Supporting music in our city

Ballarat is home to a huge number of varied performers, composers, musicians and artists. As an important regional centre we support a complex web of individual musicians right through to associations, groups and venues. We’re committed to supporting local and regional live music, regardless of genre.

Our commitment to music in Ballarat comes from the city’s agreement to implement a Live Music Strategy (2016-2021). This Strategy now sits under the encompassing umbrella of the Creative City Strategy. This means we seek to create an environment when musicians and music enterprises are empowered to develop, innovate and collaborate - with the aim of becoming sustainable.

Check out the kinds of ways in which we support our musicians, from training and educational Opportunities right through to festival and events.

Organs of the Ballarat Goldfields: fine music festival

Late in 1995 renowned Italian organist, composer and teacher, Sergio de Pieri was shown some of the wonderful unmodified nineteenth century pipe organs scattered throughout the Central Highlands Goldfields area of Victoria.
Sergio is reported to have remarked “This is the place for a Festival”.

He immediately set about convincing many well-known musicians that they should perform in the first “Organs of the Ballarat Goldfields” Festival to be held early in January 1996. With the enthusiastic help a former pupil and subsequently also of a small band of other Ballarat music lovers, the first festival was staged with very few weeks of planning. Musicians were confirmed, programs were finalised, churches were approached, sponsors were convinced, donors were sought and the concept was advertised.

Twenty-five years later the festival is a signature event on Australia’s fine music calendar. Held between 10th - 19th January 2020, the event is hugely popular with locals and tourists alike. a few tickets remain. Check their website for tickets and details.

FRINGE BENEFITS: a festival of local music

Fringe Benefits is a twelve-hour art, music, craft and food marathon between 12pm and 12am, Friday 29th November 2019, organised in the shadow of the sold-out Spilt Milk Festival. With over 24,000 visitors to our town for the Spilt Milk music festival on 30th November, the City decided to celebrate our eclectic buildings, amazing locations and merged them with myriad of musical performers. Check out our gallery of a selection of the performances.

Award for local composer

The movie Ride like a Girl is about the first woman to win the Melbourne Cup, Michelle Payne. The heartwarming story is of a local girl who battled adversity to take out Australia’s prized racing trophy. The movie, and it’s production, have been an important part of the city of Ballarat. With local stars and locations featured, we were proud to call this movie our own!

But another surprise was in store. The music for the film was composed by local David Hirschfelder. David is an Australian musician, film score composer and performer. As a musician he has been a member of Little River Band and John Farnham Band. He has composed film scores for many films, including Strictly Ballroom, Australia, The Railway Man, The Water Diviner and The Dressmaker.

David’s score for the movie has been nominated for an Australian Academy Cinema Television Arts award, and he will find out in December 2019 whether he takes out the coveted prize.