4mbs festival of classics 2021

2 3  M A Y   T O   6   J U N E
The annual 4MBS Festival of Classics is Australia’s largest classical music festival, proudly highlighting Queensland musicians. The 2021 theme ‘Beethoven & Friends’ weaves through over 20 performances in cultural and community spaces across Brisbane.

The Festival opens on 23 May, launching with a ‘Beethoven Marathon’ of his beloved powerful works, performed by the exuberant Ensemble Q. The following fortnight of events will feature Beethoven’s grand 9th Symphony (including ‘Ode To Joy’), plus charming chamber music performed by the exceptional musicians of Camerata, Opus 5, and more, in intimate recitals and a sumptuous dinner concert. Superb pianists venture out for ‘Sonatas in the Suburbs’ and award-winning actor Eugene Gilfedder brings the dramatic words of Beethoven to life in his play ‘Beethoven’s Letters.’

Queensland’s top opera stars will end the festival on a high note, joining forces with the Brisbane Symphony Orchestra in a lush ‘Opera Spectacular’ in the splendour of City Hall on Queensland Day, 6 June.

See Festival Program
FREE EVENTS IN BRISBANE CITY COUNCIL LIBRARIES - 10 TO 14 MAY 2021
BEETHOVEN - THE MAN, THE MUSIC
Join 4MBS General Manager, Gary Thorpe OAM and the Sanctuary String Quartet for a one hour presentation celebrating the recent 250th anniversary of Beethoven's birth in Bonn in December 1770. Discover Beethoven's great impact on classical music while enjoying live presentations of some of his masterpieces. It's FREE to attend but prior registrations are required.
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Monday
Wednesday
​Friday
10 May
12 May
​14 May
1.00 pm
11.00 am
​11.00 am
Toowong Library
Mt Ommaney Library
​Carindale Library
Toowong Village Shopping Centre, 9 Sherwood Road
​Mt Ommaney Shopping Centre, 171 Dandenong Road
​Westfield Carindale, 1151 Creek Road
Call 3403 2590
Call 3407 7010
​Call 3407 1490
F E S T I V A L   E V E N T S   2 0 2 1
BEETHOVEN & BEYOND MARATHON
Event 1
Event 2
Event 3
Event 4
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Sun
Sun
Sun
Sun
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23 May
23 May
23 May
23 May
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10.00 am
11.45 am
2.00 pm
4.30 pm
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Old Museum Concert Hall, Bowen Hills
Old Museum Concert Hall, Bowen Hills
Old Museum Concert Hall, Bowen Hills
Old Museum Concert Hall, Bowen Hills
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OTHER EVENTS
Event 5
​Event 6
​Event 7
​Event 8
​Event 9
​Event 10
​Event 11
​Event 12
​Event 13
​Event 14
​Event 15
​Event 16
​Event 17
​Event 18
​Event 19
​Event 20
​Event 21
​Event 22
​Event 23a
Event 23
Sun 23 May
​Tue 25 May
​Tue 25 May
​Wed 26 May
​Thu 27 May
​Fri 28 May
​Sat 29 May
​Sat 29 May
​Sun 30 May
​Sun 30 May
​Sun 30 May
​Sun 30 May
​Wed 2 Jun
​Wed 2 Jun
​Thu 3 Jun
​Fri 4 Jun
​Sat 5 Jun
​Sat 5 Jun
​Sun 6 Jun
​Sun 6 Jun
2.00 pm
​2.00 pm
​7.00 pm
​6.00 pm
​2.00 pm
​7.00 pm
​2.00 pm
​6.00 pm
​9.30 am
​2.30 pm
​3.00 pm
​5.00 pm
​11.00 am
​7.00 pm
​2.00 pm
​7.00 pm
​1.00 pm
​4.00 pm
​10.00 am
3.00 pm
Ode to Joy: Beethoven 9
​Sonatas in the Suburbs
​Opus 5
The Italian Connection
​Sonatas in the Suburbs
​Beethoven & Friends
Beethoven Violin Sonata Cycle
​CenTENORy Dinner Concert
​Kids' Classics: Mini Musical
From Leipzig with Love
​The Bells
​Let Us Garlands Bring
​Sonatas in the Suburbs
​Beethoven Gems
​CenTENORy Concert
​Beethoven & Schubert Lieder
​Beethoven's Letters
​​Beethoven's Letters
​A Day at City Hall
Opera Spectacular
QPAC Concert Hall,  South Bank
​St Mary's Church, Kangaroo Point
4MBS Perf. Studio, Coorparoo
​4MBS Perf. Studio, Coorparoo
​​4MBS Perf. Studio, Coorparoo
​​​4MBS Perf. Studio, Coorparoo
​​​​4MBS Perf. Studio, Coorparoo
​Method to the Madness, Kenmore
​​​​4MBS Perf. Studio, Coorparoo
​City Tabernacle Church, Spring Hill
QPAC Concert Hall,  South Bank
​​​​4MBS Perf. Studio, Coorparoo
SunPAC Theatre, Sunnybank
​​​​4MBS Perf. Studio, Coorparoo
​​​​​4MBS Perf. Studio, Coorparoo
​​​​​​4MBS Perf. Studio, Coorparoo
Ron Hurley Theatre, Seven Hills
​Ron Hurley Theatre, Seven Hills
Brisbane City Hall
Brisbane City Hall

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FESTIVAL POSTLUDE
Sat 12 Jun
7.30 pm
The Cooktown Cantata
St Mary's Church, Kangaroo Point
details
FESTIVAL POSTLUDE
THE COOKTOWN CANTATA
BOTANICAL REFLECTIONS

St Mary's Church
455 Main Street
KANGAROO POINT

Saturday 12 June, 7.30 pm
(EXPECTED DURATION: 1hr, 15min)

​BOOKINGS CLOSED
Tickets may be available at the door

Conceived by Creative Director, Jan Black, as a work of reconciliation - a vocal chamber work which weaves together the stories of three individuals from our northern Australian history . . .

Vera Scarth-Johnson portrayed by soprano, Margaret Schindler
Tulo Gordon portrayed by Guugu Yimithir singer/songwriter, Derek Rosendale
Joseph Banks portrayed by baritone, Jeffrey Black

 . . . with the Louise Denson Ensemble
and Dora Gibson & Gaynor Hooper

Composer  Louise Denson
Libretto  Jan Black

about the festival 

Every year in May/June, 4MBS Classic FM produces the 4MBS Festival of Classics - Australia's largest classical music festival. Orchestras, choirs, ensembles and soloists from south-east Queensland perform concerts centred around a theme - whether it be to mark the anniversaries of specific composers, or simply celebrate the wonderful music that has come out of a particular location. Past themes have included Great Russian Masters, the British Connection, the Glory of Vienna, the French Connection and many more.

On average, the Festival features 20-30 concerts in  10-15 venues, predominantly in Brisbane but throughout south-east Queensland. The Festival also extends to the airwaves, where we broadcast featured music programs surrounding that year's theme.

previous festivals