Why should you get excited?
A massed plucked-string orchestra of over 120 players celebrating Multicultural Melbourne.
Music Genre:
Classical
Type of Performance:
Live Concert
Instruments:
Other
mandolins, mandolas, mandocellos, classical guitars, double bass
About the Event
We would like to invite you to an extraordinary musical event as part of the 2026 Melbourne Federation of Australasian Mandolin Ensembles (FAME) Festival.
Come and experience the magnificent sound of a massed plucked-string orchestra of over 120 players, conducted by the celebrated mandolinist and composer Stephen Lalor. The theme of our concert will be Multicultural Melbourne, and will feature new works as well as some old favourites. A highlight will be the world premiere of a piece by Stephen commissioned especially for this festival.
FAME is the patron of mandolin orchestra festivals held approximately every 18 months in capital cities around Australia. This 2026 Melbourne FAME Festival is being staged by the Melbourne Mandolin Orchestra with the participation of musicians from mandolin orchestras in Perth, Brisbane, the ACT, Sydney, and of course, in Melbourne. Mandolin orchestras are community-based, not-for-profit ensembles, attracting both professional musicians and enthusiastic amateurs.
This concert by the 2026 FAME Festival Orchestra - featuring mandolins, mandolas, mandocellos, classical guitars and double basses - will be the thrilling culmination of a week spent intensively rehearsing under the direction of Stephen.
It will be a unique concert experience, bringing together musicians from across communities to create a rich, powerful, and unforgettable soundscape in one of Melbourne’s most iconic venues.