Resonate Magazine | Australian Music Centre

Image: Melbourne Symphony Orchestra  
© Laura Manariti

The Australian Music Centre is proud to announce the development of a new audio library of Australian music. The audio library will offer a new level of on-demand access to the AMC's collection of music recordings and resources. The AMC initiative is backed with enthusiastic support from the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO) and ABC Classic in a partnership which will allow their archival recordings to be heard through the new audio library.

The audio library is a significant undertaking for the AMC, making music by Australian composers and creators more accessible alongside its ongoing work in archival digitisation. In addition to audio material, contextual information about works and performances will be documented, drawing important connections between music and its creators.

In an unprecendented partnership with the MSO and ABC, the AMC audio library will be bolstered by access to an archival collection of music recordings. The AMC audio library will become a home for never-before-released recordings of Australian works to be made available to AMC members for online streaming. The partnership aims to increase the accessibility of these Australian music recordings for listeners globally.

The new audio library is expected to be an invaluable resource for Australian music educators, students, researchers, and performers, as well as for the preservation of a critical piece of our national cultural heritage.

Catherine Haridy, CEO of the AMC, says, "The digital audio library is a crucial tool for Australian music to be heard, enjoyed, studied and understood. This is a significant step in future-proofing our music collection with new digital capabilities, as well as offering new avenues for contemporary Australian creators and their work to be heard. We are delighted to be partnering with the MSO and ABC to kickstart this initiative."

MSO Managing Director Sophie Galaise says, "Over many years, the MSO has invested significant resources into commissioning new works from Australian composers. AMC's new audio library provides an important platform for collecting, preserving and sharing these works to ensure their reach extends beyond the live performance into the digital realm."

ABC Classic & ABC Jazz Content Manager Kat McGuffie adds: "ABC Classic is thrilled to support the new digital library initiative, making Australian music more accessible than ever before. We are dedicated to nurturing the Australian classical music scene and are committed to sharing performances with audiences throughout the country and around the world. This initiative exemplifies the collaborative spirit of the Australian art music community, uniting composers, performers, broadcasters and audiences in a shared celebration of classical music."

The development of the AMC's new digital audio library also opens new pathways for the representation of non-notated forms of music, such as media composition, improvised music, electronic and sound art, an important step as the scope of Australian art music continues to expand.

The AMC's audio library will launch with its new website in late 2023.