2024 Orange Chamber Music Festival revealed

Maybe it’s something in the country air: Orange Chamber Music Festival (OCMF) always seems to strike a perfect balance in its programming – between much-loved classical works, thrilling contemporary selections and World Premiere works, all played by accomplished performers in unique venues.

From 7–10 March, the 2024 Festival will sprawl across the regional city with seven featured concerts (and two sponsored events) hosted by 13 venues. 

Left to right: Orange Chamber Music Festival musicians Rachael Kwa, Jay Byrnes and Emily Granger. Photo © Aisleen Moxey

Launching the Festival on 7 March, violinist Zoe Freisberg, clarinettist Lloyd Van’t Hoff and pianist Vatche Jambazian band together as a trio in Folk Fables and Pleasures. Celebrating the power of folk music across the world, the program includes works by Stravinksy, Bartök, Schoenfield and more. The voyage is extended further in a late-night Café Concert at Five Ways Church, with “faux-French” band Baby et Lulu – helmed by Abby Dobson and Lara Goodridge.

Opening the Festival’s second morning, the Brisbane-based Ensemble Trivium will host Rising, an event celebrating International Women’s Day. Works for flute and string quartet by Amy Beach, Caroline Shaw and Joan Tower celebrate the pioneering achievements of female composers.

Australian Baroque Brass perform Beauty & The Brass. Armed with period instruments, the group tackles works by Monteverdi, Handel, Purcell and others, alongside a new work from Artistic Director John Foster, Taking the Hill.

Orava Quartet, which made its OCMF debut in this year’s Festival, will return to perform selections from its latest release, Orawa, at the Orange Regional Conservatorium (itself set for a major upgrade in 2024).

Following is a Late Session to take listeners another trip around the world. Showcasing music from Brazil, Sweden, Peru, France and elsewhere, Brisbane-based world folk/jazz band Estampa will perform in a concert co-presented with Musica Viva Australia and Rowlee Wines

On 9 March, The Song Company brings its Superbloom program to the Holy Trinity Church for its OCMF debut. It lines up works classical and contemporary – Gesualdo, Hildegard von Bingen, Jakes Weeks and Rebecca Saunders among others – with a world premiere by soprano-composer Jane Sheldon.

Orava Quartet. Photo supplied

Later that same day, the Festival Gala takes place at the Orange Civic Theatre.

Performed by an impressive selection of festival artists, it celebrates Australia’s own with a program including works by Moya Henderson, Jabra Latham and Matthew Hindson alongside music by Reich, Lago, Ravel and Kilar. Another world premiere from Nicholas Russoniello – following the smashing success of his 2023 OCMF gala premiere – is also included in the program.

Powerhouse saxophone group Nexas Quartet offer a lunchtime tonic in Millthorpe’s TONIC, rounding out the Festival on 10 March. Alongside a three-course meal over lunch, the foursome will perform works by Debussy, Gershwin, Carl Vine and Elena Kats-Chernin in a program aptly called Pairings.

More about the 2024 Orange Chamber Music Festival can be found here.