Melbourne Recital Centre's Heritage to Horizon 2026 season brings together world-class artists redefining contemporary classical music.
New Director of Programming Iain Grandage AM has curated an international season featuring Bryce Dessner with Sydney Symphony Orchestra musicians, Brodsky Quartet with William Barton, and electronic music visionary Anna Meredith. Melbourne Recital Centre’s Heritage to Horizon program bridges masterful tradition with contemporary relevance, showcasing artists who embody the notion that the future is classical.
Featured performances span February through October 2026, with cross-cultural collaborations and innovative interpretations taking centre stage. Brodsky Quartet teams with yidaki maestro William Barton for a February performance responding to Australia’s bushfire crisis, while Anna Meredith reimagines Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons through her electronic lens in March with her piece ANNO.
Melbourne Recital Centre Heritage to Horizon 2026
- Various dates February to October 2026
- Melbourne Recital Centre, Southbank
- Subscription season available Tuesday, 26 August from 7pm
- Single tickets available Monday, 6 October
The full lineup
- Roomful of Teeth – Wednesday, 11 February
- Martin Hayes – Tuesday, 24 February
- William Barton & Brodsky Quartet – Wednesday, 25 February
- Jean-Yves Thibaudet – Tuesday, 3 March
- Anna Meredith – Friday, 6 March
- Leonkoro Quartet – Monday, 4 May
- James Ehnes with Orion Weiss – Friday, 19 June
- Attaca Quartet – Friday, 31 July
- Lucas & Arthur Jussen – Monday, 24 August
- Thomas Dunford – Friday, 4 September
- Pieter Wispelwey – Tuesday, 15 September, Thursday, 17 September & Friday, 18 September
- Bryce Dessner x Sydney Symphony Orchestra – Friday, 25 September
- Siobhan Stagg with Quatuor Agate & Jonathan Ware – Tuesday, 6 October
- Isata Kanneh-Mason – Friday, 9 October
Stay up to date with what’s happening in and around Melbourne here.
September brings Bryce Dessner of The National collaborating with Sydney Symphony Orchestra musicians in a performance where pop culture meets chamber music. British pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason makes her long-awaited Melbourne Recital Centre debut in October, bringing authentic expressive depth to local audiences.
Other highlights include vocal ensemble Roomful of Teeth in February, acclaimed violinist James Ehnes with pianist Orion Weiss in June, and Dutch piano duo Lucas and Arthur Jussen in August. Programming reflects how classical music reaches varied communities while creating new engagement opportunities.
Subscription packages offer 15-25% discounts across the season, with guest curator Matthew Hoy contributing artistic input alongside Grandage’s vision for expanding classical music’s definition and appeal.
For more information, head here.
