A series of lunchtime concerts was launched in April 2013 to encourage city workers and others to come into and enjoy the beautiful surroundings of the Cathedral during the day.
These half hour recitals on Wednesdays at 1pm provide fine music and space for contemplation in the midst of a busy week. Admission is by donation.
Upcoming Lunchtime Concerts
Our lunchtime concert series takes place at 1pm Wednesdays (unless indicated otherwise).
1pm Wednesday 7 October: Alessandro Pittorino (organ)
Juilliard-trained organist Alessandro Pittorino will perform Franz Liszt’s monumental Fantasy and Fugue on ‘Ad nos, ad salutarem undam’, a work of breathtaking scale and imagination. From hushed, searching passages to thunderous climaxes, Liszt explores the full expressive power of the Cathedral organ. Join Alessandro for a thrilling lunchtime journey through one of the organ repertoire’s greatest masterpieces.
1pm Tuesday 13 October: Caitlin Au (piano)
12-year-old Caitlin Au is a Year 6 student at Lauriston Girls’ School, and studies piano with Glenn Riddle at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music. Earlier this year, Caitlin achieved her LMusA in piano with Distinction. She has won numerous first prizes in local and national competitions, as well as Third Prize at the Vietnam International Chopin Piano Competition. She will perform works by Mozart, Chopin, Scriabin, Debussy, Liszt, and Poulenc.
1pm Wednesday 21 October: The Classical Collective
With over 30 years of musical experience, The Classical Collective is made up of three Melbourne Conservatorium alumni (Giselle Baulch, Juliarna Clark, and Hugh Fullarton), whose musical experience ranges from jazz to opera to sacred liturgical music. They will present a collection of sacred vocal solos and duets, accompanied by piano and chamber organ. The music ranges from the well-known to newly discovered gems, from Andrew Lloyd Webber to Giuseppe Verdi.
The 2026 Lunchtime Concert Series is fully booked. The 2027 series will be organised in October 2026.
Previous ‘Virtual’ Lunchtime Concerts
During the COVID-19 Lockdown in 2020, the Cathedral broadcasted regular Virtual Lunchtime Concerts in support of local and international artists and musicians. You can watch a selection of the previous Virtual Lunchtime Concerts here on Youtube.