Melbourne String Ensemble Tour Program
Since its formation, the MSE has been a touring orchestra. We have toured every major city in Australasia and every two to three years, MSE embarks on international tours to Europe, South East Asia or North America.
Music is an international language and touring is an important way for our students to develop broader perspectives on other cultures and their approach to music making.
On tour, MSE students have the opportunity to rehearse and perform with other youth orchestras playing joint concerts in wonderful concert halls such as the Liederhalle in Stuttgart, Tonhalle Maag in Zurich and Tartu University Hall in Estonia. It is important to play Australian works in other countries, and through the cultural exchange, Australian students develop international networks that benefit them greatly in their professional careers.
MSE further organizes masterclasses for students on their solo repertoire and we have worked with notable pedagogues such as; Christoph Poppen, Maria Kliegel, Anke Dill, Wen-Sinn Yang, Ida Bieler, Johannes Goritzki, Mi-kyung Lee and Stephan Picard.
Below are some of the places MSE has visited as part of its extensive touring and exchange programme. The next tour will take place in Europe in 2026.
Upcoming Tours and Exchanges:
2025: Hosting Junges KammerOrchester Stuttgart (JuKo) in Melbourne in August
2026: Tour to Germany in April; Hosting Jugendsinfonieorchester Leipzig in August
Past International Tours and Exchanges:
2024: Germany and Czechia
2021: Cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic, planned for USA and Canada
2018: Tour of Munich , Vienna, Stuttgart, Zurich
2016: Melbourne exchange - hosted Junges KammerOrchester Stuttgart
2015: Tour of Prague, Weimar, stuttgart
2013: Tour of Ljubliana, Zagreb, Varazdin and Venice,
2010: Tour of Spain and Portugal
2008: Melbourne exchange - hosted Tallinn International Youth orchestra
2007: Tour of Sweden, Estonia, Finland, Russia
2006: Melbourne exchange - hosted Junges Kammerorchester Stuttgart
2005: Tour of Berlin, Munich stuttgart
2004: Tour of New Zealand
2003: Tour of Berlin, Stuttgart, Cologne,
2000: Tour of Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong
1995: Tour of Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong
1994: Tour of Germany, Austria and the Netherlands
1991: Tour of New Zealand
1989: Tour of Italy, Germany and Austria
1988: Tour of United Kingdom, Germany Austria
1986: Tour of Germany, Italy and Austria
2024 Germany-Czechia Tour
In April 2024, MSE's flagship ensemble spent three weeks in Germany and Czechia, performing in several major cities of Berlin, Leipzig and in the Czech republic before finishing the tour in Stuttgart. MSE collaborated and performed with the Stuttgart Youth Chamber Orchestra, the Leipzig Youth Symphony Orchestra, and with the orchestra of the School of Music and Art in Liberec
2018 European Tour
In April of 2018, 29 students and 11 parents toured the musically significant cities of Zurich, Stuttgart, Munich, Salzburg & Vienna. It was a significant musical and cultural experience for all thise involved, and included visits to cities that have produced some of Europe’s greatest classical composers.
Melbourne String Ensemble acknowledges the Wurundjeri, Woi-Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation, upon whose Country we are based and recognises their continuing connections to community, culture and country. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.