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Canberra Today 16°/19° | Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

Good news story for Musica Viva

IN a financial climate where many arts organisations see the writing on the wall, the music presenter, Musica Viva, has reported an operating surplus of $218,966, in contrast to the previous year (2012) which saw a company loss of $156,000.

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The total income for 2013 was $10.3 million. Of that revenue 54 per cent was earned through sales of concert tickets or education programs, 27 per cent from government subsidies, and 19 per cent from donors in the private sector.

Musica Viva’s chairman, Michael Katz, says, “This year’s surplus is a testament to our success in pursuing artistic vibrancy and, in particular, our donors’ trust in Musica Viva’s capacity to continue doing so for many years to come.

Indeed “CityNews,” which follows the organisation quite closely, as noted of late the extra ordinary diversity of music offered at Musica Viva’s concerts in Llewellyn Hall, pre and post concert talks, music outside the building, and music in the foyer during interval.

Last year, the board has reported, seven new works were commissioned and performed, and Musica Viva secured the last concert tour in history of the Tokyo String Quartet. Also in this season, Musica Viva toured Canadian pianist Angela Hewitt presenting Bach’s titanic “Art of the Fugue”for the first time in public.

An artistic highlight was the third Musica Viva Festival,which featured incredible musicians such as Lambert Orkis, Pieter Wispelwey, Hector McDonald, Sharon Bezaly and the Pacifica Quartet, together with new discovery and master violinist Benjamin Beilman.

Of special note is the work of Musica Viva In Schools, with the “Live Performance Plus” program in New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia offering online professional resources for teachers and pupils in the classroom. Another innovation was “Dätiwuy Dreaming,” developed in partnership with NAISDA Dance College, celebrating the songs, dances and story-telling of Elcho Island.

The schools program also extended into Hong Kong, and a pilot program proceeded in The Frank Baxter Juvenile Justice Centre in partnership with The Banton Brothers.

2013 at a glimpse:

  • 2,004 concerts were held attracting 348,224 people
  • 1,251 teachers were given training to help them teach music in the classroom
  • 272,677 school students were reached through 1,636 Musica Viva In Schools concerts.
  • 113 regional concerts and workshops were presented through the CountryWide program

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Thank you,

Ian Meikle, editor

Helen Musa

Helen Musa

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