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MY SINCERE THANKS TO YOU FOR YOUR PART IN MELBOURNE RECITAL CENTRE’S CONTINUED SUCCESS
Melbourne Recital Centre is at the heart of an inspired global community of musicians and audiences; a singular place that inspires creativity, self-expression, learning and enrichment through music for people from all walks of life. Philanthropic support is essential to the breadth and diversity of the Centre’s artistic, education and accessibility programming. With your help, the Centre hosted 511 public concerts and events, including educational and accessibility programs for over 12,000 children and students and over 500 Share the Music participants in 2013/14. Our donor community now numbers over 3,000, including the over 125 special patrons of the Music Circle, Leadership Circles and Elisabeth Murdoch Creative Development Fund. Every single gift makes a difference to our ability to deliver exceptional music for all, with philanthropy now contributing 9% of the Centre’s annual income.
Having marked our 5th Birthday in February, we are now focussed on an expansive future where the benefits of music are shared even more widely – through collaboration in Melbourne Arts Precinct’s outdoor spaces for the SummerSalt Festival – about which you’ll hear more in November; touring and international collaboration; and more programming in the digital space. You play a vital role in the ongoing success of Melbourne’s Best Place to Hear. I hope you enjoy this report about the impact that we’ve made together over the past year. Sincerely
Mary Vallentine AO Chief Executive Officer
KEY ACHIEVEMENTS
2011-12
2012-13
2013-14
436
484
511
Access – visitors/users
158,339
160,258
184,243
Number of ticketed attendances
118,085
141,490
138,635
$4,619,074
$4,361,489
$5,017,643
259,132
342,685
511,934
816
1837
2375
89
435
819
11,890
13,274
12,029
98%
95%
96%
Number of events
Value of tickets sold Access – online visitors to website Members and subscribers Volunteer hours Education and outreach program participation Visitor satisfaction
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LEADERSHIP CIRCLES ARTIST DEVELOPMENT Colin Golvan QC & Dr Deborah Golvan The Vizard Foundation GREAT PERFORMERS Lady Potter AC Hans & Petra Henkell Geoff & Jan Phillips
ENCOREBEQUEST PROGRAM
Virtuoso Circle ($10,000+)
Anonymous (2) Betty Amsden AO Jenny Anderson Ken Bullen Jim Cousins AO & Libby Cousins Dr Garry Joslin The Estate of Beverley Shelton and Martin Schรถnthal Mary Vallentine AO
Jean Hadges Mrs Margaret S Ross AM & Dr Ian C Ross* J.A Westacott & T.M Shannon Melbourne Recital Centre Board of Directors Kathryn Fagg* Peter & Cally Bartlett Stephen Carpenter & Leigh Ellwood Des & Irene Clark Joseph Corponi Margaret & Ronald FarrenPrice Julie Kantor* Majlis Pty Ltd*
LIFE-LONG LEARNING Betty Amsden AO Kathryn Fagg LOCAL HEROES Lady Marigold Southey AC Warwick & Paulette Bisley Andrew & Theresa Dyer Dr Garry Joslin & Prof Dimity Reed AM Majlis Pty Ltd MASTER CLASS In memory of John Price George & Laila Embelton
NEW MUSIC Naomi Milgrom AO Peter Jopling AM QC
MUSIC CIRCLE PATRONS PROGRAM Magnum Opus Circle ($20,000+) Betty Amsden AO* Colin Golvan QC & Dr Deborah Golvan* In memory of John Price* Naomi Milgrom AO* Lady Marigold Southey AC* Annamila Pty Ltd* The Playking Foundation
Composers Circle ($4000+) Anonymous (2) Brian & Esther Benjamin Warwick & Paulette Bisley The Late Harold CampbellPretty & Krystyna CampbellPretty* Andrew & Theresa Dyer George & Laila Embelton Dr Helen Ferguson* Andrea Goldsmith Richard Gubbins* Yvonne Von Hartel AM & Robert Peck AM* Dr Alastair Jackson* Mr Peter Jopling AM QC*
Dr Garry Joslin & Prof Dimity Reed AM* Alison & David Lansley Geoff & Jan Phillips Craig Reeves Maria Sola in memory of Malcolm Douglas Janet Whiting* Lyn Williams AM Melbourne Recital Centre Senior Management Message Consultants Australia Pty Ltd The Vizard Foundation*
