Our Story

Learn about our rich history, our story and our music. Since the beginning in 1990, we’ve become a leading voice in the Australian cultural landscape.

Image: Risk-takers from the start. Paul and Bruce in 1993.

The Australian Brandenburg Orchestra is the national Baroque music flagship. It is a world leader in historically informed performance and hugely influential in the broader musical landscape.

The rise and triumph of the Brandenburg through the unflagging passion and vision of its co-founders Paul Dyer and Bruce Applebaum is one of the most extraordinary success stories in the nation’s performing arts history.

Since its stunning debut at the Sydney Opera House in 1990, the orchestra has introduced Baroque (and earlier) music at a serious level, playing on instruments authentic to the period. The Brandenburg is renowned for its energetic spirit, stylistic diversity, ambition and innovation. In the words of the Honorable Dame Quentin Bryce, the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra “has brought untold rewards in its brilliant musicianship, imaginative programming, outstanding soloists and partnerships. It has created adventures steeped in tradition yet luminously alive and liberating.”

The unique company vibrantly reawakens Baroque and Classical Masterpieces for a contemporary audience. The Brandenburg’s 20 recordings with ABC Classics include five ARIA Award winners for Best Classical Album.