"The Bellingen Fine Music Festival weekend program is a wonderful reflection of the musical talents of the people of Bellingen and its surrounds, many of whom perform alongside the world-class musicians that the festival brings to our beautiful valley," says John Conway, one of the festival organisers.

Audiences at last year's opening concert will remember Karin Schaupp's delight at the quality of the Bellingen Youth Orchestra; a sentiment publicly echoed by the Acacia Quartet, which has been supporting local young musicians during the festival for years.

This year, Acacia will again record and perform pieces composed by local HSC Music students from Bellingen and Coffs Harbour Senior College.

Many of the students involved in the festival's famous Music by Youth project have gone on to study music at tertiary level.

They have been invited to come back to perform together in an open air concert in Maam Gaduying Park to help celebrate the festival's tenth anniversary.

Two of them, flautist Suzanne Sherrington and violinist Lachlan Wilkins, will also perform together as well as with internationally famed local David Helfgott on September 28.

Lachlan will also be playing in the Ensemble Q concert on Saturday afternoon.

Founded in 2017 at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music by cellist Trish O'Brien and clarinetist Paul Dean, the vibrant Ensemble Q will be playing Mozart, Schubert and the wonderful Clarinet Quintet by Jean Francaix.

When Trish was at the Coffs Harbour Conservatorium, she established The Academy, an ensemble of the most promising young musicians at the Con. The Academy continues to thrive under Pat Brierley and will open the Acacia Quartet concert.

Song is a big part of the festival's fringe program, which has always celebrated local choirs. This year, there is to be a grand Chorus of Choirs concert, which brings together Swingfonia, led by Mei Wei Lim, Louise Gore's Akabella, Jo Pierce's SoRomantics and Bonnie Nillson's Valla Voices.

The choirs, apart from performing singly, will join in a grand combined finale, not to be missed.

A more recent development in Gumbaynggirr country is the Gunganbuwala Singers who sing to learn and celebrate the revitalisation of the Gumbaynggirr language. Uncle Michael Jarrett and Luke Rhodes, along with the choir, will lead a language/culture workshop though song at the festival.

This year will see the involvement for the first time of the Bellingen Big Band who will be at the Old Butter Factory Café during the festival.

Also new to the festival (and the area) are two newly formed local classical music ensembles, wind quintet Waterfall Winds and string sextet Nota Bene. Much loved local classical guitarist Karin Braidwood will also be performing as well as leading a workshop as part of the fringe.

And local musical talent doesn't stop there. Youngsters will busk in the streets on Saturday as will the rather more mature Ukulele band ... And who knows who else!

Complete the weekend picture with internationally acclaimed oud player Joseph Tawadros and brother James on percussion, and jazz ensemble extraordinaire - bassist Jonathan Zwartz, guitarist Carl Dewhurst, saxophonist Julien Wilson and drummer Hamish Stuart.

Save the last weekend of September to participate in this popular and growing festival of fine music events at prices city folk can only dream about. Details and tickets at www.bellingenmusicfestival.com.au