Bringing together two never before recorded works by the late, great Alvin Lucier and featuring an AAO commission for the legendary Melbourne Town Hall Grand Organ.

A call to open ears: eluding genre, traversing continents and fusing ancient and contemporary. At its heart are Yolgnu manikay (song cycles), a 40,000+ year-old oral tradition from South East Arnhem Land.

Ground-breaking music that lands like a gut punch. An inspired sonic journey that draws the listener close to the beauty of the moment in these fast changing times featuring Zimbabwean/Australian spoken word artist, Tariro Mavondo.

‘Wuigada – Gagada (To Sing – Loud)’ is the premiere of a new work with iconic Australian and First Nations singer-songwriter, Kutcha Edwards. Reimagined for the AAO, this performance celebrates the songs of country, history, pain and joy expressed in Kutcha Edward’s repertoire, and creates space for experimentation by some of Australia’s most creative voices of jazz and improvisation.

Featuring two prominent figures in Japanese Hip-hop, The Australian Art Orchestra in collaboration with the Tokyo based collective Namboku Records, presents a warehouse party in the heart of Melbourne’s northern suburbs. 

The Creative Music Intensive is an immersive practice-based residency for artists to explore musical cultures and practices, and to gain knowledge that strengthens artistic expression.

The Pathfinders program is designed to provide an opportunity to gain an insight into what is required to run a successful music ensemble, and to gain experience and skills to prepare the Associate Artist for future artistic leadership roles.

Presented in partnership between the Australian Art Orchestra (AAO) and The Melbourne International Jazz Festival (MIJF), the First Nations Artist Residency Program is an artistic and professional development initiative that supports the career development of a First Nations musician with a practice in jazz, improvisation, hip-hop, singer-songwriter, or contemporary art music and its composition.

Expanding Fields of Practice is a professional development program for regional musicians, composers, creators and curators that has been developed by Punctum and Australian Art Orchestra (AAO) to offer a regionally based pathway, mentored by regional industry professionals of renown, with partners and local industry support.