In the cosy heart of Footscray Library, the Inner West Symphony Orchestra gathered in the heart of Footscray Library to create something special. The quartet, Emma Rudin on violin, Elisha Gillespie-Lloyd on violin, Matthew McEniery on viola, and Sophie Cowell on cello, filled the space with beautiful classical music and invited members and the community to join in.
This wasn’t your average concert. Imagine browsing through your favourite books or sitting in a quiet reading nook when suddenly the rich, layered sounds of strings pull you into another world. The Maribyrnong Libraries team at Footscray invited everyone of all ages and backgrounds to drop in, sit back or just pass by as the quartet played. There was no expectation to stay still or be quiet; it was a come-as-you-are affair, as relaxed as the library itself.
People got to experience classical music in a laid back way. It’s not often you see a string quartet surrounded by books but that’s what made this so special. Kids had their eyes wide open, adults took a break from their busy days to listen and others just enjoyed the sounds while browsing the shelves. It was a great combination of community and culture and proved classical music can be both accessible and inspiring.
For the musicians of the Inner West Symphony Orchestra, this was an opportunity to connect with their community in a whole new way. As Emma, Elisha, Matthew and Sophie played, the music seemed to flow through the aisles and turn the library into a vibrant space where art, literature and people of all kinds intersected.
In the end, the quartet’s performance at Footscray Library wasn’t just about music; it was about breaking down the barriers to enjoying classical arts, making it part of the community’s everyday experience. Events like this remind us music doesn’t need a big stage or a fancy dress code to touch people’s hearts. Sometimes it’s perfect just where it is – among the pages of a book, in the bustle of a library or shared with a neighbour who’s hearing a cello or violin for the first time.