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X-WR-CALNAME:Castlemaine State Festival
X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://castlemainefestival.com.au
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Castlemaine State Festival
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TZID:Australia/Melbourne
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DTSTART:20250405T160000
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260328T160000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260328T170000
DTSTAMP:20260503T040436
CREATED:20251027T045222Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260327T050320Z
UID:10000020-1774713600-1774717200@castlemainefestival.com.au
SUMMARY:MSO Chamber Players
DESCRIPTION:Two great Romantic voices\, one intimate stage. Members of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra bring the lush sound of Brahms and Tchaikovsky to Castlemaine in Souvenirs — a program of string sextets that shimmer with longing and emotional fire. Demanding technical brilliance from each musician the program explores friendship\, memory and longing through music that was itself written as a gift. Brahms’ Sextet No. 1\, written for a close friend\, and Tchaikovsky’s Souvenir de Florence\, inspired by his time in Italy. The sextet format\, with its expanded string textures and conversational warmth\, creates a perfect balance between intimacy and symphonic power. Listeners are drawn into the heart of Romantic expression — lyrical\, lush\, and utterly human. MSO Chamber: Souvenirs reminds us that classical music\, at its best\, speaks directly to our shared experiences of beauty\, remembrance and love.
URL:https://castlemainefestival.com.au/event/mso-chamber-players/
LOCATION:Castlemaine Town Hall\, 25 Lyttleton st\, Castlemaine\, Victoria\, 3450\, Australia
CATEGORIES:Music,Town Hall Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://castlemainefestival.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/MSO-Chamber-Players.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260328T090000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260328T130000
DTSTAMP:20260503T040436
CREATED:20251028T030158Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251201T032026Z
UID:10000027-1774688400-1774702800@castlemainefestival.com.au
SUMMARY:Big String Day
DESCRIPTION:The Big String Day is a joyful\, all-ages workshop and performance for string players of every level — from beginner violinists to seasoned cellists. Presented by Resonance String Orchestra\, this inclusive event celebrates community music-making in its purest form. Participants will join professional mentors for a day of ensemble playing\, technique-sharing and discovery. The program culminates in a participants massed performance\, filling the space with the sound of dozens of instruments playing together — an unforgettable experience of shared rhythm and harmony. Led by the passionate Resonance team\, The Big String Day creates opportunities for learning\, connection\, and creative confidence across generations. Whether you’ve been playing for decades or just picked up your first bow\, this is your invitation to join the orchestra — and feel the joy of strings in full flight. \nTickets
URL:https://castlemainefestival.com.au/event/big-string-day/
LOCATION:Castlemaine Town Hall\, 25 Lyttleton st\, Castlemaine\, Victoria\, 3450\, Australia
CATEGORIES:Music,Workshops
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://castlemainefestival.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/B1028484-5A0C-4425-81F4-A72CDAFB9E53_1_102_o.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260327T190000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260327T203000
DTSTAMP:20260503T040436
CREATED:20251119T232324Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260322T044219Z
UID:10000472-1774638000-1774643400@castlemainefestival.com.au
SUMMARY:Acknowledgement - Kutcha Edwards\, James Rigby\, Peace Choir & The Putbacks
DESCRIPTION:This special 2026 Festival commission brings together two elder statesmen of the Australian music scene. Kutcha Edwards\, Songman and songwriter\, uses music to create connections across cultures\, generations\, and spaces. James Rigby has been working with local community choirs to explore ideas of community and identity\, particularly identity as defined by the land where we live. James and Kutcha will be joined on the Town Hall stage by the Castlemaine based Putbacks and Peace Choir. With stories and songs from the students of the Nalderun First Nations education program\, Meeting Place collaborating with Melbourne’s Golden Scissor Puppets on production visuals. Together they create a performance where you feel and better understand how every day we live\, work\, and dream on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander lands. An evening of spirit\, passion and connection on Djaara Country.
URL:https://castlemainefestival.com.au/event/acknowledgement-kutcha-edwards-james-rigby-peace-choir-and-the-putbacks/
LOCATION:Castlemaine Town Hall\, 25 Lyttleton st\, Castlemaine\, Victoria\, 3450\, Australia
CATEGORIES:Music,Town Hall Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://castlemainefestival.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Yarrabah_Kutcha_thumb.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260326T180000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260326T190000
DTSTAMP:20260503T040436
CREATED:20251201T004611Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251210T054018Z
UID:10004144-1774548000-1774551600@castlemainefestival.com.au
SUMMARY:Together
DESCRIPTION:A special night bringing together past alumni with current orchestra members. \nLike many of us\, the years 2020 and 2021 were disruptive and had a big impact on the orchestra and the music program. This concert gathers past and present orchestra members in a program that remembers and shares stories about all that has been achieved over the last 5 years. Expect performances from the classical repertoire by composers such as Mozart\, Richard Meyer’s Millennium – regarded a ‘tour de force’ for the student orchestra – plus cinematic scores from popular movies such as Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith. \nFeel the force of the future of music.
