Courses

This series explores musical concepts and ideas that were invented rather than evolved; that not only changed the course of musical history but also heavily influenced all of European history.

Many of the ways in which we listen to music, behave in concert halls and treat our performers and composers were formed during the Romantic period.

What is music and what are its major elements? How do these concepts differ throughout the world and how have they changed over time?

Listeners of classical music often find 20th century music difficult and demanding. The century spans the end of Romanticism, Atonalism, neo- Classicalism, Chance Music, Electronic Music and Minimalism to name a few.

Composers do not write in a vacuum. They are influenced by the world around them. This series looks at the lives of 7 composers and sees how the society in which they lived affected their musical output and their lives

Many people attend orchestral concert, can name the instruments but the actual physicality, dimension, sound production, history and function of most instruments remains a mystery.

The Baroque (1600- 1750) is a period of immense musical change. The era begins with a group of men in Florence, led by Count Bardi, totally influencing the direction of music.

Throughout time women have been excluded from the world of professional music and especially composing. Those few who succeeded in the compositional world were marginalised, forbidden to write certain types of music.

There was an enormous amount of change in the Classical period (about 1730- 1820), including the Enlightenment, the French Revolution, Industrial Revolution,  American Independence and for us in Australia both Cook and Phillip coming to our shores.

Throughout musical history there have been compositions written that changed the face of music making. These seminal pieces allowed subsequent composers to break new ground and explore different ways of communicating with their audience.