Festival of Instrumental Music

Years 3 to 6 students and teachers

The Festival of Instrumental Music (FoIM) presents concerts of diverse and engaging repertoire and specially commissioned works for performances by Combined Recorders and Combined Strings Ensembles while also providing quality professional learning for teachers.

The Festival of Instrumental Music (FoIM) presents 4 concerts of diverse repertoire, as well as some specially commissioned works by Australian composers, in the Sydney Opera House. School recorder and string ensembles comprising students from Years 3 to 6 join together to form the combined recorder and string ensembles. As well as their individual pieces, these 2 ensembles will perform a combined item to conclude the concerts.

Teachers access quality professional learning and repertoire to support their recorder and string ensembles.

    Image
    Young peopl in an ensemble of stringed instruments.

    2024

    Applications for the Festival of Instrumental Music 2024 are now closed.

    • Performance dates – Monday 24 to Thursday 27 June (Term 2 Week 9)
    • Teachers Professional Development Workshop – Tuesday 13 February (strings) and Wednesday 14 February (recorders) Term 1 Week 3
    • Rehearsals at Marsden High School and Meadowbank Public School – Monday 20 to Thursday 23 May (Term 2 Week 4)
    • Repertoire for 2024 coming soon. Please view the related digital resources below for repertoire from previous years.

    2024 concert dates at Sydney Opera House

    • Acacia Concert – Monday 24 June 2024, 7 pm
    • Banksia Concert – Tuesday 25 June 2024, 7 pm 
    • Jacaranda Concert – Wednesday 26 June 2024, 7 pm
    • Mimosa Concert – Thursday 27 June 2024, 7 pm

    Rehearsals

    Recorder preliminary rehearsals will be held this year at Marsden High School, 8 Rhodes Street, Meadowbank, an easy 6 minute walk from Meadowbank train station – mandatory (metropolitan schools only)

    Strings preliminary rehearsals will be held this year at Meadowbank Public School, 6 Rhodes Street, Meadowbank, an easy 6 minute walk from Meadowbank train station – mandatory (metropolitan schools only)

    • Acacia rehearsal – Monday 20 May 2024, 9:15 am to 1:00 pm 
    • Banksia rehearsal – Tuesday 21 May 2024, 9:15 am to 1:00 pm 
    • Jacaranda rehearsal – Wednesday 22 May 2024, 9:15 am to 1:00 pm 
    • Mimosa rehearsal – Thursday 23 May 2024, 9:15 am to 1:00 pm

    Cluster rehearsals (non-metropolitan schools only)

    • Non-metropolitan schools are strongly encouraged to host or attend a 4-hour cluster rehearsal with other nearby participating schools (if possible) during Term 2, as negotiated with Susan Sukkar and Luke Wallace.​​​​

      Cost

      • Participation fee of $40.00 per student will be payable upon acceptance into the program. 
      • A rural and remote subsidy of 25% will be offered to all students attending from rural and remote schools as identified by the Department.

      Professional learning and resources

      • At least one teacher from each participating school should attend the Festival of Instrumental Music - teachers’ professional development workshop at the Conservatorium of Music on Tuesday 13 February (strings) or Wednesday 14 February (recorders) 9:00 am to 3:00 pm.
      • All teachers from all public schools – regardless of their involvement in the festival - are welcome to attend these workshops. Please register by Friday 2 February 2024 to receive your complimentary copy of the 2024 Festival of Instrumental Recorder or Strings Music repertoire.
      • A range of online repertoire resources will become available at the beginning of the year.
      • Each participating student and teacher will receive a specially designed T-shirt to wear at the performance.

      Recorder and piano soloists

      In 2024 we will feature a descant recorder soloist in both Psalm 100 and In the Serpentine Mine – the same player for both items; a sopranino soloist for In the Serpentine Mine; a treble soloist for In the Serpentine Mine; and a piano soloist in Concertino Bianco.

      Applications are now open

      Instrumental and vocal items

      In 2024 performance opportunities are available for outstanding instrumental and vocal items at the Festival of Instrumental Music, Festival of Choral Music, and Primary Proms. These opportunities are open to all public school students and can include music ensembles of all sizes, large or small – including soloists and choirs. To find out more and to apply, visit the Instrumental and vocal items page. Applications to be considered for a performance at the Festival of Instrumental Music, Festival of Choral Music and the Primary Proms must be submitted by Friday 10 May 2024.

      Enquiries

      For further information concerning the Festival of Instrumental Music 2024 please contact Susan Sukkar, Arts Coordination Officer at The Arts Unit: susan.sukkar@det.nsw.edu.au or concerts.artsunit@det.nsw.edu.au

      Enquiries

      Music Festivals
      The Arts Unit
      Susan Sukkar
      Arts Coordination Officer
      The Arts Unit
      Phone
      02 8512 1183