For six months Ciaran Frame systematically made his way through the 2019 subscription brochures and program booklets of Australia’s Major Performing Arts (MPA) funded orchestras to chart what music they played and who had composed it.

“I chipped away at it. It was enjoyable exploring program notes and different programming from different orchestras so it wasn’t too much of a chore. There was a lot of manual data entry but I think it was worth it in the long run,” says Frame, who has released the results in a document called The Living Music Report.

Ciaran Frame. Photograph supplied

The Report summarises information on every work performed across the 2019 main orchestra seasons, recording what music they played – or didn’t. It found that music reflecting the culture and diversity of 21st-century Australia “is notably absent from MPA programming”.

Bach, Beethoven, Brahms and Mozart were each individually featured more times than all the female composers combined. As for First Nations composers? There was only one – Deborah Cheetham whose music was performed by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.

Composer Ian Whitney has released an annual report since 2016, counting the content by Australian composers in the...