Live music is essential to the future of the performing arts in Australia.

Whether in theatre, opera, musical theatre, ballet or contemporary performance, live musicians elevate the experience, creating a dynamic connection between the artists on stage, the artists in the orchestra and the audience. 

Yet across Australia, the use of live musicians in productions is declining. Companies are turning to recordings in the name of cost‑cutting, short-term efficiencies, or convenience – at the expense of cultural integrity, artistic excellence and sustainable careers for our musicians. 

Our Keep Music Live campaign is a national call to protect and strengthen live performance, ensuring audiences, musicians, dancers and singers can continue to experience the irreplaceable value of live music. 

Why live music matters 

Live music is more than background sound – it is a living, breathing artistic partner. Across the arts, live musicians: 

• Give performers the ability to respond to subtle musical cues 

• Support artistic interpretation and the nuance that live music brings in the moment 

• Enhance audience immersion and emotional connection to the performance 

• Shape the rhythm and atmosphere of every moment on stage 

• Help preserve the dignity and power of their work and craft. 

When recordings replace live performance, the art form becomes smaller, flatter and less relatable. 

A growing national issue – examples 

These are just a few examples of a broader shift away from live music – a shift that risks becoming normalised unless artists, audiences and industry come together to defend live music performance. 

1. West Australian (WA) Ballet chooses recorded music for upcoming performance of Dracula in Adelaide 

We are demanding that the WA Ballet engage musicians for their 2026 Adelaide run of Dracula.  

“Ballet is the magical coming together of live dance and live music. Ballet without live music robs the art form of its power, humanity and wonder.” 

We are calling on management to commit to keeping music live by prohibiting use of the orchestra’s recording of Dracula for ballet performances in Adelaide – or in any circumstance where a live orchestra can and should be engaged. 

2. Digital technologies – such as KeyComp – are paving the way to replace live music at theatre productions such as The Lion King this April in Melbourne 

Musicians deserve to have a say over how technological advancements affect them and their work. We are calling on employers, governments and major industry stakeholders to take measures to:   

• Avert or minimise job losses and safety issues which arise from the use of digital technologies in the workplace 

• Require employers to consult with all musicians before their employment or engagement, through MEAA, before digital technologies are introduced 

• Encourage regular monitoring and evaluation of the impacts of digital technologies and the application of any necessary corrective measures. 

Replacing live music with recordings puts the livelihoods of Australian’s musicians at risk, and robs them of the opportunity to gain meaningful, sustainable work. 

What MEAA is calling for 

We are working with artists across Australia and New Zealand to ensure that: 

• Live musicians are engaged wherever a live orchestra or band can and should be used 

• Recorded music is not used as a substitute for live performance in circumstances where it undermines artistic integrity or displaces professional musicians 

• Companies commit to transparency about when and why recordings are used 

• Funding bodies support live performance, not its replacement with cheaper pre-recorded alternatives 

• Audiences are valued, not asked to pay more for productions that deliver less artistic authenticity 

How you can help keep music live 

• Send an email demanding that the WA Ballet commits to using live musicians at their upcoming performance of Dracula in Adelaide, and all future performance where practically possible.

Live music is not a luxury – it is essential to our way of life, and to our economic and social future. Together, we can protect its integrity, safeguard the livelihoods of artists, and ensure future generations continue to experience the wonder of live music.