URL:https://castlemainefestival.com.au/event/together/
LOCATION:Castlemaine Town Hall\, 25 Lyttleton st\, Castlemaine\, Victoria\, 3450\, Australia
CATEGORIES:Free Events,Music,Town Hall Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://castlemainefestival.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/CSC.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260322T180000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260322T190000
DTSTAMP:20260503T040436
CREATED:20251023T033736Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260318T022810Z
UID:10000008-1774202400-1774206000@castlemainefestival.com.au
SUMMARY:Sergej Krylov & Konstantin Shamray
DESCRIPTION:Virtuosity meets intimacy in this concert featuring world-renowned violinist Sergej Krylov playing a 1710 Stradivari ‘Camposelice’ and pianist Konstantin Shamray. Greatly influenced by cellist Mstislav Rostropovich\, with whom he regularly shared a stage as a young violinist\, Krylov’s nuanced artistry has seen him perform internationally as well as hold the role of Music Director of the Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra. An exquisite French repertoire traverses romantic lyricism and fire\, highlighting the chemistry between Krylov’s precision and Shamray’s expressive power. Presented in an intimate in-the-round concert setting\, this electrifying recital showcases two master musicians at the height of their powers\, blending technical brilliance with emotional depth — a musical dialogue of brilliant\, emotional power. \nCamille Saint-Saëns – Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso in A minor\, Op. 28\, \nMaurice Ravel – Violin and Piano Sonata No. 2 \nMaurice Ravel – Tzigane\, M 76 for violin and piano \nCésar Franck – Violin Sonata in A major\, FWV 8
URL:https://castlemainefestival.com.au/event/sergej-krylov-konstantin-shamray/
LOCATION:Castlemaine Town Hall\, 25 Lyttleton st\, Castlemaine\, Victoria\, 3450\, Australia
CATEGORIES:Music,Town Hall Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://castlemainefestival.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Sergej-Krylov-1.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260322T130000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260322T170000
DTSTAMP:20260503T040436
CREATED:20251027T025737Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260322T110145Z
UID:10000013-1774184400-1774198800@castlemainefestival.com.au
SUMMARY:The Heart of Opera
DESCRIPTION:A celebration of the timeless power of opera. \nExperience soaring arias\, dramatic duets and stirring ensembles up close in this intimate opera recital. \nPresented by Victorian Opera for the Festival’s 50th anniversary\, The Heart of Opera features principal artist Kathryn Radcliffe alongside prize-winning emerging artists Bailey Montgomerie (baritone)\, Rachael Joyce (soprano) and Alessia Pintabona (soprano)\, with Phoebe Briggs on piano. \nProgram includes: \nSong to the Moon – Rusalka\, Dvořák (Radcliffe) \nPur ti miro – The Coronation of Poppea\, Monteverdi (Joyce\, Pintabona) \nMorrai\, sì – Rodelinda\, Handel (Pintabona) \nV’adoro\, pupille – Julius Caesar\, Handel (Joyce) \nSusanna or via sortite – The Marriage of Figaro\, Mozart (Joyce\, Pintabona\, Montgomerie) \nComme autrefois dans la nuit sombre – The Pearl Fishers\, Bizet (Radcliffe) \nÔ vin\, dissipe la tristesse – Hamlet\, Thomas (Montgomerie) \nAh! Je veux vivre – Romeo and Juliet\, Gounod (Joyce) \nSoave sia il vento – Così fan tutte\, Mozart (Joyce\, Pintabona\, Montgomerie) \nVedrai\, carino – Don Giovanni\, Mozart (Pintabona) \nChe soave zeffiretto – The Marriage of Figaro\, Mozart (Joyce\, Radcliffe) \nQuesto amor\, vergogna mia – Edgar\, Puccini (Montgomerie) \nGlitter and be gay – Candide\, Bernstein (Radcliffe) \nSome Other Time – On the Town\, Bernstein (Joyce\, Pintabona\, Radcliffe\, Montgomerie)
URL:https://castlemainefestival.com.au/event/the-heart-of-opera/
LOCATION:Castlemaine Town Hall\, 25 Lyttleton st\, Castlemaine\, Victoria\, 3450\, Australia
CATEGORIES:Music,Town Hall Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://castlemainefestival.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Victorian-Opera.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260321T190000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260321T213000
DTSTAMP:20260503T040436
CREATED:20251030T232019Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260210T051132Z
UID:10000043-1774119600-1774128600@castlemainefestival.com.au
SUMMARY:Andrea Lam and the Australian String Quartet
DESCRIPTION:Exhilarating\, multi award-winning pianist Andrea Lam made her debut at 13 years of age with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. \nAs a soloist she has performed with major orchestras and leading conductors in Australasia\, Japan\, China and the United States as well as recording acclaimed albums of contemporary and classical piano works\, with ‘Piano Diary’ winning the 2025 ARIA for ‘Best Classical Album’. Her role as the classical expert on ABC TV’s The Piano – Australia established Andrea as a much-loved music ambassador. \nA keen and sought-after chamber musician\, Andrea was pianist of New York’s Claremont Trio from 2010 – 2020 and is a frequent guest of premier chamber music festivals around the world. In her first ever Castlemaine appearance\, Andrea will share some of her favourite solo piano works including by Chopin\, then will be joined by the esteemed Australian String Quartet\, to present Brahms’ Piano Quintet\, one of the best-loved piano quintets of all time. \nThe members of the Australian String Quartet are privileged to perform on a matched set of Guadagnini instruments handcrafted by Giovanni Battista Guadagnini between c.1743 -1784 in Turin and Piacenza\, Italy. \nIn a night to remember\, experience the flair and verve\, unique blend of passion and lyrical beauty that Andrea brings to the intimate world of the solo piano and chamber music.
