City Recital Hall is thrilled to unveil its 2017 performance season: the first annual curated program to be launched by the prestigious music venue.

The launch of the program is part of a bold new vision for City Recital Hall, to transform the oft-termed “hidden gem” into one of the must-visit cultural destinations in Australia. Aimed squarely at attracting a new generation of audiences, the doors are being thrown open and foyer spaces reimagined for art as well as performance, matched with a wholly new mainstage contemporary music program.

At this evening’s official program launch, Elaine Chia, CEO of City Recital Hall said: ‘City Recital Hall was purpose built for live music. We see a real opportunity for us to play a much more active role in the music and broader arts scene than ever before, as a vibrant central hub for everyone to come to enjoy music across all genres.’

In 2017, the Angel Place venue is hosting over 200 concerts and events, from classical favourites to boundary-pushing contemporary works. A wider variety of artists than ever before will perform on the City Recital Hall stage. The dynamic line-up comprises Australia’s finest musicians, acclaimed international artists and emerging talent in an expanded season of daytime, lunchtime, evening and late night offerings.

The company’s own artistic program of over 60 concerts and events brings a fresh and revitalised approach to the management of this stunning space, which is regarded by both artists and audiences as one of the finest venues for acoustics in Australia today. City Recital Hall introduces several new events, including 2×20, a supper-time series for night owls, an expanded Lunchtime Music Series, a lunchtime talks program exploring the intersection of science and music and a children’s program. One of the most exciting events is Sydney Flash Mob Choir where Sydneysiders will be invited to the venue throughout the year to join acclaimed conductor Richard Gill AO and like-minded strangers to belt out a song or two before continuing on with their daily routines.

2017 at City Recital Hall includes a number of milestone concerts, including the 10th anniversary of the Black Arm Band, the 20th anniversary of Gondwana Voices and the 20th anniversary of Taikoz, as well as a big birthday bash for composer Elena Kats-Chernin. The company is also thrilled to be working with a number of Australian artists to present the world premieres of several new works including Seven Stories, DIVA and performances in a weekend festival of original music aptly titled Unashamedly Original.

For Elaine Chia, 2017 can’t come soon enough. ‘There’s a unique thrill of witnessing a great performance here and jumping to your feet with 1000 others for a standing ovation. I have no doubt there will be some magical moments in 2017 and we are all very much looking forward to making them happen.’