Individual Giving
Support Us
When you give to Musica Viva Australia, you’re helping us bring people together through the joy of music and shared experience. Your generosity allows us to present world-class ensembles to students and audiences all over the country and helps us nurture musical education, future superstars and industry leaders.
There are so many ways to get involved. You can donate a one-off gift, pledge to give on an annual, monthly, or other regular basis, or you can give directly to one of our donation programs. Take a look at them below:
Annual Giving
Musica Viva Australia’s Annual Giving program gives you the opportunity to support us through fully tax-deductible donations. Make a vital contribution today and join our community of like-minded supporters committed to the development of Australian cultural life, the nurturing of young musicians and crucial music education experiences for students and teachers.
Concerts
At Musica Viva Australia, one of our three core pillars is our nationwide Concert program. Each year, we present seven national tours as well as myriad other performances from regional NSW to daytime concerts in Sydney and Melbourne – and while ticket income goes towards supporting the presentation of extraordinary artists from around the globe, we also need the support of generous donors to help us bridge the gap between box office revenue and costs.
There are several ways to support this work – with a general gift, or by becoming an Ensemble Patron or Concert Champion. If you are in Sydney or Melbourne, you might wish to join our Amadeus Society. There is truly something for everyone, and all donations over $2 are tax deductible. Every dollar helps us to continue to present the finest artists now and into the future, and your support has never been more crucial.
The Amadeus Society is a group of passionate music lovers and advocates in Sydney and Melbourne, who have joined forces to support our annual national concert season.
Membership of the Amadeus Society contributes directly to Musica Viva Australia’s artistic initiatives, which enables us to present the finest artists from Australia and internationally for our nationwide Concert Series each year - and is your unique opportunity to get 'up close and personal' with the finest musicians from Australia and around the world.
Member benefits include:
- Invitations to three annual private salon performances in each city (Sydney and Melbourne) by national and international artists
- Interval drinks as relevant
- Exclusive events with the Artistic Director
Join the Amadeus Society to help Musica Viva Australia bring the finest artists, both from Australia and internationally, to our stages.
Musica Viva Australia’s Ensemble Patrons exemplify true patronage in the traditional sense. The inspiration for this donor group was partly derived from the example of Haydn’s devoted patron, Prince Esterhazy, and the freedom such patronage gave the composer to realise his artistic vision. By becoming an Ensemble Patron, your generous support will help Musica Viva bring each of its national tours to life. We look forward to working with you to align your support with the perfect tour.
To register your interest in Ensemble Patron's please get in touch with our development team here
Becoming a local Concert Champion enables us to deliver our myriad concerts across Australia each year by giving you the opportunity to support, or ‘underwrite’, a concert (or concerts) in your home city. Through a fully tax-deductible donation of $5,000 you can choose which concert you support, and in which State. Make a tangible difference to Musica Viva Australia and your local musical community by joining our Concert Champions program today.
To discuss joining our Concert Champions program, please contact our team here
Commissions
Support the future of classical music by helping us bring new work to life. Come behind the scenes and watch as established and emerging composers and musicians create brand new Australian works, in the knowledge that your support has played a role in supporting the development of Australia’s musical future. Whether you want to pay tribute to a loved one or remember somebody special, or support the development of Australian music, we’ll ensure that your generous gift helps create an enduring work of art.
If you're interested in commissioning a work for Musica Viva Australia, please contact us
There are several funds which support the commissioning of new works at MVA, the most prominent of which is the Ken Tribe Fund, the Fund commemorates Ken's legacy as one of Australia's most generous arts patrons and pays tribute to his various roles at Musica Viva Australia including chairman, artistic director, president, and patron. The flagship program plays a crucial role in placing new Australian music on both a local and international stage and has made possible the create of more than 130 works to date.
Other Commissioning Funds at MVA the Silo Collective and the Hildegard Project
Another way to contribute to the Ken Tribe Fund and help Musica Viva Australia commission new music is by joining a giving circle. At present, we are delighted to be supported by the Silo Collective and the Hildegard Project. This Fund is the first dedicated Australian program aimed at championing the work of women composers. By supporting the Hildegard Project, you're supporting women at all stages of their compositional career and playing a crucial role in ensuring that the future of classical music is a richer, more inclusive art form.
Emerging Artists
Support the future generation of Australian musicians with unique learning experiences and professional development opportunities.
Generously supported by the Berg Family Foundation, Musica Viva Australia’s FutureMakers initiative discovers and empowers brilliant early-career artists to take up roles as future musical leaders. The two-year part-time program is centred on the development and creation of a performance project, supported by a professional development curriculum focused on nurturing artistic leadership, developing entrepreneurial capabilities, and shaping the industry’s future.
