Monica Curro is a distinguished violinist with a rich career in the performing arts. She has been the Assistant Principal Second Violin of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO) since 1998 and has played with numerous other prestigious orchestras. Some of her recent work includes curating the ‘Music at McClelland’ series at McClelland Sculpture Park & Gallery and serving as joint Artistic Director of the Port Fairy Spring Music Festival. Here, we chat to Monica about the connections between music and visual art and how unexpected collaborations can create new ways for audiences to experience both disciplines.
What drew you to become involved with McClelland Sculpture Park & Gallery? And for those who haven’t visited before, what makes McClelland such a unique destination?
I first experienced McClelland thanks to my partner in music and life Stefan Cassomenos and his association with the brilliant Maudi Palmer and Lisa Byrne. He performed a piano recital meticulously curated to a selection of the Park’s artworks for the opening of the Sarah & Baillieu Myer Pavilion in 2018 and it was yet another powerful demonstration of how two different artistic disciplines combined can amplify the experience and impact of both – also I couldn’t believe I’d lived in Melbourne for decades without knowing about this magical place! Every year since 2022 I have had the great joy of curating a 10 concert monthly Sunday series in the Pavilion, which showcases our many extraordinary musicians from Victoria and beyond, in every genre under the Art Music umbrella, surrounded by breathtakingly beautiful bushland.
Have there been any artworks that have inspired a particularly memorable musical response or performance?
One of the highlights of my artistic life was the epic and multi-disciplinary project “NERVOUS” ritualistically revealed with two live performances in 2016 at Gandel Hall at the NGA – three years in the making, the central and autobiographical narrative was the collection of sculptures from artist extraordinaire Heather B. Swann. It was curated by Deborah Hart, with music and electronics by Thomas Green, poetry by Kevin Brophy, performed by soprano Astrid Connelly and baritone Jack Swann, my trio PLEXUS, Continuum Sax, and the Leichhardt Espresso Chorus, swathed in nine big bad banksia men sculptures which alone took Heather two years to hand sew, and which were acquired by the AGSA even before the first performance!
What was it like curating music to the artworks of female visual artists at the Port Fairy Spring Music Festival?
Well it was 2020 in Melbourne and we had a fair idea that there would be no in-person Festival that year in Port Fairy, so like everyone else in the performing arts we “pivoted” (the word still gives me a little shudder!) to an online digital Festival of nine streamed concerts instead of the weekend’s usual 30 in 48 hours.
Since we had plenty of spare time, we decided to showcase eight southwest Victorian artists and match their works with every piece performed – it did take ages to immerse into the artworks and music but after a few months of absorbing and reflecting it all fell into place, like they were made for each other. It’s to do with mood, texture, dynamism – all fairly intangible concepts which need the rare luxury of time and contemplation to intertwine. Deborah Cheetham’s Sunday Gala was performed alongside works woven at the Australian Tapestry Workshop – Lumpu Lumpu Country by Walmajarri artist Daisy Andrews, and Dulka Warngiid (Land of All) by 7 Kaiadilt women from Bentinck Island.
Tell us about the work you’ve done with the NGV in the past, including the upcoming MSO+ and Cartier collaboration?
In 2018/19 my trio PLEXUS (Philip Arkinstall, clarinet, Stefan Cassomenos, piano, and myself, violin) had the great honour and joy of curating concerts and performing inside the exhibitions at NGV International – seriously, if it existed this would be my dream full-time job! For each event we commissioned a new piece of music from a Melbourne composer for world premiere, in response to and surrounded by the artworks, including talks from NGV expert curators, interviews with the composers, and a panel discussion with weavers from the Australian Tapestry Workshop.
2019 was the Alexander Calder show (Melissa Douglas, Shifting), 2018 was MoMA (Lilijana Maticevska, Mit den Augen Kirchners) and the Roger Kemp tapestries in the Great Hall (Luke Speedy-Hutton, Warp and Weft).
We are very excited to return to this epic room as part of the NGV Friday Nights MSO+ Residency in September and October this year, with four shows in response to the glittering Cartier exhibition, curated by the stellar musicians of the MSO.
With thanks to Monica for her time.
By Amanda Hayward (Née North), Senior Art Specialist
Top Image: Monica Curro
August 2026