Events & NEWS
UPCOMING CONCERTS AND EVENTS
Mitchell Conservatorium string ensembles in concert
Don’t miss the next concert by Mitchell Conservatorium string ensembles Stringendo, Bella Forte and the Bathurst Chamber Orchestra, at 2.30pm on Sunday 11th August 2024 at All Saints’ Cathedral. As well as music by Mozart, Mendelssohn, Tchaikovsky and others, our special guest artist is pianist Elena Day-Hakker in a performance of Haydn’s spirited Piano Concerto in D-major. Join the players and conductors David Hood, Frances McLeod and Nicholas Newell for a winter’s afternoon of great music. Scan the QR Code below or contact Humanitix at https://events.humanitix.com. Further details: Mitchell Conservatorium Office, 6331 6622.
Mitchell Conservatorium brings to you ... The Swing Factor Black Tie Ball
The Swing Factor Black Tie Ball returns to BMEC for another year, brought to you by Mitchell Conservatorium. Save the date! – Friday 9th August 2024, with doors opening at 5.30pm. Prepare yourselves for a huge night of dining, dancing and jazz music. The evening will include performances from Denison College of Secondary Education Bathurst High Campus’ own Swing Factor, with an opening performance from the Mitchell Conservatorium CONnections Big Band.
Ticket prices include a 3-course meal (delivered alternate drop) as well as live entertainment for the evening. If you have dietary requirements, please note these when booking. Click here to book.
Alexander Technique lessons now available at Mitchell Conservatorium
MITCON NEWS
2024 Big Band Blast takes off
On the 23rd May, Bathurst’s mini Jazz festival, the “Big Band Blast”, struck again with Mitchell Conservatorium at the helm partnered with John Morrison and Jacki Cooper. Over a huge 3-day weekend, many teachers and students of MitCon had the opportunity to attend incredible concerts, get involved in workshops led by industry professionals and, most importantly, to strut their stuff across a three-stage venue and show off their performing abilities. Alongside the Navy Band, MitCon’s CONnections Big Band opened the weekend with a set of cracking swing tunes. The event concluded with a grand concert at BMEC with this year with dozens of local and state schools in attendance. MitCon Executive director Andrew Smith is keen to expand the event next year, making it more accessible to the public and providing more people with the opportunity to perform in a professional setting.
Conservatorium string ensembles kick off 2024 performing year
2024 kicked off with a bang for Mitchell Conservatorium string ensembles with a concert at Bathurst Uniting Church on 23 March featuring the performing groups Bella Forte, Stringendo and the Bathurst Chamber Orchestra. MitCon violin and viola teacher Nicholas Newell conducted Bella Forte in a rendition of the ever-popular Colors of the Wind, and was then joined by student Gabrielle Pallister on viola in a performance of the first movement of Telemann’s Concerto for Two Violas and Strings. Frances McLeod then directed (from her viola desk!) MitCon’s adult string group Stringendo in performances of four pieces – including moving arrangements of the Skye Boat Song and the Newfoundland traditional melody She’s like a swallow – which were well received by the 100-strong audience, who braved the heavy rain to hear friends and family members play. The Bathurst Chamber Orchestra conducted by David Hood played music by Sibelius, Tchaikovsky and Elgar, and the concert concluded with the groups combining to perform Patrick Doyle’s music from Brave.
Congratulations to our 2024 Scholarship Recipients
MitCon piano students shine in recital
Congratulations to all Mitchell Conservatorium students who took part in the 17th March 2024 recital in Studio 1 at our Havannah Street campus, to our teachers (Michelle Griffin, Carolyn Miller and David Hood) who prepared them so well, and to parents and friends who supported them is so many ways, including filling the studio with a large and very appreciative audience! Participants ranged from the very young to the adult, and from beginner to advanced, and listeners enjoyed an incredible range of enjoyable music. This was the first time many of the students had played in public, and all did so well … these recitals will be a regular event at MitCon, so watch out for the next one.
November 2023 Concerto & Aria Showcase
Did you hear our Ukuleles in concert - twice?
The Conservatorium ukulele group UkeCons is staving off the winter cold by keeping busy!