Musicians Circle ($2,500+) Eva Besen AO & Marc Besen AO Jim Cousins AO & Libby Cousins* Naomi Golvan & George Golvan QC Jan & Robert Green* Jenny & Peter Hordern Sarah & Baillieu Myer AC James Ostroburski Christine Sather Dr Cherilyn Tillman & Mr Tam Vu* Drs Victor and Karen Wayne Global Leadership Foundation*
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Prelude Circle ($1000+) Anonymous (6) Adrienne Basser Helen Brack Barbara Burge* Justice David Byrne* John & Thelma Castles* Mary Draper Lord Francis Ebury and Lady Suzanne Ebury Maggie Edmond The Late Lorraine Elliott AM Penny & Grant Fowler* The Leo & Mina Fink Fund Susan Fallaw* Rosemary Forbes & Ian Hocking Susan Fallaw* William J Forrest AM Dr Jane Gilmour OAM* Angela Glover Nance Grant AM MBE Sue Hamilton & Stuart Hamilton AO Kristin & Martin Haskett Judith Hoy Penelope Hughes Prof Andrea Hull AO* Darvell M Hutchinson AM Helen Imber
Stuart Jennings Ed & Margaret Johnson Michael & Sylvia Kantor* Dorothy Karpin Alan Kozica & Wendy Kozica Diana Lempriere* Robert MacFarlane Sally MacIndoe* David Marr & Sebastian Tesoriero Norene Leslie McCormac Maria Mercurio Dr Richard Mills AM* Stephen Newton AO Prof David Penington AC and Mrs Sonay Penington* Helen L Perlen Dr Robert Piaggio Kerryn Pratchett Peter Rose & Christopher Menz Rae Rothfield Samara, Countess of Beekman Meredith Schilling Kate & Stephen Shelmerdine Family Foundation Barbara & Duncan Sutherland Elisabeth & Peter Turner Sally Webster Peter Weiss AO Igor Zambelli Youth Music Foundation Australia*
Supporters ($500+) Anonymous (2) David Bardas Ingrid Braun The Hon Mary Delahunty* Vivien and Jacob Fajgenbaum Margaret & Baden Hagger Hans & Petra Henkell Dr Robert Hetzel* David & Rosemary Houseman George & Grace Kass The Hon Sen Rod Kemp & Ms Daniele Kemp* Peter & Barbara Kolliner Ann Lahore Alison Leslie Travis Pemberton* Margarita & Paul Schneider Greg Shalit & Miriam Faine Barry & Barbara Shying Anne Stonehouse AM John & Myriam Wylie
*Donations directed to the Elisabeth Murdoch Creative Development Fund
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Working with young artists in practical ways, the Centre is supported by committed donors who share our passion for nurturing young musical talent. The Melbourne Recital Centre/University of Melbourne Composition Commission for current students and recent graduates of the Con is designed to provide a first public commission and opportunity to work closely with professional ensembles in the Centre’s Local Heroes program.
Music commissions have been awarded to four artists to date – Tom Henry, Elliott Hughes, Matt Westwood and Mark Viggiani.
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Our Great Performers series showcased ten of the world’s best musicians in recital. Soprano Susan Bullock and piano duo Katia and Marielle Labeque performed for ecstatic audiences and in November the Centre presented legendary pianist Murray Perahia during his first visit to Australia. In the first six months of 2014, we’ve experienced the artistry of musicians as diverse as violinist Daniel Hope, soprano Julia Lehzneva (in her Australian debut), pianist Joanna MacGregor, virtuoso violist Maxim Rysanov and violinist Karen Gomyo with Australian guitarist Slava Grigoryan. The Centre presented several significant international ensembles in 2013-14 including early music luminary, Jordi Savall and his ensembles Hesperion XXI and La Capella Reial de Catalunya with superb musicians from the Middle East. Jordi Savall’s Jerusalem, was a highly personal and intensely moving concert, bringing together musicians from nations in conflict in a celebration of their shared musical heritage. We were thrilled when this project was awarded with a Helpmann Award in August.
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The Musical Explorations lecture series is designed to enrich the concert experience for both experienced concert-goers and those new to the music.
