THE LIGHTS will be dimmed at a one-off free mass-participation orchestral concert on the Gold Coast to mark Earth Hour.
The Concert for the Planet will feature the Gold Coast Philharmonic Orchestra and more than 100 local musicians performing Holst's The Planets at the Home of the Arts (HOTA) Precinct on Saturday March 24.
The free musical event, conducted by Lachlan Snow, will be broadcast around the world with musicians and communities taking part via a global livestream.
"This is going to be a brilliant moment in musical time, with an extraordinary repertoire in Holst's The Planets," said HOTA chief executive Criena Gehrke.
"We're inviting music lovers of all ages to bring a picnic to enjoy a truly memorable evening under the stars."
The performance will finish at the start of Earth Hour 2018 in Queensland. The lights will be turned down, and guests are asked to bring a torch to exit the venue safely.
Earth Hour is a worldwide event encouraging people to turn off non-essential electrical goods and lights for one hour (from 8.30pm to 9.30pm) on March 24.
For the event HOTA has collaborated with the Global Orchestra Foundation, which has created musical arrangements and how-to videos for participants to play their part on the big night. A special 'conductor-cam' guides players through the music to help players follow the score.
Following a free Tim Minchin concert in March which officially launched HOTA's outdoor program, the Earth Hour performance is the second-ever Concert for the Planet following the first in 2015 in Sydney.
The Gold Coast Philharmonic Orchestra is the first full orchestra to perform on the recently launched state-of-the-art $37.5 million outdoor stage.
On the night, there will also be sustainable and environmentally-focused community and art stalls, visual art installations by Gold Coast favourites Clayton Blake and Guy Cooper, and performance and interactive art activities including dancing, drumming, children's activities and more.
Visitors are asked to bring reusable water bottles and make use of the free water stations around the venue, carpool or use public transport to get to the event and to use the recycling services available on-site or take rubbish home.
- HOTA and Global Orchestra Foundation's Concert for the Planet with the Gold Coast Philharmonic Orchestra, HOTA, Bundall Rd, Surfers Paradise, March 24 from 5pm, concert starts at 7.30pm, free.
Details - www.hota.com.au www.earthhour.org.au
