In an era of festival cancellations and bewildering bureaucratic red tape, Newcastle Music Festival is soldiering on.
This enduring locally-managed festival, now in its ninth year, was launched in 2016 by artistic directors David Banney and Ross Fiddes to help launch and support the careers of talented Australian musicians.
It has survived thanks to its volunteer committee and strong community support.
This year's program unites inspiring guest artists with brilliant locals and offers fine music across many styles, from operatic arias, Lieder, solo clarinet, virtuosic duo piano, symphony and choral to jazz and flamenco.
The festival opens with clarinettist Mitchell Berick performing with Erin Sweetman on piano on August 6 at the Harold Lobb Concert Hall.
A graduate of the University of Newcastle and winner of a faculty medal, Berick studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London and the Australian National Academy of Music, and has been a member of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra since 2010.
Newcastle pianist Erin Sweetman memorably performed Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue and the Emperor Concerto by Beethoven in previous festivals, and also features in other concerts in this year's program.
Founded in 2022, Duo Mimesi is a dynamic Italian piano duo formed by Federico Bucaioni and Gioia Barbera. Their appearances in this year's festival include Rossini's Petite Messe Solennelle with four vocal soloists and the Festival Choirs on August 9, and a "solo" concert for four-handed piano on August 8 featuring works such as Schubert's Lebenssturme, or Storms of Life, and the world premiere of 5 Valzer in tonalità minori (5 Waltzes in Minor Keys) by Federico Bucaioni.
Opera Cocktails at historic Stanley Park will this year introduce three young singers to Newcastle audiences: Elizabeth Cooper, Patricia Turner and Michael Kaufmann, with Claire Howard on piano.
For younger audiences, dancers from Newcastle Dance Academy will perform in Saint-Saens' Carnival of the Animals and Brubeck's Points on Jazz on August 8, accompanied by 10 concert instrumentalists and a well-known actor.
There's also the narrated musical event Sound of Picture Books at Newcastle Regional Library on August 10, and the Rising Stars annual concert at Adamstown Uniting Church on August 12 featuring sisters Sienna and Kaytlin Copaceanu on cello and violin, Gabrielle Wikstrom on violin, and vocalist Lily Szabo performing with pianist Erin Sweetman.
And while many are mourning the cancellation of this year's Newcastle Jazz Festival, the Dungeon Big Band with Heather Price and a new young trio of close harmony singers, Blue Rae, will celebrate big band classics at Adamstown Uniting Church on August 13.
Three generations of the Barnes family perform in this concert, with grandfather Rod Barnes on clarinet and baritone sax, Heather Price (mother to Rosie and Evie) on double bass and vocals, and Ben Barnes (father to Abi) on drums.
The second weekend of the festival starts with mezzo soprano Linda Barcan and concert pianist Coady Green performing works ranging from Mahler and Schumann to Manuel Rosenthal.
On the afternoon of August 15, at Harold Lobb Concert Hall at the Conservatorium, Miriam Allan and Pinchgut Opera's Erin Helyard will perform a Schubertiade celebration of Schubert's many Lieder, with additional songs by Joseph Haydn and some solo fortepiano works by Josepha von Auernhammer.
The evening brings the celebrated Paco Lara and friends, conjuring up the region of Andalusia, his birthplace, in flamenco guitar and dance.
The world premiere of a new chamber arrangement of the inspired and inspiring first symphony of Gustav Mahler will close this year's Newcastle Music Festival.
Arranged by Dr David Banney, former artistic director of the festival, this world-first can be experienced on August 16 as part of the Festival Finale concert at Harold Lobb Concert Hall.
