Education and Engagement on Song when Queensland Symphony Orchestra Returns to Western Queensland
3 minutes read
Tuesday, 24 June 2025
Queensland Symphony Orchestra (QSO) spreads the joy of live orchestral music as it hits the highway and heads west for its tour of western Queensland communities in July.
The Chinchilla Miles Roma Tara (CMRT) Enrichment Through Music Initiative returns in 2025 with its vital and valued series of workshops for community musicians, school concerts and free public performances in regional communities.
The partnership between Australia Pacific LNG, operated by Origin Energy, and QSO is designed to make music accessible to people in regional and remote communities by delivering quality music education and concert experiences.
The engagement and education initiative culminates in a series of free, uplifting Community in Concert events featuring a 13-strong QSO ensemble accompanied by community and school musicians in Chinchilla on Tuesday 29 July, Tara on Wednesday 30 July and Roma on Friday 1 August.
QSO Chief Executive Officer Michael Sterzinger said the CMRT Initiative gives communities in the Western Downs and Maranoa regions the opportunity to foster deep connections with their state orchestra.
QSO is committed to realising our vision to be an orchestra for all Queenslanders and the CMRT Initiative offers us a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with our western Queensland audiences, ”
“We are grateful to continue our regional touring partnership with Australia Pacific LNG operated by Origin, a partnership that encourages a genuine love of orchestral music, inspires and educates a new generation of musicians, and shares the joy of live performance with music-lovers, regardless of where they call home.”
Since the initiative’s inception, QSO has delivered 24 community concerts, welcomed 4535 audience members, worked with 56 schools, hosted 97 student workshops and rehearsals, and performed in 48 school concerts.
An estimated 1590 students have participated in the program and 9726 students have attended school concerts.
QSO education conductors Mark Sullivan (strings) and Ingrid Martin (band) visited Roma and Chinchilla from 26 to 30 May for the highly anticipated Band Camp – a week-long rehearsal with local schools ahead of the Community in Concert events.
Joining the QSO on stage in Chinchilla will be talented local musicians from Chinchilla Christian College, Chinchilla State High School, Chinchilla Community Concert Band and Chinchilla Community Jazz Band. In Roma, the orchestra will be joined by the Maranoa Wind Ensemble, Maranoa Community String Ensemble and the Roma Combined School String Ensemble and Concert Band.
Australia Pacific LNG CEO Dan Clark said APLNG, together with Origin, was proud to continue its long-standing partnership with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra through the Enrichment Through Music initiative.
For nine years, we’ve supported this unique program, which brings world-class music and education to communities across Queensland’s southwest, ”
“It’s a great way to give back to the regions where many of our people live and work, and we’re proud to play a part in creating lasting cultural and educational opportunities for local schools and families.”Chinchilla, Miles, Roma and Tara (CMRT) Enrichment Through Music program is presented by Australia Pacific LNG, operated by Origin Energy.
For more information about QSO’s regional concert and education program, visit