5 Minutes with supporter Leta Keens (Silo Collective)
Supporter and Silo Collective founder, Leta Keens
Tuesday 3 March, 2026
The Silo Collective is not a group - it's an idea - and one that freelance writer Leta Keens first had over 16 years ago. What began as a simple concept to commission new music in a way that was personal, accessible, and community driven, has grown into a quietly influential force in Australia’s new music landscape.
We spoke with Leta about her experience commissioning music with the Silo Collective, why she continues to be inspired by Ensemble Offspring’s adventurous programming, and what it feels like to witness music being made from the very first note.
What draws you to living new music and what do you especially love about EO?
I’ve always been really interested in all sorts of music, and still go to the type of gigs I went to when I was in my twenties… alternative bands and artists at places like Enmore Theatre and Factory Theatre, folk gigs in seedy pubs, David Byrne at ICC (I can’t call it the TikTok Entertainment Centre - that’s too weird). Thinking about it, that’s what draws me to living new music - it can be as interesting, unexpected and wonderful as the type of music that has been with me all my adult life. There are so many reasons I love EO, including the fact that their programming is so thoughtful and adventurous, and I’ll hear things I’ve never heard before and can’t hear anywhere else. Plus, of course, they’re all brilliant musicians (and lovely people!). I’m so thankful for all the music EO has introduced me to - I’m pretty sure the first EO concert I went to was a Morton Feldman one in 2007 - it was such a revelation, and I was an instant fan of EO.
What is the Silo Collective and what prompted its creation 16 years ago?
Leta & friends at an Avant Gardens concert.
I usually describe Silo Collective as an idea, not a group. It’s a way of commissioning music that makes sense to me and, apparently, there’s nothing else quite like it in the world. I’m a freelance writer, and have never had a steady (or decent!) income - in Julian Burnside’s Peggy Glanville Hicks address in 2004 he talked about the fact that when historians look back, if no one has commissioned music, there’ll be a gap in our culture . For some reason, that resonated with me. He also said if you can’t afford to commission yourself, do it with other people. I thought about it for a few years, and did a fair bit of research, and came up with a concept that suits my personality and ethos. The main things are I’m very non-hierarchical and don’t like committees and meetings. Basically, Silo commissions about one piece a year - I go to the artistic director of a musical body like EO, and say I can raise $x for a commission if they’re interested. It’s up to the artistic director to come back to me with a composer and the form of music they would like. (Organisations come to me with proposals as well.) I’ll only say no if I think it would be too hard to convince people to cough up money for it (one organisation wanted me to commission arrangements of pop songs - I think that would have been impossible to sell).
How much does it cost to join a commission?
Donors to Silo commissions are only allowed to give $500 each - no more, no less - and I don’t touch the money - people go straight to the musical organisation themselves, and that way get the tax deductibility for their donation.
I came up with the $500 as that would be the amount I’d give a year to a favourite charity without expecting anything in return. With Silo, I ask if we can come to an open rehearsal of the commission (we bring the food and grog), and if we can each have an mp3 recording and a pdf of the score. We pay for our own tickets to the premiere. It doesn’t make sense to me to spend money to raise money.
The Silo Collective attending a workshop for the commissioning of A Tawny Tale by Caitlin Yeo in February, 2025.
Why do you think the Silo Collective’s model is so effective in the commissioning of living new music?
I think it’s important to say it’s only one way of commissioning, and there are plenty of other ways of commissioning music that are equally valid. Silo doesn’t suit everyone, and that’s absolutely fine. One thing that make Silo special, I think, are that, to minimise my risk, the commissions are not huge. That means each donor is aware of the significant contribution they have made, which becomes particularly evident at the open rehearsal. Being at the open rehearsal is such a privilege and is something that donors always remark on to me. I think the low-key nature of Silo suits some people - there might even be people like me who don’t like committees and meetings either! I also think the $500 amount allows a number of people who otherwise wouldn’t be able to commission music to be involved, which is great. From the creative side, some musicians and composers have told me how much they appreciate the freedom they get from a Silo commission - I leave it completely up to them and don’t want to know much about the piece until we hear it at the open rehearsal.
The Silo Collective is supporting their first international commission this October. Tell us more about that!
Claire came to me to see if Silo would be willing to commission American composer and saxophone player, Remy Le Boeuf’s piece. I had to think about it for a little while, and went back to Julian Burnside’s comment about a gap in the culture…and started thinking about what is culture, what is our culture… and decided I shouldn't be too narrow in my thinking. I thought about some of the collaborations I’ve been in the audience for over the years - there’s something quite thrilling about artists and organisations from different parts of the world working together. It had never occurred to me that Silo could be involved in such a collaboration, and was suddenly absolutely sure that the Remy Le Boeuf piece was the right commission for Silo, and was very excited at the prospect. A few days later he won the Grammy - I was beside myself. Huge congrats to Arkie Moore, who’ll be playing the piece, for choosing him!!
How do people get involved in a commission?
Best way is to get put on the mailing list (you can email or call/text me). I’m not really into social media - sorry! I send out emails when there’s any news, and there’s no obligation to donate or sign up for life. You also don’t have to ask if you can donate - the emails always have details of where to send the $500. There are a few people who have donated to Silo commissions but haven’t been to open rehearsals, so I still haven’t met them.
Finally, what concert are you most looking forward to in 2026?
I can’t narrow it down to one. It’s obviously Remy Le Boeuf’s. Then there’s the Steve Reich birthday concert - EO introduced me to Steve Reich as well - thanks so much for that! But before those two, I’m off to Amsterdam to see the premiere of Kate Moore’s percussion concerto for Claire. It sprang out of Joyful Melodies, a solo percussion piece for EO, which Silo commissioned. There was no way I was going to miss that.
If you’d like to join the Silo Collective, you can contact Ensemble Offspring via email at admin@ensembleoffspring.com or contact Leta via phone or email.
To hear the Silo Collective’s next commission, come along to Avant Gardens Spring in Sydney and Brisbane this October!