With the skills developed during their time in the program, these artists contribute to Australia’s cultural, education and research communities, creating new work, knowledge, and in the process, helping us to develop new audiences. Help us nurture the next generation of leading artists by contributing to our FutureMakers program.
As part of MVA's crucial Emerging Artists work, Masterclasses are conducted by artists touring as part of Musica Viva Australia's Concert Season and provide students, music teachers, and audiences of all ages a unique and powerful learning experience.
Every masterclass is different, exploring a diverse range of classical music in a highly entertaining and engaging format.
Musica Viva Australia works with many teaching institutions and music organisations across Australia, from Conservatoria to Universities, to select students to take part in the Masterclass program, offering them access to mentoring from some of the very best musicians in the world.
Established in 1991 and held every four years, the Melbourne International Chamber Music Competition attracts applicants from around the world who embody chamber music’s ability to engage both mind and heart with performances that delight, inspire and challenge.
Up to 16 String Quartets and Piano Trios are selected to perform live in Melbourne, bringing the best up and coming international artists to Australian audiences. Two new works by Australian composers are also commissioned and premiered each competition as set works in the live rounds.
Presenting an event of the size and scale of MICMC is only possible with the support of our partners. We would love your help in bringing this wonderful international chamber music event to life.
Strike A Chord is Musica Viva Australia’s national chamber music competition for high school age students. The program encourages young performers of all levels and their teachers to discover and develop the joy of playing in small ensembles, giving them performance opportunities and training, and fostering a lifelong engagement with music performance.
Launched in 2020 to celebrate the company's 75th year, Musica Viva Australia is grateful for the ongoing commitment and support of all partners and individual donors whose generosity has made possible the vision of a national high school chamber music competition. Through their support, Strike A Chord is making a positive and sustained impact on Australia’s musical landscape, with many hundreds of young people having participated in the few years since it was launched.
Education Support
Musica Viva Australia In Schools and the Equal Music Program
It is Musica Viva Australia’s belief that every child should have access to a quality music education, regardless of geography or socioeconomic status. Music helps bridge cultural, social and language barriers, and has been closely associated with a range of wellbeing outcomes. Despite these innumerable benefits, over 60% of Australian children do not have access to classroom music.
Since 1981, the Musica Viva Australia In Schools (MVAIS) program has enriched the lives of students and teachers around Australia through premium quality live music performances, the latest teaching technologies, and accredited professional development for teachers.
Reaching nearly 300,000 students annually, Musica Viva Australia is proud to be one of the leading providers of music education in Australia. However, with almost three million children in this country between the ages of 5-14, there remains much work to do and it is through our Equal Music Program that we can begin to achieve this. Equal Music is a donor-funded initiative that provides a further subsidy on the cost of the Musica Viva In Schools program for disadvantaged schools and students, enabling us to subsidise the cost of school concerts, ensemble travel costs, and digital teaching resources. Support this initiative and help underserved communities access transformative music education today.
We believe that it’s crucial that students receive the opportunity to experience elements of First Nations culture first-hand, and that Indigenous musical and cultural traditions are an important part of classroom learning. Consequently, we have partnered with NAISDA Dance College to bring First Nations ensembles to schools as part of the MVIS program. These include Dätiwuy Dreaming, which celebrates the culture of the Yolngu community, and Torres Strait group Wyniss. If you share our goal of ensuring that all students learn about First Nations culture, please make a gift today.
Inspired by research that demonstrates the powerful effects on disadvantaged children who receive long-term exposure to music training, Musica Viva Australia has built a model of intensive music residencies. These three-year programs bring MVIS artists and educators together with a school’s teachers and community for a long-term collaboration whose impact endures far beyond the residency’s duration.
Key to these residencies are:
- Weekly classroom music lessons for students
- Professional development for all members of teaching staff
- Use of high-quality curriculum, resources, and music technology
- The support of affiliate organisations, instrument providers, professional musicians, performance groups, and private philanthropists to deliver the program
- With your support, we can continue to bring life-changing music education into the most underserved schools in Australia.
We believe that the best way for music to have a lasting impact on communities is for music teachers to have the skills, resources and confidence to deliver high-quality, inspiring music education. Therefore, we are committed to teacher professional development, with a specific focus on learning activities that empower generalist primary school teachers to implement music education effectively and with confidence.
This empowerment is achieved by a range of interactive online and face-to-face professional development opportunities, offering events throughout the year that are designed for both generalist classroom teachers and music specialists.
If you’d like to help us continue to increase our engagement with Australia’s brilliant teachers through professional development, we’d love to hear from you.
Musica Viva Australia would like to thank the Anthony & Sharon Lee Foundation for their generous support of the MVA Professional Development program.
If you would like to learn more about these initiatives and play a role in Musica Viva Australia’s exciting artistic future, please contact Zoe Cobden-Jewitt at zcobden-jewitt@musicaviva.com.au or 02 8394 6616.