. No. 4 (watch)
Rachmaninoff Prelude in G minor Op 23 No. 5 (watch)
Rachmaninoff Elegie (arranged for cello & piano) (watch)
Rachmaninoff/Kreisler ‘Pregiera’ - 2nd movement of Piano Concerto No. 2 (arranged for cello & Piano) (watch)
Mendelssohn Songs Without Words Op. 109 (for cello & piano) (watch)
Chopin/Nguyen Memoirs of a Nocturne (Listen)
Rachmaninoff/Nguyen Destiny’s Child v Rachmaninoff (watch)
Hans Zimmer Interstellar Medley (watch)
more to be announced
UNDERSTAND THE MUSIC
The Devil’s Violin
Venue
Sydney Recital Hall & Sydney Opera House
Dates and Times
From Sat 21 Mar, 7:00pm
Until Wed 25 Mar, 7:00pm
Event Duration
120 mins
Affordability
$30 - $166
Age Level
Understanding Level
Instrumentation
Piece Duration
Style/Energy
5+
Medium
Violin & Quartet & Concerto
2 - 15 mins
Virtuosic, fiery, energetic
HEAR IT BEFORE YOU GO
Johann Paul von Westhoff Violin Sonata No.3 in D minor: III. Imitation of the Bells watch
Antonio Vivaldi Violin Concerto in D minor, RV237 watch
Sofia Gubaidulina (arr. strings) String Quartet No.2 watch
Giuseppe Tartini (arr. strings) Violin Sonata in G minor “Devil’s Trill” watch
Mieczysław Weinberg Aria, Op.9 watch
Antonio Vivaldi Concerto for Two Violins in C major, RV507 watch
Paul Stanhope Giving Ground* watch
Francesco Geminiani Concerto Grosso No.12 in D minor “La Follia” watch
UNDERSTAND THE MUSIC
The Lion King
Venue
Capitol Theatre
Dates and Times
From Sat, 18 Apr 2026
Event Duration
2 hours and 30 minutes
Affordability
From $60
Age Level
Understanding Level
Instrumentation
Piece Duration
Style/Energy
6+
Low
Theatre
Varies
Bold, joyful,expressive
HEAR IT BEFORE YOU GO
Watch a trailer here
UNDERSTAND THE MUSIC
What is Understanding Level?
Low: Music that is universally pleasant and straightforward, typically from the Classical or Romantic periods, or akin to popular movie scores. Pieces are short, usually under 8 minutes, making them approachable and easy for general audiences.
Medium: Includes a broader range of styles such as Baroque, Impressionist, and some Contemporary pieces. While still pleasant, the repertoire may contain less commonly performed works with academic value. The pieces may be longer, up to 15 minutes, offering a more varied listening experience.
High: Designed for the seasoned or professional listener, this level spans all genres and includes pieces of any duration. It may feature complex structures, dissonance, or avant-garde elements that require more focused listening and a deep appreciation of musical theory and history.
Explore More Concerts & Hear It Before You Go
There are more beautiful concerts out there! We recommend visiting websites like Classikon, or checking directly with venue websites such as the Opera House, City Recital Hall, Sydney Conservatorium, Riverside Theatre, and Capitol Theatre. These venues are the original sources for the concert information we share, and you can use them too. If you're unsure whether a concert is right for you, check their program and copy and paste the pieces' title and composer's name into YouTube to listen to a preview. This can help you decide if it's a concert you'd like to attend.