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

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

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.