Where Music Belongs to Everyone
Tyalgum Community Hall | 25–27 September
The Tyalgum Music Festival returns to the Tyalgum Community Hall this September, continuing its distinctive approach to presenting classical music in an intimate regional setting in the Tweed.
Across three days, the festival brings together opera, chamber music, jazz and orchestral works in a space where audiences sit close to performers, ticket prices remain accessible, and first-time concertgoers are welcomed alongside seasoned listeners.
Last year, the festival received a Tweed Shire Council award in recognition of its contribution to regional arts and cultural life. For festival director, Katharine Willison, though, the focus remains firmly on the experience itself rather than the recognition.
“At its heart, this festival is about removing barriers,” Katharine says. “We want people who may never have been to an opera or classical concert to feel comfortable walking through the door.”
Friday: Opera in close quarters
The festival opens with A Night at the Opera, now in its fourth year in Tyalgum.
Presented in a reduced format, opera takes on a more immediate quality inside the Community Hall, shaped by proximity rather than scale.
“You’re right there with the performers,” Katharine says. “You hear everything — the detail, the breath, the emotion. It becomes something very direct, and for many people, it’s their first experience of opera.”
Saturday: Emerging voices and chamber works
Saturday begins with Rising Stars, showcasing emerging classical musicians in the early stages of their careers.
“There’s a real energy in that program,” she says. “It’s exciting to watch musicians stepping into their potential in real time.”
Later, pianist Maxwell Foster joins the Limpinwood Ensemble for Schubert’s Piano Quintet in A Major, “The Trout”, alongside Eve Newsome performing Mozart’s Oboe Quartet, presenting chamber music in an intimate setting.
The afternoon shifts into something more theatrical with Façade – An Entertainment by William Walton, where Edith Sitwell’s poetry is performed by Jason Barry-Smith and Leisa Rayven with a chamber ensemble.
“It’s playful, chaotic, and very funny,” Katharine explains. “It doesn’t take itself too seriously, and that’s part of its charm.”
The day concludes at the TMF Jazz Café with Swing Central and Brad Leaver, transforming the hall into a
late-night jazz space.
Sunday: Reflection and finale
Sunday features harpist Emily Granger performing works from her album, A Thing of Beauty, followed by pianist Konstantin Shamray performing Chopin alongside Breakthru Films’ The Magic Piano, combining live performance with film.
The festival closes with a Baroque concert featuring Courtenay Cleary (Vivaldi’s Winter), Ein Na (Summer by Vivaldi as well as the Bach Double), Emily Granger (Handel’s Harp Concerto) and 2025 Young Instrumentalist Prize winner Patrick Phillips (Popora’s cello concerto).
Homegrown voices, shared stage
The Tyalgum Music Festival continues to draw on both world-class visiting artists and the exceptional talent from across the Tweed Valley itself. This year’s program includes performances from born-and-bred local musician Katherine Philp, alongside an international and national line-up
spanning opera, chamber, jazz and orchestral music.
In keeping with the festival’s long-standing approach, school-aged children attend all concerts free of charge, reinforcing its commitment to making live performance something experienced early, often and without barriers.
Tickets are now available at www.trybooking.com/eventlist/tyalgummusicfestival or via
www.tyalgumfestival.com.au.
