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.
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
ACO Families: Pinocchio
Venue
ACO On The Pier, The Neilson
Dates and Times
Thu 9 Jul, 10:30am & 12:00pm
Fri 10 Jul, 10:30am & 12:00pm
Sat 11 Jul, 10:30am, 12:00pm, & 2:00pm
Sun 12 Jul, 10:30am, 12:00pm, & 2:00pm
Tue 14 Jul, 10:30am & 12:00pm
Wed 15 Jul, 10:30am & 12:00pm
Thu 16 Jul, 10:30am & 12:00pm
Fri 17 Jul, 10:30am & 12:00pm
Sat 18 Jul, 10:30am, 12:00pm, & 2:00pm
Sun 19 Jul, 10:30am & 12:00pm
Event Duration
30 min
Affordability
$42
CC2: Peter and the Wolf
Venue
Leichhardt Town Hall
Dates and Times
Sat 25th July 9:45am, 11:30am and 1:30pm
Event Duration
50 min
Affordability
$0-20
Age Level
Understanding Level
Instrumentation
Piece Duration
Style/Energy
6 months+
Low
Orchestra
50 min
Classical/Playful/narrated story
HEAR IT BEFORE YOU GO
Sergei Prokofiev - Peter and the Wolf [Watch]
UNDERSTAND THE MUSIC
Antarctica! A sensory adventure across ice and water
Venue
Utzon Room - Sydney Opera House
Dates and Times
Saturday 25 July 2026 10am*; 12pm & 3pm
Sunday 26 July 2026 10am*; 12pm & 3pm
Saturday 1 August 2026 10am*; 12pm & 3pm
Sunday 2 August 2026 10am*; 12pm & 3pm
* These sessions are for children and young people aged 14-18 with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities. For information on how to book, please see the Accessibility drop down.
Event Duration
45 min
Affordability
$39
Age Level
Understanding Level
Instrumentation
Piece Duration
Style/Energy
4+
Low
45 min
Fun/Immersive/Accessible
HEAR IT BEFORE YOU GO
UNDERSTAND THE MUSIC
Antarctica! has been created specifically for children and young people with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities.
The show is designed for up to seven young people to participate, with room for their relatives including parents, guardians and siblings to observe. All tickets are $39. Companion Card holders are free.
The performers are experienced in working with children with disabilities and uniquely adapt to the needs of the audience group for each performance.
Capacities are deliberately intimate and have been structured to give the best experience for each audience.
The performance and set are designed to be safe for students who need to move around during the performance.
All of our venues are wheelchair accessible with dedicated wheelchair positions and companion seats.
A visual story provides information about what to expect when attending a venue or show. It has short descriptions with images.
Simone Young & Sheku Kanneh-Mason: Elgar’s Cello Concerto
Venue
Sydney Opera House
Dates and Times
Thursday, 30 July 2026 7:00pm
Friday, 31 July 2026 7:00pm
Saturday, 1 August 2026 7:00pm
Event Duration
100 min
Affordability
$50-$179
Nicolas Altstaedt & Thomas Dunford
Venue
City Recital Hall
Dates and Times
August 8, 2026, 7:00 PM
Event Duration
120 min
Affordability
$20-$135
Age Level
Understanding Level
Instrumentation
Piece Duration
Style/Energy
6+
Medium
Cello and lute
3 to 7 min
Baroque/playful/exciting
HEAR IT BEFORE YOU GO
MARAIS La Rêveuse [Watch]
FORQUERAY La Leclair [Watch]
JS BACH Cello Suite No. 1 in G major, BWV 1007 (excerpts)
FORQUERAY Fêtes champêtres
MARAIS Le Badinage [Watch]
MARAIS Les Folies d'Espagne [Watch]
JS BACH Cello Suite No. 5 in C minor, BWV 1011 (excerpts)
PÄRT Spiegel im Spiegel
DUPARC Cello Sonata in A minor: Lento
FORQUERAY La Buisson
MARAIS Les Voix Humaines
MARAIS Grand Ballet
MARAIS Le Tourbillon [Watch this performance by Nicolas Altstaedt and Thomas Dunford!]
UNDERSTAND THE MUSIC
Joshua Han: ABC Young Performers Awards 2026
Venue
Eugene Goossens Hall, ABC Ultimo Centre
Dates and Times
Tue, 11 Aug, 6pm - 7pm AEST
Event Duration
60 min
Affordability
$10
Age Level
Understanding Level
Instrumentation
Piece Duration
Style/Energy
8+
Medium
Piano
5-15 min
Classical/Romantic/Contemporary/Virtuosic
HEAR IT BEFORE YOU GO
Peter Sculthorpe Djilile [Watch]
Bach/Busoni Chaconne in D Minor, BWV 1004 [Watch]
Unsuk Chin Piano Etude no. 1 , "In C" [Watch]
Mozart Twelve Variations on "Ah vous dirai-je, Maman", K. 265/300e [Watch]
Kreisler/Rachmaninov Old Viennese Dances [Watch]
I. Liebesfreud
II. Liebesleid
Stravinsky/Agosti The Firebird Suite [Watch]
UNDERSTAND THE MUSIC
Lucas & Arthur Jussen in Recital (Four Hands and Two Pianos)
Venue
Sydney Opera House
Dates and Times
Monday, 31 August 2026 7:00pm
Event Duration
105 min
Affordability
$30-$147
Age Level
Understanding Level
Instrumentation
Piece Duration
Style/Energy
8+
Medium
Two pianos
10-30 min
Classical/Impressionist/Neoclassical
HEAR IT BEFORE YOU GO
MOZART - Sonata in D for Piano 4 Hands, K381 [Watch]
SCHUBERT - Fantasy for Piano 4 Hands, D940 [Watch]
RAVEL - La Valse (for two pianos) [Watch]
STRAVINSKY - The Rite of Spring (for two pianos) [Watch]
UNDERSTAND THE MUSIC
Lucas & Arthur Jussen perform Poulenc (With Stéphane Denève)
Venue
Sydney Opera House
Dates and Times
Thursday, 3 September 2026 7:00pm
Friday, 4 September 2026 7:00pm
Saturday, 5 September 2026 2:00pm
Event Duration
115 min
Affordability
$30-$147
Age Level
Understanding Level
Instrumentation
Piece Duration
Style/Energy
8+
Medium
Orchestra and two pianos
10-25 min
Classical/Romantic
HEAR IT BEFORE YOU GO
POULENC - Les Animaux Modèles: Suite* [Listen]
POULENC - Concerto for Two Pianos [Watch]
BERLIOZ - The Roman Carnival Overture* [Watch]
RESPIGHI - Pines of Rome [Watch]
* Does not appear in the performance on Thursday 3 September
UNDERSTAND THE MUSIC
Trio Histoire
Venue
The Concourse, Chatswood
Dates and Times
30 September, 2026, 11:00 am
Event Duration
40 min
Affordability
$15-$53
Age Level
Understanding Level
Instrumentation
Piece Duration
Style/Energy
3+
Low
Saxophone, Guitar, and Violin
3 to 8 min
Contemporary/Fun/Playful
HEAR IT BEFORE YOU GO
Rudy WIEDOEFT Sax-o-phun [Watch]
Celso MACHADO Musiques populaires brésiliennes [Watch]
Jacques IBERT Entr’acte [Watch]
Barry COCKCROFT Rock Me! [Watch]
Felicity WILCOX Tambourin
Nick RUSSONIELLO Werri Dance II [Watch]
UNDERSTAND THE MUSIC
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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.