Ballarat Organs and Fine Music

24/02/2026

Our friends Genesis Baroque are joining with the Australian Boys Choir and The Vocal Consort next month for an exciting performance of Bach's monumental St John Passion:

2pm Saturday 28 March
Ballarat Central Uniting Church

We think you will be blown away by this performance and can't recommend it enough! Details and bookings are available online at www.genesisbaroque.com.au/whats-on.

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1189906249237495

10/02/2026

Ballarat, we're looking forward to bringing you more music next year, but in the meantime don't miss Australia's world music superstar this Sunday ✨

🎶 Joseph Tawadros - oud virtuoso at Ballaarat Mechanics Institute 🎶
An 8-time ARIA Award-winner of incredible musical diversity and sensitivity, Joseph Tawadros performs in concert halls worldwide and is known for his brilliant technique, deep musicianship, storytelling and joyous style of performance. Presented at one of our favourite local venues by our friends at the Bowerbird Collective.
https://www.facebook.com/events/1876170886351474
Very limited tickets available via: https://events.humanitix.com/joseph-tawadros-ballarat

8-time ARIA Award winning oud virtuoso Joseph Tawadros performs a solo recital at the Ballarat Mechanics Institute

05/02/2026

Catch our friends Bach Akademie Australia and The Song Company in Melbourne this week to hear Bach's stunning motets.

♬ 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗵 does not stand alone in this program.

Alongside the motets, two 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗿𝘆 works extend the same spiritual questions into our own time. Australian composer Sandra Milliken’s Herr 𝗝𝗲𝘀𝘂𝘀 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘂𝘀 and James MacMillan’s 𝗢 𝗥𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗗𝗮𝘄𝗻 speak in modern voices, shaped by centuries of choral tradition.

𝗠𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲𝗻’𝘀 work confronts suffering and collective plea. 𝗠𝗮𝗰𝗠𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗻’𝘀 offers stillness and light. Placed beside 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗵’𝘀 motets, these works reveal how themes of comfort faith, and hope continue to resonate.

Beginning this week in 𝗠𝗲𝗹𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲, (see comments for 🎫) experience these emotive works 𝗟𝗜𝗩𝗘 as 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗔𝗸𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗲 𝗔𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮 collaborates with The Song Company to bring 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗵'𝘀 𝗠𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘁𝘀 to -
🏛️ St John's Lutheran Church - Southgate (𝗙𝗲𝗯 𝟱, 𝟳𝗽𝗺)
🖼️ Wollongong Art Gallery (𝗙𝗲𝗯 𝟲, 𝟳:𝟯𝟬𝗽𝗺)
🎨 Mosman Art Gallery (𝗙𝗲𝗯 𝟴, 𝟮:𝟯𝟬𝗽𝗺)
⛪ St James' Church King Street (𝗙𝗲𝗯 𝟭𝟮, 𝟳:𝟯𝟬𝗽𝗺)
🏛️ Bowral Memorial Hall (𝗙𝗲𝗯 𝟭𝟯, 𝟳:𝟯𝟬𝗽𝗺)
Wingecarribee Shire Council

🩵 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗔𝗸𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗲 𝗔𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮

⛪

27/01/2026

📣 Attention all lutenists and lovers of fine music 🎶

I’m am thrilled to announce M**F 26 - three wonderful days of luting April 24-26 in marvelous Melbourne!!

21/01/2026

As the Ballarat Organs & Fine Music Festival wraps up, we’re feeling incredibly grateful for five wonderful days of music across Ballarat, Creswick and Clunes.

The Festival opened in challenging circumstances, with fires affecting much of regional Victoria, but music still blossomed in St Patrick’s Cathedral in a spirit of care and resilience. From there we shared organ, lute, early winds, cello, harp and piano, along with a special journey along the Silk Road with Baaz Avaz, all in some of the region’s most beautiful heritage spaces.

Huge thanks to the artists who brought such generosity and brilliance to every performance, and to our audiences whose warmth and good energy made each concert feel special.

Thanks also to our volunteers, venue teams and everyone working behind the scenes, and to Albert Comper Photography for capturing the moments.