The program includes lively illustrated talks presented by experts in the field, designed to introduce audiences to key figures and concepts in music history, complete with live musical demonstrations. This year audiences explored musical topics through five lectures that ranged from the art of song to musical intersections with the feast of Christmas. Musical Explorations is presented in association with the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music at the University of Melbourne.
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LOCAL HEROES The Centre’s unique platform for Australian artists. This year 27 Australian ensembles co-presented over 70 concerts with the Centre, demonstrating the wealth of talent and diversity of musical perspectives that make Melbourne’s music scene the country’s most vibrant.
SALON SOLO Initiated in 2013 to showcase Australia’s most talented pianists, Salon Solo was expanded in 2014 to feature stellar artists on a range of instruments. The series allows concertgoers to revel in the intimacy of the solo concert experience and witness the technical proficiency and power of Australia’s best musicians, including ACO Principal Cellist Timo-Veikko Valve and pianists Caroline Almonte, Stephen McIntyre, David Selig, Benjamin Martin and Daniel de Borah. SPOTLIGHT SERIES The inaugural Spotlight Series 2013 provided dedicated support and a first entrée to the Centre for four emerging Australian classical chamber music ensembles. These included: Australia Felix, Clocked Out Duo and Zenith. This important series has been extremely well-received by a range of music sector stakeholders as being well-targeted to emerging ensembles who are building their profiles in Melbourne and providing a world-standard performance opportunity at a key time in the ensembles’ development.
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Master classes bring together both emerging and mid-career Australian artists with luminaries of world music while they are visiting the Centre. Providing memorable experiences for artists and patrons alike, this year the program comprised four master classes involving 16 participants and close to 500 attendees, including from a number of schools and tertiary music institutions.
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ACO VIRTUAL marked a new kind of musical journey for the Centre in bringing new audiences to classical music via alternative settings and bridging the gap between classical music and the digital world. In a ground-breaking five-day program of interactive, surround sound and vision installation, ACO VIRTUAL captivated audiences young and old, including over 200 music students from regional Victorian schools.
MELBOURNE RECITAL CENTRE AND ETIHAD AIRWAYS
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To mark Melbourne Recital Centre’s Fifth Birthday, a year of celebrations commenced with a special Gala Dinner to benefit the Elisabeth Murdoch Creative Development Fund, followed by a wonderful Community Open Day celebration that attracted 5,227 participants on February 8. Proceeds from the Gala were directed to workshops associated with the Centre’s Share More Music program and making the Centre’s artistic program accessible to all, including the 5th Birthday Community Open Day. The Birthday was a joyous affirmation of the power of music to bring together people from all walks of life. Elisabeth Murdoch Hall came to life with a day of live performances by Melbourne musicians while the Salon hosted the Centre’s Local Heroes chamber ensembles and a Bach marathon performed by both members of the public and professional musicians.
In the Foyers, community groups entertained visitors and a drop-in jazz session was open to anyone with an instrument and the inclination to improvise with some of Melbourne’s best jazz musicians. Activities for kids, a crowd-sourced music composition and panel discussions enlivened the entire venue. The day ended with The Big Sing, when a 1,200-person-strong choir raised the roof of Elisabeth Murdoch Hall. This inspirational event brought together community choirs from throughout Victoria, led by Jonathan Welch AM and the Choir of Hope and Inspiration. A new commission by Joseph Twist in celebration of the Centre’s five years was premiered. ‘One of the choir members who was sitting next to me said that this was one of his most wonderful experiences in Australia. He was really thankful to everyone who made it possible for he and his family to be part of this beautiful, energetic experience.” Maneesha Singh Case Manager – Community Detention Programme Voices without Borders Choral Program, AMES
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Now in its fifth year, Melbourne Recital Centre’s Bach Competition is dedicated to young musicians with a passion for the music of J.S. Bach. In June ten talented finalists took the stage of Elisabeth Murdoch Hall and competed for a $2000 cash prize donated by Dr Richard Mills AM and two encouragement awards, each valued at $1,000 donated by a generous anonymous patron. The winner of this year’s Bach Competition was 11-year old cellist Charlotte Miles. Encouragement Awards were presented to 13-year old pianist Tian Tian Lan and 15-year old guitarist Miles Johnston. .
