Music at McClelland Season 2027

Music at McClelland is generously supported by major donors;
Igor Zambelli OAM, Mary-Jane Gething AO, The Robert Salzer Foundation, and the Cope-Williams Foundation.

With program partners
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra

It is a seated event and is held in the Sarah and Baillieu Myer Education Pavilion.

Message from our Curator

Music at McClelland returns in 2027 with another exciting journey through sound, imagination and musical discovery. This season brings together an exceptional gathering of Australian musicians, celebrating creative collaborations, musical diversity and the adventurous spirit of live performance.

Expect moments of virtuosity, unexpected encounters and sonic surprises, spanning musical traditions, genres and generations. Each performance offers a unique experience in the intimate surrounds of the Sarah & Baillieu Myer Education Pavilion, where music, art and the beautiful bushland landscape come together.

I invite you to join us for another season of musical adventures. Come curious and let the music take you somewhere wonderful.
— Monica Curro

Message from our Artistic + Executive Director

McClelland is delighted to present the 2027 Music at McClelland season, made possible through the generous support of our founding donor, Igor Zambelli OAM, Mary-Jane Gething AO, The Robert Salzer Foundation, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and the 
Williams-Cope Foundation.

Music is an important part of McClelland’s cultural offering, creating opportunities for connection, discovery and shared experiences. Set within the beautiful surrounds of the Sarah & Baillieu Myer Education Pavilion, the program invites audiences to enjoy the unique atmosphere of McClelland and experience the arts in new ways.

We invite you to join us throughout 2027, share these special moments with friends and family, and enjoy all that McClelland has to offer.
— Lisa Byrne

Melba Opera Trust

SUNDAY 21 FEBRUARY
2:30pm — 4pm

Hear some of Australia’s most talented emerging artists from Melba Opera Trust as they bring a program of popular arias and ensembles to life.

The living legacy of Dame Nellie, Melba Opera Trust is a leading operatic development organisation, renowned for nurturing professional artists through world-class training, mentorship and performance opportunities.

Following in Nellie’s footsteps, many of Melba’s talented alumni are realising their dreams and performing in opera houses around the world.

Join us to see tomorrow’s stars today.

Mindy Meng Wang

SUNDAY 21 MARCH
2:30pm — 4pm

Mindy Meng Wang is a Chinese-Australian composer and world-leading contemporary guzheng artist. A pioneer in bringing the ancient Chinese harp into Western genres — experimental, jazz, classical, electronic, pop and improvisation — she has won numerous awards and has been described as the most innovative young Chinese guzheng performing artist of her time. Her work explores the space between traditional and contemporary practice, championing Chinese heritage on the global stage.

We are delighted to welcome Mindy to Music at McClelland.

Ruth Roshan

SUNDAY 18 APRIL
2:30pm — 4pm

Ruth Roshan began learning mandolin at five and has performed professionally since her teens. Inspired by Argentine tango, she has toured internationally and recorded four albums with ensembles including Tango Noir and Chamber Noir. A compelling storyteller and musician, Roshan blends cinematic classical music, European tango, French waltz and habanera, alongside arrangements of Piazzolla, Gade and Cohen. We look forward to experiencing the energy and artistry Ruth brings to 
her music.

T-Shirt Opera

SUNDAY 23 MAY
2:30pm — 4pm

T-shirt Opera is a Victorian-based musical company bringing opera to audiences in a refreshingly accessible, relaxed, and entertaining way. Featuring emerging artists, their performances combine favourite operatic arias with hilarious stories and plenty of fun. Whether you’re an opera devotee or discovering the art form for the first time, we’re excited to welcome T-shirt Opera to Music at McClelland for an afternoon of music, laughter, and delight.

Michelle Nicolle Quartet

SUNDAY 6 JUNE
2:30pm — 4pm

Michelle Nicolle, hailed as Australia's preeminent female jazz singer, is a living embodiment of artistry and elegance in the jazz world. Together for twenty-six years, Michelle and her quartet are a rarity in today’s jazz groups. An ensemble with a totally contemporary and forward-thinking approach, but at the same time steeped in the tradition of jazz, storytelling, and the magic of the live performance.

