CONTENT COURTESY MELBOURNE DIGITAL CONCERT HALL
Melbourne Digital Concert Hall has received a National Live Music Award for excellence in supporting Australian live music during COVID-19.
“It’s a huge honour to fly the flag for classical music in this incredible lineup,” co-director Adele Schonhardt said during the online presentation by NLMA Board Member Katie Noonan.
“If you’d told us six months ago that we would have live-streamed 170 concerts nationally, or that we would have built up over 10,000 supporters who were there when Australian musicians needed them most, I would have thought you were dreaming.
“To the 350 artists who’ve appeared on MDCH so far, this one’s for you. We’re here to remind you that we are the creative sector; that we have always adapted to new circumstances and that we will always continue to do so, even now. The future can be bright if we work together.”
“This is the sum of the hard work of so many,” co-director Chris Howlett adds.
“It’s been incredible to see what a bold idea has evolved into, and the sense of community that has built around it.
“A huge thanks must be given to everyone that supports the platform, from our incredible founding partners 5stream, Kawai Australia and the Athenaeum Theatre, to donors and sponsors such as the Australia Council, the Helen Macpherson Smith Trust and the Limb Family Foundation, to our venue partners around the country, our media partners including 3MBS Fine Music Melbourne, Limelight and CutCommon, and our key advisers Mary Jo Capps and Luisa Banks, right through to all the many friends who donated $5 or shared our posts on Facebook.”
The next few months look bright, with a stellar Sydney lineup in partnership with the National Art School and a long-awaited return to the Athenaeum Theatre this weekend for LIGHTS UP MELBOURNE! – a five-concert celebration of brilliant Victorian musicians.
“It will be amazing to see the likes of Kristian Chong, Monica Curro, Stefan Cassomenos, Elyane Laussade, Zoe Knighton and Ian Munro back on the stage and to be able to share live Melbourne artistry with audience members all around Australia,” Chris says.
“We also launch two special partnerships as our cameras head to the top and bottom of Australia. First, we team up with the Darwin Symphony Orchestra to broadcast the 2020 Art Music Award-winning Djari Project on Wednesday 28 October before heading down to Hobart for the first of six Friday Night Live concerts with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra on 30 October.”
For details, visit the Melbourne Digital Concert Hall website.
Image of co-founders Chris Howlett and Adele Schonhardt supplied (credit Albert Comper).
