Thursday (8/9) on the Limelight magazine website, Mina Vanessa Kitsos writes, “New research has shed light on Australia’s community-based orchestras, which survive on $10-million worth of volunteer hours every year. The Music Council of Australia’s Music in Communities Network has based their findings on a survey of more than 50 community orchestras. The study focused on two aspects: what the orchestras play and how they operate in the community. ‘Our research found that the average adult community-based orchestra has a volunteer contribution valued at over $120,000 a year, and present an average of seven concerts each year for their local community,’ said Alex Masso, manager of the Network and researcher for the project. The survey estimates there may be 130-170 community orchestras in the country. … One encouraging finding is that 70 per cent of community orchestras include members under 18 years of age. … It was also revealed that more than half commission new music and/or have someone within the orchestra composing for it. A desire to explore a wider range of genres was expressed by 46 per cent of respondents, with Australian music rating highly alongside movie themes and 20/21st century music.”
Posted August 13, 2012