We are delighted to have the Michelle Nicolle quartet be a part of the 2027 season.

*Please note – This concert is held on the first Sunday of the month. McClelland will hold a Farmers' Market the morning of this performance. Car park access will be closed to the general public until 2pm.

Australian Chamber Choir

SUNDAY 20 JUNE
2:30pm — 4pm

Founded in 2007 by Douglas Lawrence, the Australian Chamber Choir has performed extensively across Australia and Europe, earning international acclaim for its exceptional intonation, tonal balance and dynamic range. Its repertoire spans Renaissance music to contemporary Australian works, from intimate a cappella programs to large-scale oratorio. Alongside its performance work, the choir provides valuable professional training for emerging musicians. We look forward to welcoming the Australian Chamber Choir to Music at McClelland and sharing their artistry with our audience.

Yarra Brass

SUNDAY 4 JULY
2:30pm — 4pm

Introducing Yarra Brass — five of Melbourne’s finest brass musicians, bringing together artistry, virtuosity and a touch of humour.

From the infectious rhythms of West Side Story to the wit and brilliance of Malcolm Arnold and the contemporary sounds of Catherine Likhuta, this is brass at its most exhilarating.

Bold, brilliant and full of surprises, Yarra Brass promises an unforgettable musical experience.

*Please note – This concert is held on the first Sunday of the month. McClelland will hold a Farmers' Market the morning of this performance. Car park access will be closed to the general public until 2pm.

Fiasqo

SUNDAY 18 JULY
2:30pm — 4pm

Fiasco is a Naarm/Melbourne-based string quartet, currently studying at the Australian National Academy of Music. In equal measure irreverent and detail-oriented, the quartet brings a distinctly vibes-first approach to chamber music, pairing thoughtful music-making with a healthy sense of whimsy. In 2026, they won the Elisabeth Murdoch Prize at the Melbourne Recital Centre’s Great Romantics Competition.

Natalie Chee + Stefan Cassomenos

SUNDAY 15 AUGUST
2:30pm — 4pm

Internationally acclaimed violinist Natalie Chee has enjoyed a distinguished career as a soloist, chamber musician and concertmaster across Europe and Australia. Former Concertmaster of Camerata Salzburg, she returns home in 2026 as Concertmaster of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.

Pianist and composer Stefan Cassomenos is celebrated for his virtuosity and adventurous musicianship. A founding member of PLEXUS, he has collaborated with leading orchestras and artists worldwide.

We’re thrilled to bring these two powerhouse performers together and anticipate the musical magic that w

Ensemble Pompadour

SUNDAY 19 SEPTEMBER
2:30pm — 4pm

Ensemble Pompadour is dedicated to playing French baroque music on three of the most fashionable instruments of the day: the viola da gamba, theorbo, and the baroque musette, a tiny, bijou bagpipe once fetishised by the French aristocracy.

The ensemble takes its name from Madame de Pompadour, maîtresse-en-titre of Louis XV, an enthusiastic patron of the arts, and the leading fashionista of her day.

Kym Dillon

SUNDAY 17 OCTOBER
2:30pm — 4pm

Australian composer, pianist and presenter Kym Dillon has forged a wonderfully eclectic, category-defying musical career. Equally at home improvising with jazz ensembles, composing for symphony orchestras, performing complex contemporary works or engaging audiences through her talks on music, her practice spans genres and disciplines. Underpinning it all is a deep belief in music’s power to shape and enrich our lives.

We are excited for Kym to share her distinctive musical voice with our audience.

Bumpy

SUNDAY 21 NOVEMBER
2:30pm — 4pm

Bumpy creates expansive, soulful music rooted in memory, connection and Country, brought to life through a voice of striking depth and power. Blending infectious warmth with startling intimacy, her sound invites audiences into something generous, immersive and deeply felt. Joined by a band whose chemistry is instinctive, Bumpy’s performance promises to be a standout highlight of the program, offering a moving and unforgettable 
live experience.