Musica Viva Australia
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR: PAUL KILDEA
2025 Season
Welcome to a new world. Welcome home.
In 2025 Musica Viva Australia celebrates 80 years of taking music across the length and breadth of Australia with a year of tradition, collaboration and innovation.
It's a long way from 1945 Sydney, where two Central European refugees, Richard Goldner and Walter Dullo, put together an ensemble of displaced musicians to perform Beethoven’s Grosse Fuge by the light of car headlamps. There were no thoughts of international soloists; no music education or emerging artists initiatives: just a group of musicians sharing their profound love for an artform which shaped their lives. Eighty years on much has changed, but Goldner and Dullo’s original dream to build a community around their love of music still resonates.
We invite you to be part of it in 2025: welcome back Berlin-based Signum Saxophone Quartet performing with Ali McGregor; to hear Norwegian violinist Johan Dalene’s Australian debut alongside much-loved pianist Jennifer Marten-Smith; explore Mozart and Beethoven’s spirit of invention with Nicola Boud, Erin Helyard, and Simon Cobcroft; revel in the undimmed brilliance of the Takács Quartet; delight in the great piano trio repertoire as Trio Isimsiz visit Australia for the first time; and to hear the intelligence, lucidity and joy of iconoclastic pianist Piotr Anderszewski performing Bach, Schubert and Schumann.
Tickets for Musica Viva Australia's 2025 Season go on sale at City Recital Hall on Wednesday 6 November.
The Hollywood Songbook
Mon 12 May, 7pm & Thu 15 May, 7pm
Berlin-based Signum Saxophone Quartet and renegade opera star, Ali McGregor, reclaim the Hollywood Songbook in a journey from moody monochrome to vibrant technicolour.
Northern Lights
Mon 23 June, 7pm
Fearless Norwegian violin virtuoso Johan Dalene makes his Australian debut playing Ravel, Grieg and Rautavaara with much-loved pianist Jennifer Marten-Smith.
Mozart's Clarinet
Mon 28 July, 7pm
Historical clarinettist Nicola Boud, early keyboardist Erin Helyard, and cellist Simon Cobcroft explore the spirit of invention in chamber works by Mozart and Beethoven.
Takács Quartet with Angie Milliken
Mon 18 August, 7pm
The undimmed brilliance of the Takács Quartet shines through masterpieces by Beethoven and Haydn framing a new commission from Australian composer Cathy Milliken.
Trio Isimisiz
Mon 13 October, 7pm
In its first Australian tour, Trio Isimsiz performs two giants of the piano trio repertoire from Schubert and Brahms alongside a striking new work from Francisco Coll.
Piotr Anderszewski
Mon 10 November, 7pm
Iconoclastic pianist Piotr Anderszewski brings his intelligence, lucidity and joy to piano repertoire from Bach, Schubert and Schumann.
