The Sydney Symphony Orchestra Leads Australia's Flagship Event in International Make Music Day

The Sydney Symphony Orchestra will lead Australia's first flagship event in the international Make Music Day festivities this Thursday 21 June, with a free global livestream of its Verdi's Requiem concert, direct from the Sydney Opera House. The broadcast will be available on the Sydney Symphony Orchestra website for 24 hours from 6.30pm AEST.

In partnership with ABC Classic FM and Sydney Opera House Creative Learning, the concert audio, recorded live by the ABC, will also be simultaneously broadcast on ABC Classic FM across Australia and around the world at 6.30pm, with the radio program presented by Classic Breakfast presenter Russell Torrance.

With the additional support of Create NSW, Music Australia, the Australian Music Association, the State Library of New South Wales, Optus, and the City of Parramatta Council, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra's performance livestream will be available in further locations around Australia. Music lovers around the nation will be able to join in on the festivities in a number of other ways:

Sydney Olympic Park will broadcast the livestream as part of its Make Music Day festivities in Jacaranda Square and the Yulang.

Regional libraries in New South Wales including Armidale, Cessnock, Canowindra, Maitland, Parkes, Tamworth, Taree, Tumut, Wagga Wagga and more will broadcast the livestream.

Regional Conservatoriums across New South Wales will also share the livestream.

Sydney Symphony Orchestra Chief Executive Officer, Emma Dunch, says that the Orchestra is excited to lead Australia's first participation in Make Music Day this year. "The Sydney Symphony Orchestra is passionate about removing barriers and sharing music as widely as possible - this is at the heart of everything that we do," says Dunch.

"With the support of our wonderful partners, we're able to share beautiful music with people beyond the Concert Hall at the Sydney Opera House. International Make Music Day is a wonderful thing to be a part of, and we are thrilled to put Australia on the map in this flagship event."

Originally launched in 1982 as Fête de la Musique in France, the annual celebration of music was renamed Make Music Day and has since evolved into a global event involving 800 cities in 120 countries.

The Sydney Symphony Orchestra's performance of Verdi's Requiem will be led by international opera and concert conductor, Oleg Caetani, and feature Angel Blue (soprano), Catherine Carby (mezzo-soprano), Diego Torre (tenor) and Jérôme Varnier (bass) as soloists and The Sydney Philharmonia Choirs. The livestream will take place on the first night of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra's Verdi's Requiem performance, with the remaining concerts performed on 23 and 25 June at the Sydney Opera House.