Iain Grandage AM moves into the newly created role of Chief Curator, with Anna Melville joining the Centre as Head of Programming.
We’re pleased to announce a new artistic leadership partnership, bringing together Iain Grandage’s artistic and curatorial vision and Anna Melville’s international programming expertise and creative leadership to support new commissions, artistic collaborations and a program spanning classical and contemporary music.
Drawing on an internationally established model of artistic leadership, the partnership follows the September opening of The Peter and Ruth McMullin Beacon, expanding the possibilities for live music across the Centre’s three venues.
CEO Sandra Willis says the appointments will strengthen the Centre’s role as Melbourne’s year-round festival of music, creating greater opportunities for artists and experiences for audiences.
“Anna and Iain bring a deep musical knowledge, strong artistic judgement and relationships that span the globe. Together with our talented programming team, they will champion work that brings fresh perspective to musical heritage and supports artists at the forefront of musical innovation,” Sandra says.
“With more than 550 events each year, we want our audiences to trust our curatorial choices and feel encouraged to explore something unfamiliar, as well as return for the music they love. With The Beacon now open and the Melbourne Arts Precinct continuing to evolve around us, we have an extraordinary opportunity to welcome more people into our community and connect them with great live music performances.”
Iain Grandage AM, Chief Curator
Iain’s new role builds on his contribution since joining the Centre as Director of Programming in 2025. As Chief Curator, he will shape and champion the Centre’s curatorial voice and the distinct identity of its three venues, lead its commissioning and Artist in Residence programs, and strengthen artistic relationships in Australia and internationally, with a particular emphasis on First Nations artists and communities.
A seven-time Helpmann Award winner, Iain’s career bridges festival leadership and music-making, from directing Perth Festival and Port Fairy Spring Music Festival to composing for theatre, dance, opera, film and the concert hall. He has worked extensively alongside First Nations artists, with collaboration central to his creative practice.
“The most rewarding musical experiences often begin with a conversation – an artist with an idea, a story that is asking to be heard, or a collaboration that opens up something neither person could have imagined alone,” Iain says.
“As Chief Curator, I’m looking forward to giving those conversations room to grow and supporting work that reflects the richness of Australia’s musical life. It’s a thrill to have the opportunity to work alongside Anna - she brings enormous knowledge and curiosity to this partnership, and I’m excited by what we can create together with the team.”
Anna Melville, Head of Programming
As Head of Programming and a member of the Centre’s Senior Leadership team, Anna will work in close creative partnership with Iain to shape programming at Melbourne Recital Centre. Working with Programming Manager El Chantry and the broader programming team, she will lead a coordinated approach across our three venues to support artists and build audiences.
Anna brings programming expertise developed over 17 years across Australia, the United Kingdom and New Zealand, including leading artistic planning at the Australian Chamber Orchestra and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. She has worked as a programming consultant for London’s Philharmonia Orchestra and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, and is currently Interim Director of Programming at the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. At London’s Barbican Centre, she curated the inaugural Sound Unbound festival, reflecting her interest in new concert formats, broadening repertoire and reaching new audiences.
“Melbourne Recital Centre offers extraordinary scope for a programmer, from the scale and acoustic possibilities of Elisabeth Murdoch Hall to the close listening of the Primrose Potter Salon and the social atmosphere of The Beacon,” Anna says.
“I’m interested in how the music, the artists and the setting work together to make a performance feel compelling, whether you know the repertoire well or are hearing something for the first time. I’m looking forward to leading the Centre’s programming in close creative partnership with Iain, working with our team, presenting partners and Australian and international artists to build programs that invite discovery and give audiences reasons to keep coming back.”
Our 2027 season will be announced on 26 October 2026, revealing programming for the year ahead across our three performance spaces.