Utzon Music
From Baroque voices to the African kora
Book early and save. Book before 27 Oct 2026 to save 10% on standard tickets or book a package – 2 events to save 15% or 3+ events to save 20%.
In its 20th year, Utzon Music continues to champion curious listening and fearless artistry. Guided by curator Genevieve Lacey’s distinctive vision, tradition is honoured but never fixed, ancient music is recast in new light, contemporary works take hold, non-western classical forms shine and cultural ancestries come together to spark something new.
There’s always another musical world to discover in the Utzon Room. One performance leads you into the intricate voices of the Baroque. The next, into Western European classical traditions, Celtic folk or the vibrant sound world of the West African kora. And where orchestras can sweep entire concert halls, chamber music here pulls you close. Every gesture, glance and phrase matters, and every ounce of texture and colour takes on a remarkable clarity.
Set against the glow of a Sunday afternoon on the harbour, with the world’s most exciting chamber musicians from America, Australia, China, England, Finland, France, India, Ireland, Italy, Mali, the Netherlands, Scotland and Turkey, you’re invited to journey around the world through music. Across centuries, traditions and instruments, every concert offers a rare musical encounter.
Explore the program
Genevieve Lacey, Curator
Musician and arts advocate Genevieve Lacey creates, performs, and curates. Her work can be experienced in festivals, concert halls, museums and galleries, parks and gardens, and the digital realm. She tours internationally, has a substantial recording catalogue, and an ABC film Recorder Queen has been made about her life.
As a recorder virtuoso, Genevieve’s performed at the Lindau International Convention of Nobel Laureates, as concerto soloist in the Royal Albert Hall for BBC Proms, and on Thursday Island with First Nations ensemble The Black Arm Band. Her own creative works include Breathing Space (a permanent sound installation at the National Museum of Australia), and Pleasure Garden (a listening garden).
Genevieve curates Utzon Music for Sydney Opera House and Boyd Music Series for Bundanon. An ARIA, Helpmann and Green Room award winner, she has received Churchill, Freedman and Australia Council Fellowships, the Melbourne Prize for Music (Outstanding Musician Award), the Sidney Myer Individual Performing Arts Award, Excellence in Classical Music (Australian Women in Music Awards). In 2024, Breathing Space won Work of the Year, Electroacoustic/Sound Art in the AMC/APRA AMCOS Art Music Awards, and Genevieve was honoured with the National Luminary award. She was previous Chair of the Australian Music Centre, and currently serves on the board for Australia’s arts and culture think tank, A New Approach.