The best young performers to legends like Joan Sutherland this Ausmusic Month

November is Ausmusic Month, so celebrate the music from your own backyard on ABC Classic. Just before the month starts, on 31 October, we pay tribute one of Australia's most famous musical exports, Dame Joan Sutherland, for the centenary of her birth. In a new four-part series, Mairi Nicolson explores the life, career and music of La Stupenda. On Tuesday 3 November, hear the next superstars of Australian classical music in the Grand Final of the ABC Young Performers Awards, live from the Sydney Opera House. Finalists Beatrice Colombis (violin), Charlotte Miles (cello) and Dillon Chan (piano) range from just 14 to 24 years old, and will perform their chosen concertos with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, in this special live Grand Final concert. Damien Beaumont returns to ABC Classic for three specials, bringing you new recordings from some of Australia's beloved composers, and previews some major premieres coming in 2027. Every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evening, ABC Classic will also broadcast new Australian orchestral recordings from the Australian Music Centre's MOMENTUM Plus initiative, showcasing contemporary Australian composers. And ending the month with a bang is the A-Z of Australian Music on 28-29 November. This weekend-long celebration travels from A to Z through Australian composers, performers, ensembles and compositions, with some of your favourite ABC Classic Presenters. Guide to Listening Saturday 31 October 5pm La Stupenda: Join Mairi Nicolson for a new series celebrating the centenary of Dame Joan Sutherland. Sunday 1 November 1pm Beethoven's Mass in C performed by the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra and Chorus conducted by Otto Tausk. 9pm Andrea Lam celebrates Australian pianists and piano music on The Art of the Piano. Monday 2 November 9am Celebrate the West Australian and Tasmanian Symphony Orchestras all week (Nov 2-6) with Russell Torrance, as well as composers Lachlan Skipworth and Peter Sculthorpe. 1pm Tchaikovsky's Fifth Symphony performed by the West Australian Symphony Orchestra conducted by Asher Fisch. Tuesday 3 November: ABC Young Performers Awards Grand Final 3pm AEDT ABC Classic Drive Live from the Sydney Opera House. 6pm AEDT Warm-up hour with Genevieve Lang. 7pm AEDT Live in concert, the ABC Young Performers Awards Grand Final: Violinist Beatrice Colombis (NSW), cellist Charlotte Miles (VIC) and pianist Dillon Chan (VIC) perform with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra conducted by Benjamin Northey. Hosted by Genevieve Lang. Wednesday 4 November 1pm Mahler's Symphony No. 9 performed by the West Australian Symphony Orchestra conducted by Asher Fisch. 3:15pm Drive Live with Belle Chen. Saturday 7 November 3pm Damien Beaumont shares new recordings from Australia's beloved composers and previews of major premieres coming in 2027. 5pm La Stupenda: The life of Dame Joan Sutherland Part 2. 9pm Verdi's La Traviata with Dame Joan Sutherland conducted by Richard Bonynge. Sunday 8 November 1pm Opera Australia presents La Stupenda, a centenary tribute to Dame Joan Sutherland featuring coloratura soprano Jessica Pratt. 9pm Andrea Lam celebrates Australian pianists and piano music on The Art of the Piano. Monday 9 November 9am Celebrate the Adelaide and Queensland Symphony Orchestras all week (Nov 9-13) with Russell Torrance, as well as composers Miriam Hyde and William Barton. 1pm The Music of Video Games with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra and conductor Leonard Weiss performing music ranging from Assassin's Creed to Sonic the Hedgehog. Tuesday 10 November 1pm Mozart's Last Symphonies performed by the Australian Chamber Orchestra. Wednesday 11 November 1pm Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade and Ella Macens's Release performed by the Queensland Symphony Orchestra conducted by Otto Tausk. 3:15pm Drive Live with the winner of the ABC Young Performers Awards. Thursday 12 November 8pm Clara Schumann's Piano Concerto performed by pianist Andrea Lam with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra conducted by Eivind Aadland. Saturday 14 November 1pm Legends and Luminaries with Pekka Kuusisto and the Australian Chamber Orchestra featuring music by Mozart, Mendelssohn and Muhly. 3pm Damien Beaumont shares new recordings from Australia's beloved composers and previews of major premieres coming in 2027. 5pm La Stupenda: The life of Dame Joan Sutherland Part 3. 9pm Bellini's Norma featuring Dame Joan Sutherland and Marilyn Horne, from a 1970 performance at the Metropolitan Opera house conducted by Richard Bonynge. Sunday 15 November 1pm William Barton performs his world premiere work Apii Thatini Mu Murtu alongside Sibelius's Symphony No. 5 with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra. 9pm Andrea Lam celebrates Australian pianists and piano music on The Art of the Piano. Monday 16 November 9am Celebrate the Sydney and Canberra symphony orchestras all week (Nov 16-20) with Russell Torrance, as well as composers Joseph Tawadros and Sally Whitwell. Wednesday 18 November 1pm Donald Runnicles conducts the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, performing Shostakovich's Fifth Symphony, alongside Marc-André Hamelin in Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 4. 3:15pm Drive Live with the Affinity Quartet. Thursday 19 November 1pm The Australian Chamber Orchestra explores masterful writing for strings, including Dvořák's Serenade. 8pm Musicians from the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM) and pianist Stefan Cassomenos play Mozart, Stravinsky and Westlake under the baton of Philip Arkinstall. Friday 20 November 8pm ANAM 30th Gala with Simone Young (ANAM) celebrating ANAM's 30th anniversary with works by Sofia Gubaidulina, John Adams, György Kurtág and Richard Strauss. Saturday 21 November 1pm Simone Young conducts Mozart and Bach with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. 3pm Damien Beaumont shares new recordings from Australia's beloved composers and previews of major premieres coming in 2027. 5pm La Stupenda: The life of Dame Joan Sutherland Part 4. 9pm Handel's Alcina: a historic recording featuring Dame Joan Sutherland and Teresa Berganza with the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Richard Bonynge. Sunday 22 November 9pm Andrea Lam celebrates Australian pianists and piano music on The Art of the Piano. Monday 23 November 9am Celebrate the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and ANAM all week (Nov 23-26) with Russell Torrance, as well as composers Stuart Greenbaum and Gurrumul. 1pm Andrea Lam plays Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No.1 with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Norwegian conducting sensation Tabita Berglund. Wednesday 25 November 1pm Australian flautist Eliza Shephard premieres a new concerto by Joe Chindamo with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. 3:15pm Drive Live with Mindy Meng Wang. Thursday 26 November 1pm Shostakovich's Seventh Symphony and Tomasi's Saxophone Concerto with soloist Steven Banks and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra conducted by Jonathon Heyward. Friday 27 November 1pm The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra plays Haydn, Cheetham Fraillon and Mahler conducted by Jaime Martín with William Barton on didgeridoo. 8pm One of Australia's oldest and highest-ranking brass bands, the Footscray Yarraville City Band, celebrates their 150-plus years of banding at the Melbourne Recital Centre. Saturday 28 November 7am-6pm The A-Z of Australian Music: A weekend-long celebration travelling from A to Z through Australian composers, performers, ensembles and compositions. 9pm Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor: a historic recording featuring Dame Joan Sutherland and Luciano Pavarotti with the Orchestra and Chorus of the Royal Opera House Covent Garden conducted by Richard Bonynge. Sunday 29 November 7am-6pm The A-Z of Australian Music: A weekend-long celebration travelling from A to Z through Australian composers, performers, ensembles and compositions. Monday 30 November 1pm Trio Kin at Phoenix Central Park featuring the music of Say, Edwards, Jambazian and Rachmaninov.