Australian Music Giving Circle

Investing today for the sounds of tomorrow

The Australian Music Giving Circle is an exciting, new philanthropic initiative, giving you the opportunity to directly support and shape Australian classical music.

The Canberra Symphony Orchestra has a longstanding commitment to Australian music. As the orchestra of the nation’s capital, we champion and advocate for Australian artists and composers, and celebrate Australian stories.

We invite you to be an integral part of developing the Australian sound by making a donation to our new Australian Music Giving Circle.

Contributors will experience what it’s like behind the scenes to hear commissions come to life, from meetings with composers to sitting in on rehearsals and recording sessions.

Donate now

Every contribution, great or small, makes a significant difference in supporting the future of Australian music.

$50 – $500 helps cover the cost of purchasing or hiring sheet music for Australian music performances
$500 – $10,000 funds a new CSO commission from an Australian composer (in full or in part), presented in the Australian Series or on the Llewellyn Hall mainstage
$3,000 – $7,500 allows the CSO to professionally record Australian commissions, ensuring a wider reach and a long life beyond the concert hall

To learn more or get involved, email philanthropy@cso.org.au.

"It is of the utmost importance that we fund our composers and musicians, as we develop a uniquely Australian voice which belongs to us and to this land."

Lynlea Rodger, Australian Music Giving Circle Donor

Discover our featured artists

Since 2017, the CSO has programmed over 140 Australian works, including 45 CSO commissions and 23 works by First Nations composers. This diverse body of music has expanded the horizons of the classical art form, engaging with contemporary issues such as climate change, racism and the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as universal themes of love, loss and connection.

Leah Curtis

An LA-based composer with Canberra roots, the CSO premiered her new orchestral commission in Llewellyn Hall in 2022.

William Barton

The Kalkadunga composer, multi-instrumentalist and vocalist - Australia's leading didgeridoo player - performed his work with the CSO Chamber Ensemble at the National Museum of Australia in 2023.

Miriama Young

The CSO recently premiered Australian/New Zealander sound artist Miriama Young's new orchestral commission.

Djinama Yilaga

This intergenerational Yuin choir featured as guest ensemble in our 2022 Australian Series concert Hearing the Land.

Ella Macens

CSO Concertmaster Kirsten Williams celebrated with Australian composer Ella Macens following the 2020 premiere of Macens' chamber work.

Andrew Cox

Australian/Filipino spoken word artist Andrew Cox performed a selection of poems for the 2022 Australian Series: Collective Memory concert.

Images by Aimee Westcott (Curtis); Ishna Jacobs (Young); Keith Saunders (Barton); Martin Ollman (all other images).