Taj Aldeeb & Freya Parr to MC Melbourne Youth Orchestras’ Big Busk 2026 at Queen Victoria Market
More than 650 young musicians to perform + Taj Aldeeb & Freya Parr to MC Melbourne Youth Orchestras’ Big Busk 2026 at Queen Victoria Market
Saturday 19 September 2026
8:00 am – 4:00 pm
Queen Victoria Market, Naarm/Melbourne
The streets of the Queen Victoria Market will come alive with the sound of music on Saturday 19 September, when Melbourne Youth Orchestras (MYO) presents The Big Busk 2026, a vibrant celebration of Victoria’s young musical talent and a major fundraising event supporting the future of ensemble music education.
More than 650 young musicians will perform throughout the market from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, with audiences able to enjoy performances across the main stage and multiple busking locations as they shop, dine and explore one of Naarm/Melbourne’s most iconic destinations.
Adding their voices and energy to the day will be Taj Aldeeb and Freya Parr, who will take on the role of MC's for MYO’s Big Busk 2026.
Taj is a presenter with ABC Classic, a digital media graduate and voice-over artist currently studying Music Performance at Monash University, specialising in piano and percussion. She is also developing her skills in conducting and production assisting, alongside her passion for tango dancing. Motivated by her own journey, Taj tells stories that explore the challenges, triumphs and diverse experiences of migration through audio-visual artistic forms. She has collaborated with local and international artists across live performance, film, theatre, recording projects and installations.
Freya is a Melbourne/Naarm-based clarinettist and proud former member of Melbourne Youth Orchestras. She joined her first MYO Summer School in 2015 and participated in MYO programs for many years, culminating in three years with Flagship MYO from 2022–2024. Freya is currently completing an Honours Degree in Music Performance at the University of Melbourne, studying with David Thomas. She has performed with Orchestra Victoria, the Australian Youth Orchestra and university orchestras, and toured internationally with AYO in 2025. A passionate chamber musician, Freya performs with her trio, Ellipsis.
Taj and Freya will guide audiences through a full day of performances, celebrating the remarkable talent, diversity and creativity of MYO’s young musicians.
Throughout the day, 14 MYO ensembles will take to stages and busking locations around the Queen Victoria Market. Each ensemble will perform a 25-minute set, creating a constantly changing soundtrack for market visitors.
The 2026 line-up includes: Adaptive Music Bridging Program, Alexandra Cameron Strings, Flagship Melbourne Youth Orchestra, John Antill Youth Band, Melbourne Camerata Strings, Melbourne Youth Big Band, Melbourne Youth Chamber Strings, Melbourne Youth Concert Band, Melbourne Youth Jazz Orchestra, Melbourne Youth Junior Strings, Melbourne Youth Sinfonia, Melbourne Youth Strings, Melbourne Youth Wind Symphony, Percy Grainger Youth Orchestra.
From string orchestras and chamber ensembles to jazz, concert bands, wind ensembles and MYO’s flagship orchestra, The Big Busk 2026 will showcase the extraordinary breadth of young musical talent being nurtured across Victoria.
Following the success of the inaugural Big Busk in 2025, which raised $35,000, MYO has set a fundraising target of $50,000 for 2026.
Funds raised will support MYO’s Future Fund, a long-term initiative working towards the broader goal of ensuring young people across Victoria continue to have access to outstanding ensemble music education, performances and creative opportunities for generations to come.
The Big Busk is more than a fundraiser. It is a celebration of community, creativity and the transformative power of music education, bringing young musicians and the wider community together in one of Melbourne’s most vibrant public spaces.
The 2026 event also marks a significant expansion of the Big Busk movement.
Originally established by Sydney Youth Orchestras (SYO) and presented jointly with MYO in 2025, this year’s event will expand to include Queensland Youth Orchestra and Music for Canberra, creating an East Coast-wide celebration of youth music-making, with thousands of young musicians performing in cities and communities across Australia on the same day.
The Big Busk 2026
Date: Saturday 19 September 2026
Time: 8:00 am – 4:00 pm
Location: Queen Victoria Market, Naarm, Melbourne
Entry: Free
Donations are now open via: www.mycause.com.au/events/myobigbusk