The Friday night kick-off featured the six young energetic players of Synergy Percussion filling the floor of the Memorial Hall to capacity with their array of instruments which burst sound through the walls and into the streets.

New works were premiered including some written by HSC students - Natasha Dyason, Lilly Kenny, Lachlan Brown, Jack Parker, Sally O’Brien and Michaella Murphy.  Australian music is set to flourish with the quality of young composers like these.

On Saturday night, the well-established Sydney-based string group, Acacia Quartet, played four recently written compositions, with Bellingen Youth Orchestra playing another two.  Acacia also entertained with a moving program of music by contemporary composers Philip Glass, Lyle Chan and Elena Kats-Chernin.

St Andrew’s was the perfect acoustic venue for the beautiful performances by the two duos, Duo Blockstix and Duo Minerva, and for the rousing singing of Akabella.

Blackwattle Trio, a new Sydney-based ensemble, concluded the festival on Sunday afternoon, playing Dmitri Shostakovich’s tragic Second Piano Trio. The piece was composed at the height of the Second World War, about a dead friend. Many in the audience were moved to tears by the wonderful playing of the trio.

As always, the energetic Bellingen Youth Orchestra thrilled a full house and the organisers extend a special thank you to the four young players who form the Regent Bower Quartet and who impressed audiences at a number of venues over the weekend.

Thank you to all the performers, volunteers, sponsors and supporters who helped make this Bellingen Music Festival such a success. Planning for next year’s festival has begun.