Btq Appeals
Live Music Program
Help us bring the experience of live orchestral music to our young dancers and audiences. After performing with a live orchestra for the first time in 40 years, we're determined to make this magical experience a regular part of BTQ, but we need your support to make it happen.
In January 2023 Ballet Theatre Queensland (BTQ) performed with a live orchestra for the first time in over 40 years. Although the experience greatly enhances a performance for dancers and audiences alike, it is a rare experience today, except with major ballet companies. Cost is the main factor prohibiting live accompaniment.
It is our mission to continue fulfilling our ongoing dream with performing with a live orchestra, which is a wonderful challenge for the young BTQ dancers, who may not have heard an orchestra play live before. The addition of the orchestra, Cadenza Chamber Players, will also greatly enhance the audience experience.
Live orchestral music for our Sleeping Beauty season will cost $4,500 plus per performance. It is a considerable expense for a company like BTQ that doesn’t receive regular government funding. However, the benefits and value added to our season will far outweigh the costs.
Please help us secure the Cadenza Chamber Players for every performance. Your support will help dreams come true for our young dancers, as the company continues to develop valuable and unique opportunities for talented young dancers of south-east Queensland.
How your support helps
Supported by Cadenza Chamber Players
Your donation brings live orchestral music to life for our young dancers and creates unforgettable moments that will stay with them forever.
Every contribution helps us secure the Cadenza Chamber Players for our performances and gives our dancers the rare opportunity to experience the magic of dancing to live music.
Circles of Support
Friends of BTQ
Becoming a Friend of BTQ will include an invitation for you and a guest to our annual afternoon tea as well as a behind the scenes experience at BTQ's home.
Music Circle
Supporters will enjoy exclusive events and opportunities to engage with the artistry behind the music. From access to private rehearsals, to behind-the-scenes insights and intimate conversations with our Music Director Lucas D. Lynch, creatives, composers and the talented musicians who bring each performance to life, members will gain a deeper connection to the role of live music in ballet.
Dancers Circle
Members of the Dancers Circle enjoy exclusive opportunities to engage more closely with our Artistic Director Clare Morehen and the creative heart of BTQ — from behind-the-scenes access and intimate studio showings, to curated insights into the artistic process and the evolution of each production.
Legacy Circle
As well as the engagement opportunities offered to the other Circle Supporters, The Legacy Circle form part of a dedicated community preserving the development and artistry of ballet in Queensland, and will be recognised through a permanent feature on our legacy wall at BTQ’s Home.
A note from our executive director
“We believe it is vital that our young dancers experience performing with live music. It not only elevates the artistry of their performance, but also teaches them to respond, listen, and adapt in real time – just as professional dancers do. Providing this opportunity prepares our students for the realities of a professional environment, where the dialogue between music and movement is at the heart of ballet.”