Vienna State Opera is under pressure to make savings of 10 million euros (£7.8m) after a warning from the Austrian government.

BBC

Making Music Being Well: 21-27 May 2012

Make music in May and be part of the national movement to promote music and its links with good health!  Register to participate here and add your efforts to Making Music Being Well 2012. We had a look at what some groups have been doing in previous years, read more about it here.

At this year's Art Music Awards (presented by APRA and the Australian Music Centre at Sydney Opera House), Moorambilla Voices and Festival won the award for "Excellence in a Regional Area".  They also won the most recent Music in Communities Awards!  Read more.

The National Band Championships were held in Melbourne over the Easter Long Weekend.  There's a great summary on the 4bars Rest website. Congratulatons to Gunnedah Shire Band who took out the National Title, and all of the other bands. Read more.

There's also a great ABC news item about bands at the National Championships taking it to the streets. Watch it here.

Those of you that are interested in the National Cultural Policy, which will be released soon, might be interested in yesterday's article in the Global Mail. Read more.

Last week we attended the Multicultural Arts Forum in Sydney. You can read the keynote address by Senator Kate Lundy, Minister for Multicultural Affairs, where she said "there is no greater means through which our diversity can be expressed and celebrated than our arts sector."  Thanks to the Groundswell for organising the initiative and we look forward to more culturally diverse arts activity in NSW!

Member Activities

Recently we've added the Virgin Australia Music Industry Baggage Allowance to our list of benefits for Organisational Members. You can upgrade your baggage allowance to 35kg - great for travelling musicians!  Read more.

We've had a bit of interest in membership of the network recently. If you have a community-based group or organisation that wants to get involved, click here for more information.

Survey for Orchestras

If you run an orchestra, particularly a community-based orchestra, please take 5-10 minutes to complete a short survey. Read more.

Workshops

Sing Dubbo

If you're in Dubbo (or want to go to Dubbo from 5-6 May) and like to sing, check out Sing Dubbo!  Read more.

Workshop with Mara and Llew Kiek (Wollongong)

If you're in Wollongong this weekend and like to sing, get along to the workshop with Mara and Llew Kiek prior to their concert with Mara and the Martenitsa Choir.  Read more.

Can Conducting Be Taught?

Well, a recent article by Luke Dollman for Symphony Services International discusses the teaching of conducting at the elite level. They're also running a conducting workshop for community conductors and educators with Graham Abbott in July. Read more.

Cairns Winter Music School

The Cairns Winter Music School runs from July 3rd – 6th 2012 and features quality rehearsals and tutorage culminating in the public performance of a great concert programme. Read more.

Concerts & Events

This weekend one of Australia's biggest gatherings of Pipe Bands will take place in the Southern Highlands of NSW.  Bundanoon is Brigadoon has been running for 35 years and we spoke to one of the organisers about what it means for Pipe Bands in Australia.  Read the article or see www.brigadoon.net.au for more info.

On 28 April, Victoria Chorale (Melbourne) will present a concert with the Art of Sound orchestra. Read more.

To mark the recent anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, the Surrey Hills Orchestra and Eltham Strings (Melbourne) present a concert inspired by the Titanic on Sunday April 22. Read more. (By the way, if you missed the Sydney Morning Herald's story about the Broken Hill Barrier Industrial Union Bands' inland tribute to the Titanic musicians, read it here).

Seeking members

New choir in Kogarah seeking members.  Repertoire includes world music, jazz, gospel and more. Read more

The Nordoff-Robins Music Therapy centre in Sydney is running a series of new community programs including a choir, drumming group and a music club for school leavers with a disability.  Read more.

Sydney Harmony has moved its rehearsals, and there are plenty of other groups listed (by local area) in our classifieds section.  Contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it if you have anything to add.