Most of all, thank you for being part of it. We can’t wait to see you again in 2027 💛

14/01/2026

Songs of Light and Devotion brought the Festival to a beautifully moving close on Tuesday night.

In the soaring, atmospheric space of St Patrick’s Cathedral, the voices of vocal ensemble e21 sang with extraordinary sensitivity and depth, filling the cathedral with music of quiet power and luminous beauty. Directed by Stephen Grant, the program explored richly expressive works by Monteverdi, alongside incredibly beautiful yet lesser-known music by Luigi Rossi, Domenico Mazzocchi and Giovanni Antonio Rigatti, inviting deep listening and reflection.

It was a concert that drew performers and audience into a shared stillness, sending people home with a sense of peace and contemplation.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for this final concert, and for sharing in the music over the course of the Festival.

14/01/2026

Suites & Songs was an afternoon shaped by warmth, generosity and beautifully shared music.

Cellist Josephine Vains brought an engaging and welcoming stage presence to the program, performing with generosity, insight and a deep connection to the music. A lovely surprise came in the form of a duo with Jack Stacey, a moment of spontaneous collaboration that added an extra layer of intimacy and joy to the concert.

The program also offered a fascinating glimpse into musical history, including the chance to hear the first cello made in Australia, whose distinctive voice added richness and character to the performance.

A concert full of generous artistry, warmly received by a listening and appreciative audience.

14/01/2026

A magical start to the final day of the Festival with Elisabetta Ghebbioni’s harp recital in the beautiful Loreto College Chapel.

With its serene atmosphere and resonant acoustic, the chapel provided a perfect setting for a morning of music shared with grace and poise. Elisabetta’s playing invited close listening and reflection, drawing the audience into the harp’s intimate and expressive sound world.

The program ranged from the elegance of Scarlatti to the meditative lyricism of Ludovico Einaudi, revealing the harp’s remarkable versatility and colour across centuries.

A luminous and gently uplifting concert — a wonderful way to open the Festival’s final day.

-Images: Albert Comper Photography

14/01/2026

With its stunning pressed tin ceiling and characterful Bechstein piano, the venue provided a perfect setting for a recital shaped by artistry, generosity and deep musical insight. Jerry’s playing combined refinement and intensity with a warm, engaging stage presence that drew the audience in and held their attention from the first note to the last.

The program travelled from the wit and clarity of Beethoven, through the ravishingly languid colours of Debussy, before ending with a fabulous Earl Wild transcription of Gershwin’s Embraceable You — a final touch of elegance and charm that absolutely delighted the audience.

An evening of atmosphere, contrast and connection — one to be savoured.

14/01/2026

Reeds & Resonance on Monday afternoon was an absolute delight in Clunes Town Hall, where the venue’s beautifully preserved historic painted backdrops provided a charming and fitting setting for this colourful and inventive concert.

From tiny, micro-sized racketts to rich, octave bass curtals, the program revealed a fascinating world of early wind instruments and an extraordinary range of sounds — playful, earthy, resonant and full of character. These were brought vividly to life by Unholy Rackett — Simon Rickard, Brock Imison and Jackie Newcomb — whose energy, precision and musical artistry shone throughout the performance.

They were joined and supported with verve by Laura Vaughan on viola da gamba, Hannah Lane on baroque harp, and Nick Po***ck on theorbo and baroque guitar, creating a richly textured and engaging musical dialogue.

The concert was received with great enthusiasm from a delighted audience — a joyful celebration of imagination, virtuosity and shared listening in a truly special space.

14/01/2026

A beautifully judged and deeply thoughtful recital from Rose Hodgson on Monday morning in Clunes, in her lute program Foundation of Fantasie.

Performed with great delicacy and care, the music unfolded with clarity, intimacy and quiet intensity, revealing the subtle architecture and expressive richness of this repertoire. Rose’s playing was complemented by spoken interludes that offered fascinating insights into the music, its structure and its historical world, drawing the audience gently and attentively into the program.

An immaculately prepared performance that rewarded close listening and created a shared sense of calm, curiosity and connection — a memorable moment in the Festival.