This important national competition provides a platform for young musicians passionate about Romantic repertoire, including such luminaries as Brahms, Liszt and Schumann. Open to soloists, duos or small ensembles, Australia’s talented young musicians battle it out for the prestigious winning prize in the sublime acoustic of Elisabeth Murdoch Hall. Entrants compete for the $6000 Great Romantics Prize plus performance and recording opportunities, as well as other encouragement awards. Gifts from donors support the travel costs of interstate finalists, making this a truly national competition. In December 2013, young Sydney pianist Tony Lee was awarded the prestigious Dame Elisabeth Murdoch Prize and mezzo-soprano Lotte Betts-Dean from Melbourne was awarded the Kantor Encouragement Prize.
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LEARNING AND ACCESS
In the last 12 months, the Centre’s Share More Music program engaged over 500 children and adults, providing them enriched opportunities to participate in workshops and meet-the-artist events while visiting the Centre through the Share the Music ticket and transport subsidy scheme. Over 40% of the participants came from regional and rural Victoria, with at least half having repeat experiences of the program within the year. Community groups who partner with us for this program come from the In the last 12 months, the Centre’s Share More Music education, vision impairment, youth at risk, mental illness, aged care, migrant program engaged over 500 children and adults, and Indigenous service areas. We are developing the program to provide a providing them enriched opportunities to participate suite of learning resources that will beinavailable online and undertaking a workshops and meet-the-artist events whilecare visiting the that will we hope result in the series of pilots with the aged sector Centre through the Share the program Music ticket and transport extension of the outside the Centre. subsidy scheme. Over 40% of the participants came from regional and rural Victoria, with at least half having repeat experiences of the program within the year.
Community groups who partner with us for this program come from the education, vision impairment, youth at risk, mental illness, aged care, migrant and Indigenous service areas. We are developing the program to provide a suite of learning resources that will be available online and undertaking a series of pilots with the aged care sector that will we hope result in the extension of the program outside the Centre. MELBOURNE RECITAL CENTRE AND ETIHAD AIRWAYS
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We celebrated our 5th Birthday year with over 125 patrons to the Music Circle this year. Their support directly impacts the vitality and depth of the Centre’s concert program, enabling Melbourne Recital Centre to innovate and reach out to new audiences. Supported by our Music Circle patrons, the Centre presented 511 events in 201314 featuring 375 Australian ensembles. Visits to the Centre exceeded 180,000 attendances and millions more enjoyed concerts broadcast on ABC Classic FM. Of the 184,243 ticketed attendances nearly 70,000 people attended events presented by the Centre and a further 110,000 attended events by our presenting partners and hirers. The Centre’s own program included 16 world premieres and three Australian premieres, as well as four works commissioned by the Centre.
MELBOURNE RECITAL CENTRE AND ETIHAD AIRWAYS
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Share the Music has enabled over
1,650 disadvantaged
children and adults to attend concerts since 2010 by providing tickets and transport free of charge. Over 500 of these visits took place in 2013-14 alone and each one was made possible entirely through the generosity of the Centre’s concert-goers.
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The Encore Bequest program provides sustained support for all aspects of our concert program, artist development and accessibility initiatives.
Larger gifts to the Centre’s Public Fund do enable us to take bigger steps toward planning the future with confidence. However, every bequest improves the Centre’s ability to lead the Australian music scene for generations to come, supporting innovation and excellence. A gift from the Estate of Beverley Shelton and Martin Schönthal this year has been transformational for the Centre, enabling outreach activities that would otherwise have been far beyond our capacity. Our fifth birthday was celebrated in February with a largescale community open day where over 5,000 participants came together to make and share great music. Beverley and Martin’s gift enabled the Centre to make this full day of joyous, community music-making free of charge and ensured disadvantaged members of our community were involved. The balance of the bequest now supports our core aims of presenting a diverse range of music to the broadest possible audience through concert presentations, artist development, life-long learning and accessibility initiatives.
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Melbourne Recital Centre belongs to each and every member of the Victorian community. With your help, we have enabled a large and growing audience to engage with quality music and music making. Your gift has had direct impact on the vitality and depth of the Centre’s artistic, education and outreach programs, enabling us to innovate, do things differently and reach out to new audiences. We thank you most sincerely and look forward to continuing this special journey with you in the future.
MELBOURNE RECITAL CENTRE AND ETIHAD AIRWAYS