Australia's premier creative music ensemble

 
 
 

About us

Learn more about the Australian Art Orchestra and what we do.

AusArt Day

2025

 

AusArt Day, on Thursday 23 October, is Australia’s first giving day for the arts.

Australian Art Orchestra is participating in AusArt Day 2025 and will be raising funds for our new Composer in Residence Program in partnership with TarraWarra Museum of Art.

Via application, a selected composer will be commissioned to create a new work for AAO, inspired by the exhibited and archived works on site at the Museum - created by some of Australia's most celebrated contemporary visual artists. The successful applicant will also have access to on-site accommodation at TarraWarra for a period of up to 3 weeks, and will see their work premiered at the Eva & Marc Besen Centre by the Australian Art Orchestra.

This is your opportunity to contribute to securing the funding for this commission.

LEARN MORE

Adam Manning

and AAO

perform at

New Annual and MIJF

The Australian Art Orchestra will feature at the 2025 New Annual Festival and Melbourne International Jazz Festival with First Nations Artist in Residence Adam Manning’s work First Rhythms.

Reimagining the ancient resonance of clapsticks through a contemporary lens, First Rhythms brings together traditional percussive elements, modern instrumentation, improvisation, and multimodal visual art. At the heart of the work is an Indigenous understanding that everything is alive and carries a pulse—the heartbeat of Country

First Rhythms will feature the dynamic interplay of some of Australia’s top improvising musicians, creating an experience that’s as technically masterful as it is culturally resonant. The work offers deep insight into the ongoing relevance and application of First Nations knowledge systems in contemporary art forms, demonstrating how rhythm can act as a bridge between ancestral memory and present-day creative practice.

First Rhythms will be presented at Harold Lobb Concert Hall in Newcastle on Thursday 2 October at 7:30pm and Melbourne Recital Centre on Sunday 19 October at 7pm.

Info and Tickets

 Latest Releases

 
See All Releases
 

Latest Projects

 
See All projects
 

 Latest Pathways

 
See All Pathways