Upcoming Events
We are proud to present another program of inspiring concerts and events for 2023,
and continue to offer free tickets to flood-affected members of our community.
We have a fantastic lineup of events coming up to see us through to the end of the year! Starting with our own Youth Jazz Orchestra performing an outdoor gig in our forecourt with talented latin/afro-cuban musicians from Sydney (Gai Bryant, Cesar Marin, Kent Windress) on Saturday 12th August. Followed by the astonishing exponents of chamber music, Ensemble Q, presented in association with Musica Viva Australia in our concert room on 22nd August.
After that the YJO will be performing a set at The Lismore Show on the North Coast National Stage, featuring some very special guest vocalists to lead the way. In early November we will be hosting the fabulously creative duo, Sonya & Christine, as they perform Tchaikovsky and George Crumb in a boundary-pushing re-contextualisation of conventional concert practice. Stay tuned!
SONYA & CHRISTINE
Saturday 11th November 7PM
NRC Concert Room
Conceived as a reflection on the cyclical nature of life, ‘Above/Below’ pairs the poetic, lyrical vignettes of Tchaikovsky’s The Seasons, Op. 37a (based on the twelve calendar months of the year) with the abstract mysticism of George Crumb’s Makrokosmos, Book I (based on the twelve houses of the zodiac), weaving a beguiling journey through the calendar year.
Ukrainian-Australian pianist Sonya Lifschitz is at the forefront of cross-disciplinary collaboration in Australia. Innovative and fiercely creative, Sonya re-contextualises the classical canon and pushes the boundaries of conventional concert practice. Joining Sonya is renowned Australian performance artist Christine Johnston (known affectionately as ‘Madame Lark’), whose uncanny ability to mimic Australian bird calls – along with her gift for narration – has seen her appear at festivals and concerts around the globe. In this concert, she’ll play the musical saw and recite poetry as Sonya juxtaposes two widely divergent musical voices, allowing them to speak to each other in surprising and illuminating ways.
Past Events
With a core artist list of some of the finest musicians in Australia, Ensemble Q is directed by Co-Artistic Directors cellist Trish Dean and clarinetist Paul Dean. Born in 2017 out of a desire to create an ensemble with the finesse of the greatest ensembles in the world and the excitement of a festival collaboration, Ensemble Q has earned an enviable reputation for brilliant programming and the highest performance standard. This group of now proudly Brisbane based friends hail from Concertmaster and Principal seats in the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, soloists and chamber musicians on the national touring network, and leading faculty at Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University.
Proudly presented in association with Musica Viva Australia, the touring programs for 2023 comprise works for violin, clarinet, cello and piano and features violinist Natsuko Yoshimoto, clarinetist Paul Dean, cellist Trish Dean and pianist Daniel de Borah.
ENSEMBLE Q | HOMAGE
Tuesday August 22nd, 7PM
NRC Concert Room
YJO vs JAZZ CUBANO COMBO
Saturday 12th August 4:30PM
NRC Forecourt
Come down to the Northern Rivers Conservatorium Forecourt for a delightful afternoon of live music on Saturday 12th August at 4:30pm. You will hear our very own Youth Jazz Orchestra joining forces with three talented members from the Jazz Cubano Combo. Alongside Dr Gai Bryant on saxophone and flute (Palacio de la Rumba, Caribé), Cesar Marin on bass (Son Veneno, Los Pibes), and Dr Ken Windress on percussion (Caribé), YJO will be lead by some of the best jazz performers in Sydney who bring a wealth of international touring experience to the table.
Helping the ensemble establish a Latin and Afro-Cuban sound, the trio from Jazz Cubano Combo are renowned for bringing a bright, colourful way of playing to tricky pieces such as Night in Tunisia, Tin Tin Deo and many more! So bring your friends, family and loved ones to enjoy what our talented students have been working on; it’s sure to be a wonderful evening of music!
Get ready to be captivated by enchanting melodies, powerful rhythms, and awe-inspiring performances as the highly popular Northern Rivers Youth Orchestra takes centre-stage at the Whitebrook Theatre, Southern Cross University, on the 6th of July at 6:30PM. This eagerly awaited concert promises an unforgettable evening of musical brilliance, showcasing the wonderful talent of the region’s young musicians (and some buddies from afar!).
