This evening in Llewellyn Hall, CSO musicians will join the ANU School of Music students to create the “Side-By-Side Chamber Orchestra” in a new bi-annual concert venture.

The program for tonight’s concert will feature a jazz section performed by the School’s Jazz Faculty and a classical section by the Side-By-Side Orchestra, conducted by Max McBride.

Head of the ANU School of Music, Prof Ken Lampl says it will provide an invaluable opportunity for the students to learn from some of the best musicians in the world.

“Thinking about the Canberra Symphony,” he added, “the wealth of experience those players have and what they can pass down while sitting next to a student, it’s not something that takes place very often across the musical landscape of Australia, or the world. It’s a very, very special event.”

The plan is that there will be two side-by-side concerts in 2018, the second to be held on September 22.

Meantime the busy CSO launched its new “Music in MY School” program at Macquarie Primary School, intend to provide meaningful classical music experiences to school students in the ACT and the region.

In its inaugural year, selected schools have been invited to participate at no cost to the schools and performances will follow in Queanbeyan and Yass next week.

The CSO’s Education Giving Circle has funded a review of existing CSO programs and engaged the support of specialist Anita Collins to develop a meaningful, accessible, and curriculum-aligned program that addressed the current needs of teachers, parents and students.

“Music education grows, hones and permanently improves neural networks like no other activity,” Dr Collins says.

“Side-By-Side”, Llewellyn Hall, ANU School of Music, 7.30pm, Wednesday May 30. No bookings required. Entry by gold coin donation.