Explore our Learning and Access Programs
'At every community event and concert there are so many incredible moments where you realise how powerful music is and how it has the ability to awaken and change people's hearts and minds.' — Belinda Ashe, Learning & Access Manager at Melbourne Recital Centre
All year round, Melbourne Recital Centre works tirelessly to bring the life-affirming experience of live music into the lives of everyone in our community, regardless of the barriers they may face.
DISCOVER HOW YOU CAN HELP HERE
At the core of this commitment are our free or low-cost learning and access programs, which bring together people from all walks of life to share in the joyous experience of live music.
We believe that music should be a life-long love, so there’s early childhood music for toddlers, music-making sessions for children with disabilities, and composition classes for high-school students, right through to tours to aged care and assisted living facilities throughout Victoria.
These programs are only made possible because of the incredible support of our generous community of supporters. We would love for you to join us in this work. Read on to find out more.
Our popular Relaxed Performances series is made for all to enjoy — and it doesn’t matter if you make a bit of noise. Watch this very special video and see one of these concerts in action, and hear from the artists and community members themselves.
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Music in the Community: Explore our learning and access programs
Music Always
Music Always is our uplifting outreach initiative that tours artists who perform at the Centre to perform in nonprofit aged care and assisted living facilities throughout Victoria.
'It was simply beautiful. We had residents who rarely come out to activities who were captivated by the music and its rhythm.’ — Health and Wellbeing team member at Cooinda Aged Care Facility in Benalla
‘To experience such world class music is a breath of fresh air to our clients who live such challenging lives.’ — Paul, team member at the Father Bob Maguire Foundation
Regional Touring
Regional touring takes the same high-quality Victorian artists and ensembles who make up the Centre’s regular program all over Victoria.
‘You are to be congratulated on bringing performances of this quality to the Yarra Valley. It is much appreciated by those of us who no longer like to make the trip to the city.’ — Regional Touring audience member at La Compañia in Healesville, 2023
Disability Music Workshops
Melbourne Recital Centre’s disability programs are created in close consultation with our partner organisations, and the specially trained artists who lead these programs are drawn from our extensive co-presentation series.
Sound Matters
Partnering with Vision Australia, these quarterly sound workshops for children aged 8-12 years who are blind or have low vision explore a wide range of music-making and listening skills.
Sound Vibrations
Partnering with Vision Australia, these quarterly sound workshops for children aged 8-12 years who are blind or have low vision explore a wide range of music-making and listening skills.
Music Production Mentoring
Led by Artistic Director Thomas ‘Soup’ Campbell, this program is designed for high school students who are blind or have low vision. The program provides an opportunity to learn about music production with individual mentors from Melbourne Recital Centre.
Accelerando
Accelerando is our flagship, year-long, artist development program for exceptional musicians in years 10-12 from Victorian government schools. Participants are provided with access to instrumental lessons, industry workshops, concert tickets and are showcased in an end-of-year performance at the Centre.
‘I really appreciate everything Melbourne Recital Centre has done for me and these memories will be with me for the rest of my life.’ — Sam, Accelerando workshop participant
Making Waves
Our newest young artist development program, Making Waves is a unique mentoring, workshop, and performance program for emerging composers studying VCE Music Composition and Styles.
‘Being chosen to have my composition played by the Flinders String Quartet at the Melbourne Recital Centre was an amazing opportunity that I am incredibly grateful for. It was incredible working with such talented musicians and hearing their professional input during workshops that helped bring the piece to life. This program gave valuable insight into the music industry and how a professional piece is continually improved and developed. I am so thankful. This experience is one I will never forget.’ — 2022 Making Waves student
Song Play
Song Play is series of musical adventures for local families with children aged 0-2 and 2-4 along with their carers.
Developed by Clare Zabrowarny, a specialist early childhood educator and violinist, Song Play sessions gently encourage children to find their own special voice and love music.
Song Play with Vision Australia is also run online for families with children who are blind or have low vision. 30 of these sessions ran in 2022 with 6-7 children with their guardian in each.
Share the Music
Launched in 2010, our Share the Music program aims to enrich the lives of children and adults in our community who face barriers to access.
The program ensures the power of music is enjoyed by people who would otherwise not be able to attend, giving them the chance to become a part of our community of music lovers; to connect with music, musicians and with each other. Since it started, Share the Music has provided transport and tickets for approximately 5000 children and adults who might otherwise not be able to attend.
Access and Inclusion Training
In 2022, eight ensembles received artist training and professional development as part of the Relaxed Performance concert series.
16 Australian National Academy of Music musicians received Deaf Awareness Training as part of the Sound Vibrations program. Four artists received Blind Awareness Training as part of the Sound Matters program.
Want to help us expand our learning and access programs?
We are proud of the work we do each and every day to bring music to those who need it most. With your help we can expand the programs, the offerings and most importantly, the impact.
