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
The Orchestra Project | The Rite of Spring
Venue
Conservatorium of Music | Verbrugghen Hall
Dates and Times
20 April 2025 2:30 pm
Event Duration
2 hrs
Affordability
$25 - $60
Australian Haydn Ensemble | Schubert Songs
Venue
The State Library of NSW
Dates and Times
Fri 2 May 2025 7pm
Event Duration
60mins (no interval)
Affordability
$30 - $100
Age Level
Understanding Level
Instrumentation
Piece Duration
Style/Energy
5+
Medium
String quartet, singer (baritone)
4mins - 20mins
Romantic, dark, storytelling
HEAR IT BEFORE YOU GO
SCHUBERT:
Strophe aus ‘Die Götter Griechenlands’(Schiller) D 677 watch
Der Jungling und der Tod (von Spaun) D 545 watch
“Gute Nacht”, “Frühlingstraum”, “Der Leiermann” from Winterreise (Müller) D 911 watch
Der Tod und das Mädchen (Claudius) D 531 watch
Erlkönig (Goethe) D 328 watch
MENDELSSOHN:
Four movements for String Quartet Op. 81 watch
Andante in E major, Scherzo in A minor,
Capriccio in E minor, Fugue in E flat major
UNDERSTAND THE MUSIC
L’heure Exquise - Harp and Saxophone Duo
Venue
OLGC Catholic Church
Dates and Times
Sunday 4 May 2025 3:00pm
Event Duration
2 hrs
Affordability
$0 - $35
Age Level
Understanding Level
Instrumentation
Piece Duration
Style/Energy
5+
medium
Harp, Saxophone
4 - 8 mins
enchanting, melodic, classical, impressionistic
HEAR IT BEFORE YOU GO
Henri Eccles' Sonata in G minor watch
Ida Gotkovsky's Éolienne for alto saxophone and harp watch
Mussorgsky’s "The Old Castle" from “Pictures at an Exhibition” watch
Claude Debussy’s Beau soir & Nuit d’étoiles watch
Gabriel Fauré’s Au bord de l’eau watch
Reynaldo Hahn’s L’heure exquise watch
Gabriel Fauré’s Une châtelaine en sa tour watch
Jessica Wells’ Sati watch
Gerard Brophy’s Constantinopolis.
UNDERSTAND THE MUSIC
Hollywood Songbook
Venue
City Recital Hall
Dates and Times
Mon, 12 May 2025, 7pm
Thur, 15 May 2025, 7pm
Event Duration
75 mins (including interval)
Affordability
$20 - $125
Age Level
Understanding Level
Instrumentation
Piece Duration
Style/Energy
4+
low
Saxophone Quartet + singer
3-5 mins
Rhythmically, electrifying, delicate, Hollywood songs
HEAR IT BEFORE YOU GO
SCHULHOFF Selections from Five Pieces for String Quartet
TRADITIONAL ‘I’m a Poor Wayfaring Stranger’ watch
WEILL ‘One Life to Live’ from Lady in the Dark watch
WEILL ‘I’m a Stranger Here Myself’ from One Touch of Venus watch
PROKOFIEV Selections from Romeo and Juliet
BERNSTEIN Three Dance Episodes from On the Town watch
BERLIN ‘Let’s Face the Music, and Dance’ from Follow the Fleet watch
EISLER Selections from The Hollywood Songbook
COPLAND Selections from Rodeo
PORTER ‘So in Love’ from Kiss Me, Kate watch
ARLEN ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ from The Wizard of Oz watch
UNDERSTAND THE MUSIC
This Mirror Has Three Faces
Venue
Sydney City Recital Hall
Dates and Times
Mon 19 May 2025 7:00 pm
Event Duration
2 hrs (including interval)
Affordability
$30 - $96 + $8.50 (per person)
Age Level
Understanding Level
Instrumentation
Piece Duration
Style/Energy
5+
medium
Trio - piano, violin, cello
23 - 25 mins
HEAR IT BEFORE YOU GO
Lera Auerbach (1973 – )This Mirror Has Three Faces, Piano Trio No. 2 (2013) watch
Robert Schumann (1810 – 1856)Piano Trio No. 3 in G minor, Op.110 (1851) watch
Bedřich Smetana (1824 – 1884)Piano Trio in G minor, Op. 15 (1855) watch
UNDERSTAND THE MUSIC
Konstantin Shamray in recital
Venue
Hayes Street Studio
Dates and Times
Sun 25 May 2025, 3pm
Event Duration
1 hr
Affordability
$17 - $40 (+ $2.85 booking fee)
Age Level
Understanding Level
Instrumentation
Piece Duration
Style/Energy
4+
low
Piano
2 mins - 32 mins
pianistic, virtuosic, exhilarating
HEAR IT BEFORE YOU GO
J.S. Bach: Prelude, Gavotte, and Gigue from Violin Partita No. 3 in E Major, transcribed by Sergei Rachmaninoff for solo piano watch
Ludwig van Beethoven: Sonata in F Major, Op. 54 watch
Claude Debussy: Etudes I and IX watch
Sergei Rachmaninoff: 3 Preludes, Op. 23
Dmitri Shostakovich: Prelude and Fugue in G# Minor, Op. 87 watch
Samuel Barber: Piano Sonata watch
UNDERSTAND THE MUSIC
Bach in the Dark - Music for Cello and Double Bass - The Living Bach
Venue
St. James Church
Dates and Times
Sat 18 Oct 2025 7pm
Event Duration
1.25 hrs
Affordability
$45
Age Level
Understanding Level
Instrumentation
Piece Duration
Style/Energy
4+
medium
Cello, double bass
Varies
adventurous, electronic, baroque, contrasting
HEAR IT BEFORE YOU GO
Rachel and Ben have chosen music either by J.S. Bach, or music by living composers.
Assisted by sound technician, Ben Sibson, the concert will feature works by Richard Chrlton (who will write something especially for these concerts, inspired by Bach), Carl Vine, Jon Rose, David Pereira, Raf Marcellino and Ben Ward.
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.