ActewAGL has been working in harmony with the Canberra Symphony Orchestra since 2001, captivating Canberrans with breathtaking performances. Not only do they deliver spectacular events, they also strive for innovation and creativity, always looking to showcase their music in meaningful and impactful ways.
Core to our partnership is the goal of sharing the gift of music as widely as possible with the Canberra community. So this year, ActewAGL teamed up with the Canberra Symphony Orchestra for the first Virtual Orchestra—a crowd-sourced musical experience designed to lift community spirits.
The Virtual Orchestra performance encouraged musicians from throughout the region, of all ages and abilities, to submit their recordings of Arthur Benjamin’s ‘Jamaican Rumba’ and Offenbach’s ‘Can Can’, to the Canberra Symphony Orchestra for digital collation.
Artists recorded their submissions in the comfort of their homes, studios and offices while socially isolating. The recordings were collated by Australian National University Music department to create a cohesive piece. Be captivated by the final result.
This innovative event engaged the Canberra musical community, connecting amateur and professional musicians alike, to take on the creative challenge during what was otherwise a testing and trying time.
Music and Memory
But that’s not all, ActewAGL and the Canberra Symphony Orchestra are always looking for new, original ideas to engage the community with music. Next on the calendar is the Music and Memory program, presented with Goodwin Aged Care.
This program is an investigation into the positive impacts the concert experience can have on quality of life for people living with dementia, compared to general music therapy programs.
Groups of Goodwin residents diagnosed with dementia will enjoy a chamber orchestra concert on a weekly basis for eight weeks. The social setting and easy, comfortable access to this experience are what separates this research program from other previous and current studies.
Find out more about the Music and Memory program.