Music performance | National Library of Australia (NLA)

Music performance

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Collection guide
Begg Collection

Mostly Australian and New Zealand sheet music, the majority from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries collected by Charles Begg.

Collection guide
Collection guide
Benvenuti Collection

Memorabilia of musical, theatrical, social events in Queensland collected by the Benvenuti family musicians.

Collection guide
A black and white image of a man holding a microphone on a stand with 2 hands. He is holding the mic close to his mouth and has his eyes shut. He is wearing a black t-shirt and jeans.

Leigh Henningham, Brian Johnson, lead vocalist with AC/DC performing during the Back in Black Tour, Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne, Victoria, 27-28 February, 1981, nla.obj-3128575954

Celebrating 50 years of AC/DC

To celebrate this milestone, we are sharing 3 recently acquired photographs of the band

News article
Collection guide
Don Banks Collection

Discover the legacy of Don Banks, one of Australia’s most innovative composers, in the Don Banks Collection. Featuring music manuscripts, sound recordings, and personal papers, this collection celebrates Banks' pioneering work across jazz, classical, and film music. A true trailblazer, his fusion of genres continues to inspire and shape Australia's cultural landscape.

Collection guide
Collection guide
Fahey Collection

Personal papers of Warren Fahey’s activities as an entrepreneur, musician and writer from 1967-1998 and a collection of folkloric recordings.

Collection guide
Collection guide
Hince Collection

Albums and pieces of sheet music published in Australia and overseas, around 2700 books and pamphlets, mostly related to Western music, manuscript scores, papers from some composers and orchestras, and personal papers of Kenneth Hince.

Collection guide
Collection guide
McDonald Collection

Folklore performances and oral history interviews recorded between 1981 and 1989, containing music, recitations and recollections of performances and local history.

Collection guide
Cover of the program with Dame Nellie Melba's portrait wearing a tiara

Rachel & Verlaine Pitt-Rivers, Chanson d'automne, W.H. Paling & Co, 1922, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-168708778

Melba Collection

Discover the legacy of Dame Nellie Melba, one of opera’s greatest voices, through her unique collection. Featuring sheet music, personal letters, and rare items from her iconic career, this collection offers an intimate glimpse into her rise from Australian talent to international soprano. Explore her artistry, personal connections, and lasting impact on the world of opera.

Collection guide
Collection guide
Meredith Collection

Recordings of Australian folk songs, dance music and recitations, which also include a great deal of oral history.

Collection guide
Kylie Minogue wearing a red dress and with her arms in the air

Matthew Sleeth, Australian singer Kylie Minogue performs at the Tour of Duty concert at Dili Stadium, East Timor, 21 December 1999, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-147368307

Music

Topic

One of the world’s oldest music traditions that is still performed is the bunggul ceremony. This can be seen annually at the Garma Festival held in Gulkula, a sacred site in north-east Arnhem Land. The Garma Festival runs for four days and observes the traditions and customs of the Yolngu people.

Digital Classroom
A row of men in concert dress holding musical instruments

Reg Lewis and the Prince Edwardians at the Prince Edward Theatre, Sydney, c1945, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-147014210

Music performance research guide

The Library has a diverse collection of materials documenting the history of Australian musical performance.

Research guide
Ballerina Justine Summers strikes a pose for the camera. She is standing en point wearing a black tutu. She is standing infront of a textured curtain. She is staring directly at the camera.

Jim McFarlane, Justine Summers in "Divergence", the Australian Ballet, 1994, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-136367403

On stage

Module

This resource is aligned to the Australian Curriculum: The Arts for years 5 & 6 students.

Digital Classroom

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