Thrilling orchestral concerts, intimate chamber ensemble experiences and the best of Australian classical and art music.

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Forest Lore

2024 Llewellyn Series

Wednesday 13 NOV at 7:30PM

Thursday 14 NOV at 7:30PM

Canberra LLEWELLYN HALL, ANU SCHOOL OF MUSIC

Masterclass with Andrew Bain, French Horn

2024 Kingsland Pathways Program

Friday 15 NOV at 6:00PM

Red Hill SNOW CONCERT HALL

Kingsland Youth Ensembles in Concert

2024 Kingsland Pathways Program

Wednesday 20 NOV at 7:00PM

Parkes NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA (FAIRFAX THEATRE)

2024 Kingland Fellows Final Recital

2024 Kingsland Pathways Program

Friday 29 NOV at 7:00PM

Braddon AINSLIE ARTS CENTRE

Matinee

Kids Christmas Music Adventure

2024 Community Programs

Tuesday 03 DEC at 4:30PM

Braddon AINSLIE ARTS CENTRE

Matinee

Rediscovering Christmas Strings

2024 Community Programs

Tuesday 03 DEC at 2:00PM

Ainslie AINSLIE FOOTBALL & SOCIAL CLUB

Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.

Victor Hugo

Explore program notes, artist profiles and other orchestra happenings.

Explore News

Jessica Cottis on Beethoven 9

Read Jessica’s insights into Beethoven’s most popular and inspired work.

CANBERRA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA RECEIVES CRITICAL FUNDING BOOST FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

A $4.1 million funding injection for the Canberra Symphony Orchestra (CSO) over four years, announced today by the Federal Government, will help secure the future of one of Australia’s oldest orchestras.

ELLA MACENS | A LOVE WORTH FIGHTING FOR (2020)

This deeply personal work was born out of the processing of a significant long-term relationship coming to an end.

JAMES HENRY | HEART LIKE SNOW

This piece originated as a song I wrote as a singer/songwriter (I reluctantly became a singer/songwriter because it was easier to have access to my voice and a guitar than it was a string quartet to perform my music). The lyrics were terrible, and the song never saw the light of day.

PEGGY POLIAS | LACUNA

Lacuna is a setting of Sappho’s ‘Fragment 96’ translated into English by the composer. The title refers to the condition of the surviving text, on a papyrus in pieces, with many missing segments and much blurring of the text. The Papyrus Berol. 9722 also includes several other poetic fragments by Sappho and a digital copy can be inspected online.

MICHAEL BAKRNČEV | THE STORM GLASS (2024)

I am thrilled to present The Storm Glass, a new composition that draws inspiration from the evocative poetry of Lisa Gorton. This work, commissioned by the Canberra Symphony Orchestra for soprano, oboe, string quartet and piano, delves into the captivating world of Gorton’s poetry, particularly her collection Hotel Hyperion.

APPLY TO AUDITION FOR THE CSO CHORUS

CSO’S ‘GORGEOUS’ CELEBRATION OF SPRING

LET THE CSO TAKE YOU FOR A WALK IN THE FOREST

LOUISA TREWARTHA: WEAVE MAGIC SECRETS

ROCK LEGENDS TO JAM WITH THE CSO AT SYMPHONY IN THE PARK 2024

HOODOO GURUS AND CSO WILL COLLABORATE AT SYMPHONY IN THE PARK

HOODOO GURUS AND CANBERRA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA TEAM UP FOR SYMPHONY IN THE PARK

Canberra Symphony Orchestra’s highly anticipated 2025 season marks the orchestra's 75th anniversary next year. The season theme, Stories, explores the narrative power of music across multiple cultures and eras. The milestone program features seven world premieres, major works by Beethoven, Mozart, Tchaikovsky and Holst and compositions honouring traditional language and stories from First Nations artists including Nardi Simpson and Christopher Sainsbury. A blockbuster special event, Art of the Score: The Music of John Williams, will feature themes from Star Wars, Harry Potter, Jurassic Park and more. 

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Your CSO: Memorised

2022 11 25 CSO Fundraising Gala 90 credit Thomas Lucraft1

2023 04 26 Electric Blue 2 Credit Thomas Lucraft

Creating meaningful music for our community

We believe music is for everyone.

We reach thousands of Canberrans each year through high-calibre concert experiences, transformative community programs and our tailored youth training programs.

While the CSO receives some government support, we rely on fundraising to bring our artistic vision to life and deliver our community programs free of charge.

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