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Maruki Community Orchestra


A bunch of Canberra people making beautiful music together...   


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Maruki Community Orchestra is rehearsing for its next concert on

Sunday 6 December 2026.

  • Theme from Chicken Run (Powell)
  • Symphonic dances from West Side Story (Bernstein)
  • Themes from Schindler’s List (John Williams)
  • Enigma Variations, Op. 36 (Elgar)

Come and join us! All welcome!

John Gould and the Maruki Community Orchestra

A book that tells the intertwined story of an orchestra and its founder. Part biography, part community history, the book traces how John Gould, after an international professional career, came to see community music as music’s deepest purpose — a belief that shaped Maruki from its very first rehearsal. It celebrates twenty years of the Maruki Community Orchestra — a community of Canberra musicians who have spent two decades making ambitious, joyful music together.

Published February 2026
Paperback/Kindle

Order from Amazon

If you are interested in joining our "Friends of Maruki Community Orchestra" email list to receive details of upcoming concerts, please send an email to [email protected]. You can opt out of receiving emails at any time.


The Maruki Community Orchestra (MCO) is an innovative community symphony orchestra devoted to all musicians in the Canberra region – regardless of age, experience and skill level, who have strong interests in playing classical musical instruments in an orchestral environment and who wish to develop their skills and express their musicality.

MCO enables its players to achieve successes not otherwise possible in a positive, encouraging environment.

Above all we are a community of enthusiastic musicians who not only enjoy exploring beautiful music, but also each other's company. To this end our rehearsal afternoon teas and musical soirées are legendary!

MCO is a very special community music project. MCO recognises and values diversity whether it is based on religion beliefs, cultural background, disability, ethnicity, education level or gender expression.

Please explore this website to find out more.

More about MCO