ELLA MACENS
Composer | Arranger | Singer-Songwriter | Music Educator
News & Current Projects
‘THE SPACE BETWEEN STARS’ FEATURES IN ABC CLASSIC 100 “GREATEST OF ALL TIME” CONCERT (JUNE 2026)
ABC CLASSIC CELEBRATES 50 YEARS WITH THE WORLD PREMIERE OF ‘MY HEART ON YOURS’,
CO-COMMISSIONED WITH THE MELBOURNE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA (FEB 2026)
Commissioned by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, ‘My Heart On Yours’ received its world premiere at Melbourne's Sidney Myer Music Bowl to a live audience of 10,000 people plus a live radio broadcast on 14 February 2026, celebrating the 50th anniversary of ABC Classic.
Watch the performance on ABC iView here.
IN RESIDENCE WITH THE AUSTRALIAN HAYDN ENSEMBLE: THE PREMIERE OF ‘FOREVER OURS’ (2025)
Last year I had the privilege of filling the role of Composer In Residence with the Australian Haydn Ensemble. On October 30, we premiered my new work titled ‘Forever Ours’ at the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra, followed by performances at City Recital Hall, Sydney, and across regional centres. Programmed alongside Beethoven’s ‘Symphony No. 8 in F major’, ‘Forever Ours’ draws conceptual inspiration from the enigma of Beethoven’s “Immortal Beloved” letters. You can read my reflections on creating this work in this feature article in Limelight Magazine. Limelight Magazine praised the work as “a remarkable new commission in four movements… a special, emotive work that deserves regular performance.”
Click here to read the full review.
THE SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY PERFORMS ‘THE SPACE BETWEEN STARS’ (APRIL 2026)
The San Francisco Symphony presented my work ‘The Space Between Stars’ in three performances in April 2026, conducted by internationally acclaimed maestro Simone Young AM. Simone and I first collaborated in 2022 when she conducted the premiere performances of my Sydney Symphony Orchestra 50 Fanfares commission ‘Release’, and I am currently composing a new work for the SSO titled ‘Before Me, There Was You’ which premieres in the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall on November 7 and 8.
Click here for info and tickets.
‘CLOUD MAGIC’ RECEIVES ITS EUROPEAN PREMIERE WITH ORCHESTRA RIGA (APRIL 2026)
I was absolutely overjoyed to travel to Latvia in April for the European Premiere of my wind symphony '‘Cloud Magic’. The work was performed by Orchestra RIGA and conducted by Valdis Butans in a beautiful old church in the centre of Old Town on Easter Friday. A surreal and beautiful experience.
‘THE SPACE BETWEEN STARS’ NAMED IN LIMELIGHT’S 25 IN 25
I’m delighted to share that my work ‘The Space Between Stars’ has been selected as one of the Top 25 Australian art music works in Limelight Magazine’s 25 in 25 initiative. With voters choosing from nearly 500 Australian composers, I feel deeply honoured that my piece was recognised among such inspiring company. Australian art music is thriving, and I feel so grateful to be part of this vibrant community.
Click here to explore the 25 in 25 playlist.