Under the expert direction of their esteemed guest conductor Patrick Brennan, as well as sectional leaders from the Northern Rivers Conservatorium itself, the Northern Rivers Youth Orchestra will bring to life a diverse repertoire that spans classical masterpieces, contemporary compositions, and stunning arrangements of popular favourites. This year you will hear works by John Williams, Hans Zimmer, Shostakovich, Vivaldi, Coldplay, and themes from TV and the movies including Star Wars, Game Of Thrones, and Spiderman.
NORTHERN RIVERS YOUTH ORCHESTRA
Thursday 6th July, 6:30PM
Whitebrook Theatre SCU
THE XROSSING w/ YJO
July 8–9, 1PM
The Lismore Quad
Experience the magic of Con Colleano and the Lismore community like never before with a larger-than-life spectacle that will leave you in awe. SeedArts proudly presents THE XROSSING, a highwire tribute to Con Colleano, a Gamilaroi man born in Lismore 1899 who became the greatest tightwire artist of all time. His grace, style and achievements have never been paralleled.
The large-scale spectacle will feature breath-taking highwire artistry suspended six metres above and sixty metres across the Lismore Quad, creating a truly unforgettable experience. Our very own Youth Jazz Orchestra will be providing the musical backdrop for this event.
Nick Russoniello presents a virtuosic tour de force of melodies, counterpoint and grooves. Armed with a loop station and multiple saxophones, Russoniello journeys through music from Baroque to Beatbox and beyond. Audiences will be taken behind the scenes of the creative process as the music is constructed layer by layer before their eyes (and ears!). Russoniello reimagines the music of Telemann, Elena Kats-Chernin, Katy Abbot and Creedence Clearwater.
“This was smooth and contemplative music from a highly accomplished and awarded musician, beautiful” – Pepe Newton, Classikon
“The cascading virtuosic runs were executed with an almost excruciating tenderness.” – Jessica Tu, Limelight Magazine
“Russoniello was cool and mellow, the sax sounding like rich, gold chocolate… a dazzling virtuoso display by the composer and performer himself.” – Lynne Lancaster, Sydney Arts Guide
NICK RUSSONIELLO: ONE MAN BAND
Saturday 20th May, 7PM
Northern Rivers Conservatorium Concert Room
WOMEN OF SONG
Friday 28th April, 7PM
Northern Rivers Conservatorium
Concert Room
Women of Song is an innovative new show – developed by the acclaimed Jessie Lloyd of Mission Songs Project – including themes of intergenerational practices, singing on and from country, commitment to community, and preserving knowledge in song. It’s an intimate celebration of the ‘here and now’ of Indigenous culture, a rare mix of spontaneous conversation and songs, exploring the modern-day practice and living heart of the ‘world’s oldest living culture’.
The audience listens in as three First Nations singers and a moderator have a conversation. Someone’s story may remind someone else of a song, or a favourite popular song might start a discussion among them all. Each conversation and each performance will be unique, as the women explore live on stage how their songs preserve the social, cultural, or environmental shifts of a community, and deepen connections to country, genealogy, and custom.
As creative producer, Jessie Lloyd brings together the artists for each tour, uniquely shaping the performance to the location: some will be well-known, while others are exciting new talent. Women Of Song is an amazing opportunity to experience First Nations cultural practices in music from the women who practise them: this culture exists in contemporary music, and these First Nations women are leading it.
Animal in Hiding is the first release from a collaboration between one of Australia’s most established and critically acclaimed singer/songwriters Lior, together with exciting emerging artist Domini Forster. The pair have a creative partnership developed over six years touring together. Initially Domini toured as Lior’s support act, then as a guest vocalist and now as co-writer on their debut EP Animal in Hiding.
While Lior and Domini began writing the songs in late 2019, much of the material was developed during Melbourne’s long lockdown, over zoom from their respective homes. The title track, originally written about the isolation of winter, became the prophetic seed of the project.
Animal in Hiding features songs that are rooted in intimate storytelling. Underpinned by intricate guitar, Lior and Domini’s close vocal harmonies are the focal point of the songs, harking back to the iconic folk duos of the 60s.