As part of the Bathurst Winter Festival, on Sunday 9 July the group kept themselves and the audience warm by playing some hot jazz at the Bathurst Railway Museum. Everyone present enjoyed the music-making, the beautiful acoustic of the historical venue and its excellent central heating!
Less than two weeks previously, UkeCons presented a free singalong concert for everyone to come and enjoy at the MitCon studios in Havannah Street. Director Michelle Griffin had everyone clapping along and singing the tunes – even our office staff got involved!
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Big Band Blast lives up to its name
The Bathurst region Big Band Blast Festival opened on 26 May 2023 and MitCon CONnections Big Band was in the thick of it right from the very beginning. After a huge day of setting the stages and working alongside musical legends Jackie Cooper and John Morrison, CONnections members took to the stage with a performance that showcased everything from the talent of MitCon teachers and adult students right through to how much fun a performance can actually be!
A highlight for many participants was the rhythm section workshop on 28 May run by MitCon Executive Director Andrew Smith which 80 people attended. In fact, hundreds of big band and jazz enthusiasts from all over NSW attended the three-day spectacular, and support for a repeat in 2024 is strong!
Bathurst Chamber Orchestra performs music by Vivaldi, J.S. Bach and others with the Allegri Singers at Lithgow and Bathurst
All in all, nearly 160 people attended two concerts by the Bathurst Chamber Orchestra and the Allegri Singers on the weekend of 6-7 May 2023 despite very wintery weather. The first concert was presented at Hoskins Memorial Uniting Church in Lithgow, the second at Bathurst Uniting Church.
The program included the famous Vivaldi “Gloria”, with William Moxey conducting, soloists Bethany Carter-Sherlock (soprano) and Amelia Bland (mezzo-soprano), the Allegri Singers, and the Bathurst Chamber Orchestra, the latter led by violinist Nicole Hammill.
Vivaldi’s musical genius was also on display with a spirited rendition of the Concerto in C for Two Trumpets, with MitCon teacher David Hood and MitCon associate teacher Laykus Woods as trumpet soloists.
The audience was also treated to three pieces sang by the Allegri Singers: Gerald Finzi’s “Feat no more the heat o’ the sun”, Tomas Luis de Victoria’s “O Magnam Mysterium”, and American composer Frank Ticheli’s moving “Earth Song”. Luke Moxey ably accompanied.
Flautist Emma Knott featured in J.S Bach’s Suite No 2 in B Minor, BWV 1067, with the orchestra led by Dr Nicole Hammill.
Photographs from the 6-7 May 2023 Bathurst Chamber Orchestra concert
Strong MitCon representation at inaugural Bathurst Performance Exchange, Keystone 1889, 30 April 2023
On Sunday 30 April 2023 Mitchell Conservatorium vocal students joined by Conservatorium singing and piano teacher Michelle Griffin took to the stage at the inaugural Bathurst Performance Exchange at Keystone 1889, Keppel Street, Bathurst. This was an opportunity to showcase local talent and to perform and promote upcoming shows in a friendly and relaxed setting.
The Conservatorium students got to close out the show and brought down the house with rousing performance numbers from the Con’s two upcoming Cabaret evenings on 21 & 22 July 2023 at Keystone.
Enjoy these photographs taken on the day!
CONnections, Concert Band, Mitchell Young Voices & Vox at the Festival of Bells, 29 April 2023
Bathurst Chamber Orchestra performs Bach, Handel, Rimsky-Korsakov and others at Palm Sunday Concert at Bathurst Uniting Church
Photographs and videos from the BCO Easter Concert
Click on the video to hear the Bathurst Chamber Orchestra play “Were you there?” at the 2 April 2023 concert.
Click on the video to hear the Bathurst Chamber Orchestra play the Sarabande from J.S. Bach’s “Suite No 2 in B minor” with Emma Knott as flute soloist.
Congratulations to MitCon singing teacher Alyson Laver who was a finalist in the 2023 Bathurst Regional Songwriting Competition. Alyson performed her song, Four Walls, to a capacity and enthusiastic audience at a gala event at Keystone 1889 on 23 February 2023, with a fabulous six-piece backing band. We hope to hear more songs from Alyson over the coming year!
