There is variety aplenty to suit all music tastes. 

Synergy

Make sure you don’t miss the opening night when world famous percussion ensemble, Synergy, will perform Xenakis’ massive work, Pleiades. Synergy’s performance has been described as ‘a sound-world unlike anything before that delivers a galaxy of sound from drums, marimbas, vibraphones and sixxens, the crazy micro-tonal metal instruments especially built for this piece’.

This year, there is a big focus on youth, due in part to the Music by Youth project headed up by our Festival director, young composer Andrew Batt-Rawden. Amongst other things, this means that the Acacia Quartet will play five short compositions by local music students. And, as always, the Bellingen Youth Orchestra will wow audiences with another of its high-energy performances.

If you like contemporary music, there’s plenty for you. This year’s theme is to highlight contrasts in classical music by presenting engaging contemporary works alongside more familiar classical repertoire. Think Elena Kats-Chernin alongside Johann Sebastian Bach and so much more.

The Festival opens on Friday Sept 19th at 6pm with a welcome party at the Maam Gaduying Park opposite the Memorial Hall. All welcome.

FESTIVAL WORKSHOPS

If you would like to learn more about our artists and improve your skills at the same time, old and young should head to one of the workshops on Saturday morning. There’s one for singers and the other for lovers of stringed instruments.

For more information about the program and how to buy tickets, visit

www.bellingenmusicfestival.com.au.

The Festival committee gratefully acknowledge the support of our major sponsors, Camp Creative, Limelight Magazine, Essential Energy and the Bellingen Shire Council as well as the many volunteers and other supporters in making this Festival possible.

Regent Bower Quartet

The Regent Bower Quartet will perform at the Old Butter Factory during the Festival. The quartet was founded by a few string players from Bellingen Youth Orchestra in early 2012 and has become widely known within the Bellingen and Coffs Harbour Community for their commitment and dedication to chamber music playing in the local area, playing at fund raising and community events as well as private functions. Many of them have recently been selected to join The Academy, a chamber music program for highly talented music students that is offered by the Coffs Harbour Regional Conservatorium.