If you find yourself standing on the shores of Sydney Harbour this Wednesday night, you are about to experience one of the most complex synchronised performances on the planet. While the pyrotechnics often steal the headlines, the real pulse of the midnight moment comes from the speakers, and this year, it is being driven by a true heavyweight of the Australian music scene.
Jono Ma, the co-founder of Sonar Music, has been tasked with creating the sonic backdrop for the transition into 2026. The track, titled Higher Together, is a twelve-minute journey designed to match the intensity of thousands of fireworks exploding across the Harbour Bridge and Opera House.
It is a massive undertaking that requires a specific blend of technical precision and creative flair. Jono has pulled from a diverse palette of genres to ensure the energy stays high for the duration of the show.
The composition features a high-voltage mix of acid house, gospel, rave, and electro, all layered with a full orchestral arrangement. It is the kind of genre-bending work that Jono has become famous for during his career as a producer and composer.
Working with over 100 musicians and creatives, the production of the midnight soundtrack is a landmark moment for both Jono and the team at Sonar Music. The track is set to be broadcast to millions of viewers around the world via the ABC, acting as Australia’s primary cultural export for the night.
While the NYE show is a pinnacle moment, it is far from the only place you have heard Jono Ma’s work recently. If you are a fan of high-end Australian drama or even just watch the occasional commercial, his studio is likely the soundtrack to your daily life.
Sonar Music was formed back in 2010 by a collective of talented individuals including Jono, David McCormack, Matteo Zingales, Andrew Lancaster, and Antony Partos. You might recognise David McCormack’s name or voice, as he is the man behind Bandit Heeler on the global phenomenon Bluey.
The studio has managed to rack up over 300 accolades across local and international stages since its inception. This includes work on Oscar-nominated films and some of the most recognisable advertising campaigns in Australian history.
From the iconic I feel like a Tooheys ads to major campaigns for Qantas, Coca-Cola, and the Commonwealth Bank, Sonar has a hand in the cultural fabric of the country. Their ability to switch between 30-second commercial spots and feature-length film scores is what sets them apart in a crowded market.
Speaking on the scale of the Sydney Harbour project, Sonar Executive Producer Sophie Haydon highlighted the significance of the event. She noted that this is a unique opportunity to show what the studio is capable of on a truly global platform.
The timing of this performance coincides with several other major releases from the Sonar stable. On January 1, Binge is set to release the original series RUN, which focuses on the story of Australia’s most notorious bank robber, Brenden “Postcard Bandit” Abbott.
Jono Ma worked alongside Jackson Milas to produce the original score for RUN, and the sound profile is a departure from the celebratory rave vibes of New Year’s Eve. For this project, the team leaned into a much darker, more atmospheric toolkit to match the tension of the narrative.
Jono explained that the goal was to create a soundscape that felt authentically Australian while maintaining a modern, gritty edge. The use of hardware synths and industrial rhythm sections played a major role in achieving that specific mood.
This versatility is a hallmark of the composers at Sonar. While Jono is diving into industrial synths for Binge, his partner Antony Partos has been busy with some of the biggest cinematic releases of the season.
Antony is the man behind the score for Christy, the new feature film from director David Michôd starring Sydney Sweeney. The film is set for an Australian release on January 8 and marks another high-profile collaboration for the composer.
Antony’s resume is incredibly deep, including work on Disney+’s The Artful Dodger and the Oscar-nominated Tanna. His ability to craft emotive, cinematic scores has made him one of the most sought-after composers in the global film industry.
The studio’s impact on the box office is also hard to ignore. Matteo Zingales, another Sonar heavyweight, worked with rising talent Josie Mann to score the family comedy Kangaroo.
That film has officially become the highest-grossing Australian film of 2025. It is a testament to the fact that Sonar isn’t just winning awards; they are helping create content that Australians actually want to go out and see.
The statistics surrounding the studio are quite staggering when you look at them in isolation. They have contributed to over 250 television series and 100 films, while amassing over 150 million streams on Spotify.
It is rare to find a creative powerhouse that can balance the commercial needs of brands like Toyota with the artistic demands of a Catherine Zeta-Jones project like Kill Jackie. Yet, the team at Sonar seems to navigate these different worlds with ease.
As we look toward 2026, the pipeline for the studio remains incredibly busy. With RUN launching in just a few days and several feature films in the works, the sound of Australian media is firmly in their hands.
The technology behind modern scoring has changed significantly, but the core requirement for a great melody or a compelling rhythm remains the same. Whether it is a dark synth for a crime drama or an acid house beat for a fireworks display, the goal is always to provoke an emotional response.
For those of us watching the fireworks this year, it is worth taking a moment to listen to the layers of the Higher Together track. It is a massive technical feat to time music to the millisecond across a harbour as large as Sydney’s.
The coordination between the ABC broadcast team, the City of Sydney, and the composers at Sonar is a masterclass in event production. It ensures that the transition into the new year is as much of an auditory experience as it is a visual one.
If you are a fan of Australian music and production, seeing local talent like Jono Ma take centre stage for such a pivotal moment is fantastic. It reinforces the idea that we have world-class creative directors right here in our backyard.
So, as the clock ticks down on Wednesday night, keep an ear out for those industrial drum machines and orchestral swells. You are listening to the culmination of months of work by some of the best in the business.
It is the perfect way to wrap up a massive year for Australian film and television. And based on the upcoming slate from Sonar Music, 2026 is going to sound just as good as the year before it.
For more information, head to https://sonarmusic.com.au/
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