2026 Peggy Glanville-Hicks Address: A Culture of Confidence

In the 2026 Peggy Glanville-Hicks Address, Professor Benjamin Northey will argue that Australian art music does not primarily have a preservation problem, but a relevance, imagination and connection opportunity. He will explore how greater cultural confidence can be expressed through the elevation of Australian artists and repertoire, deeper connection with audiences and how a shared sense of responsibility for our musical future might help build a more distinctive, ambitious and inspiring musical culture.

The event will also include performances by the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM).

Join the Australian Music Centre (AMC) for an evening that ignites conversation, looks to the future and celebrates Australian music.

The Australian Music Centre (AMC) is a not-for-profit organisation. All ticket sales and donations go towards our important work supporting and amplifying Australian art music, composers and creators.

We'd also like to extend out thanks to ANAM and our Broadcast Partner ABC Classic for their support.

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About Benjamin Northey

Australian conductor Benjamin Northey is the Chief Conductor of the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, Conductor in Residence of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and the Principal Guest Conductor of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. In 2025 he was appointed Professor of Conducting at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and Director of the Australian Conducting Academy. 

Northey appears regularly as a guest conductor with all major Australian symphony orchestras, Opera Australia, Victorian Opera, New Zealand Opera and State Opera South Australia. 

His international appearances include concerts with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, the Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg, the Hong Kong Philharmonic, the National Symphony Orchestra of Colombia, the Malaysian Philharmonic and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. 

An Aria Awards, Air Music Awards, and Art Music Awards winner, he was voted Limelight Magazine's Australian Artist of the Year in 2018. Northey's many recordings can be found on ABC Classics.

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About the Peggy Glanville-Hicks Address

The Peggy Glanville-Hicks Address was established in 1999 by the New Music Network, in honour of one of Australia’s great international composers. In the spirit of Glanville-Hicks, an outstanding advocate of Australian music delivers the address each year, challenging the status quo and raising issues of importance in new music. 

Since its founding, the Address has developed into a landmark event in the Australian new music scene. The Australian Music Centre took on the important custodianship of the Peggy Glanville-Hicks Address in 2018. 

Speakers over the years have included leading Australian composers, performing artists, educators and artistic directors, including Elena Kats-Chernin, William Barton, Deborah Cheetham-Fraillon AO, Kim Williams AM, Nat Bartsch and Marshall McGuire. 

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About the Australian Music Centre (AMC)

The Australian Music Centre (AMC) is the national not-for-profit organisation dedicated to supporting and amplifying Australian art music and creators across contemporary classical, improvised jazz, experimental music, sound art, and media and screen composition. Representing over 1,000 composers and creators, the AMC library hosts the most comprehensive collection of Australian art music, recordings and resources available to browse, hire and purchase. Through career support, major awards and professional development for Represented Artists, members and the wider community, AMC ensures Australian creators and their music will be heard and celebrated for years to come.  

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