What is the Living Music Report?

The Living Music Report is a survey of musical programming within the Major Performing Arts Organisations of 2020. The survey records and summarises information on every work played across 2020, capturing key information on composers, pieces and more. For this report, the ensembles surveyed are:

  • Adelaide Symphony Orchestra
  • Australian Chamber Orchestra
  • Australian Brandenburg Orchestra
  • Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
  • Musica Viva
  • Queensland Symphony Orchestra
  • Sydney Symphony Orchestra
  • Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra
  • West Australian Symphony Orchestra

Download the report

Download the 2020 report here.
Download the 2019 report here.

Get the data

The Living Music Report’s data is free, available for use and open to corrections.

You can download it on GitHub here.

Spread the word

Follow @livingmusicreport.

Download the media pack here.

Key Findings

Out of all works performed across 2020 by Australia’s National Performing Arts Organisations:

  • 18% of works were written by living composers (-1% from 2019)
  • 10% of works were written by Australian composers (+1% from 2019)
  • 4% of works were written by female composers (+1% from 2019)
  • 1% of works were written by CALD Australian composers (+1% from 2019)
  • 1% of works were written by First Nations composers (+1% from 2019)
  • Bach, Beethoven, Brahms and Mozart all once again featured more times than all female composers combined
  • More pieces were written in the year 1723 than were written by female composers
  • More composers were named Johann than were First Nations composers
  • A single piece, The Lark Ascending, was performed more times than all CALD Australian composers’ work combined

Even more…

Questions? Comments? The Living Music Report is open to corrections, feedback and any queries or comments. Reach out here.

Download the 2020 report here and thee 2019 report here.

Creator & Writer: Ciaran Frame

Designer: Thought & Found

Inspired by Ian Whitney‘s brilliant ‘Whitney Report

Media Pack and plain-text documents available on request.