The Melbourne Chamber Orchestra (MCO) has unveiled its 2026 season. Titled The World Around Us, it is a celebration of connection, creativity and musical conversation between past and present.

Says Artistic Director Sophie Rowell: “Music is both a deeply personal journey and a powerful mirror of our shared culture. It reflects who we are, where we’ve come from, and how we see the world around us. This season, our programs explore music’s role in connecting past and present – reinterpreting history through today’s lens, while amplifying the creative voices of our time.”

Melbourne Chamber Orchestra. Photo © Albert Comper

The MCO’s 2026 season includes five major orchestral concerts at the Melbourne Recital Centre, a chamber series performed at venues in Melbourne and regional Victoria, and the return of the boutique Feast of Music festival in Daylesford, as well as three world-premiere works by Australian composers.

The season opens across 26 February – 1 March with Flexible Sky, featuring guitarist Slava Grigoryan in a program...