Lifestyle & Entertainment
15 March, 2026
Three centuries of music in one night
MUSIC lovers will have the chance to experience a program spanning more than 300 years when the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra brings Dancing Shadows to Stawell in May. The performance will be staged at the Stawell Entertainment Centre on Thursday, May 21 from 7.30pm, with a program showcasing both classical brilliance and contemporary Australian composition.
Presented by one of Victoria’s leading chamber ensembles, the concert will feature works by Mozart, Australian composer Andrew Ford and Czech master Antonín Dvořák.
At the heart of the evening is Mozart’s Divertimento, a work filled with the youthful elegance and sparkle that helped define his music. It will be performed alongside Ford’s Sad Jigs, which offers a reflective and whimsical contemporary take on traditional dance forms.
The program concludes with Dvořák’s Quintet in G major, a richly textured and expansive work celebrated for its warmth, energy and unmistakable Bohemian character.
The performance places Melbourne Chamber Orchestra’s core musicians in the spotlight, giving regional audiences the chance to hear some of the state’s finest chamber players in an intimate live setting.
Led by Artistic Director Sophie Rowell, the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra has built a reputation as one of the country’s most respected chamber music organisations.
Despite its modest size, the ensemble is widely recognised for the scale and quality of its programming, presenting more than 50 performances each season with a style that combines precision, passion and accessibility.
Under Rowell’s direction, the orchestra has developed a strong following for its vibrant and modern approach to chamber music, bringing together leading Australian musicians in programs that balance well-known repertoire with contemporary works and fresh interpretations.
The orchestra’s mainstage season is presented at Melbourne Recital Centre and broadcast on ABC Classic, while its wider calendar includes touring programs, education initiatives and outreach performances across Victoria and beyond.
Melbourne Chamber Orchestra also presents A Feast of Music, an annual spring chamber music festival in Daylesford, further cementing its role as a key part of Victoria’s cultural life.
The Stawell performance offers local audiences the chance to enjoy that level of artistry without leaving the region, with Dancing Shadows promising a night of elegance, emotion and musical contrast.
The concert will be held at the Stawell Entertainment Centre, 59-69 Main Street, on Thursday, May 21 from 7.30pm to 9pm.
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