URL:https://castlemainefestival.com.au/event/andrea-lam-and-the-australian-string-quartet/
LOCATION:Castlemaine Town Hall\, 25 Lyttleton st\, Castlemaine\, Victoria\, 3450\, Australia
CATEGORIES:Music,Town Hall Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://castlemainefestival.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Andrea-Lam-ASQ.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260321T130000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260322T143000
DTSTAMP:20260503T040436
CREATED:20251028T033757Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260315T233136Z
UID:10000033-1774098000-1774189800@castlemainefestival.com.au
SUMMARY:Resonant Heart
DESCRIPTION:A mesmerising kaleidoscope of multi-lingual poetry\, folk songs\, movement\, and ritual. \nThe Resonant Heart – where diverse worlds and traditions meet in harmony – is a multi-disciplinary ensemble who have united to share and create from their collective cultural and artistic knowledge. Comprising Sudanese poet Nyaluelit ‘Lizzy’ Kuoth\, Indian sitarist Sarita McHarg\, Iranian artists Vahideh Eisaei and Elnaz Sheshgelani\, and the Balkan and Sephardic Jewish music trio SARAY Iluminado Femme\, featuring vocalist Nela Trifkovic\, and instrumentalists Irine Vela and Kelly Dowall\, the ensemble unveils an enchanting blend of cultural\, poetic\, and musical magic. Experience world that is simultaneously different and unexpected\, yet intimately familiar.
URL:https://castlemainefestival.com.au/event/resonant-heart/
LOCATION:Castlemaine Town Hall\, 25 Lyttleton st\, Castlemaine\, Victoria\, 3450\, Australia
CATEGORIES:Music,Performance
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://castlemainefestival.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/resonant-e1765857682334.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260320T200000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260320T220000
DTSTAMP:20260503T040436
CREATED:20251028T031303Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260317T064836Z
UID:10000029-1774036800-1774044000@castlemainefestival.com.au
SUMMARY:OPENING NIGHT - Genesis Baroque & Trinity Choir
DESCRIPTION:Genesis Baroque brings the vibrant music of the 17th and 18th centuries to life with fresh intensity. The ensemble’s players are some of Australia’s most respected early-music specialists\, known for their precision and generosity on stage. Their historically informed performances use period instruments to recapture the emotional immediacy of the Baroque masters. For this special concert\, they are joined by the illustrious Choir of Trinity College\, renowned for their precise and expressive consort singing. This debut performance by both companies in the Castlemaine Town Hall offers an evening of grandeur without distance — a dialogue between centuries\, made intimate once again. \nExpect an opening concert of radiant\, timeless Baroque masterworks by Handel\, Bach and Vivaldi guaranteed to set your spirit soaring. \nThis special 50th anniversary year concert will commence with the Festival Fanfare by Australian composer Peter Charles Rorke. The Festival commissioned the work\, which premiered at the first Festival in 1976\, performed by the Thompson Foundry Band. \n  \nPeter Charles Rorke Festival Fanfare \nGeorge Frideric HANDEL (arr. Robert King) Mr Handel’s Water Pieces \nAllegro\nSarabande\nHornpipe \nJohann Sebastian BACH Brandenburg Concerto No.5 in D Major\, BWV 1050 \nAllegro\nAffettuoso\nAllegro \nAntonio VIVALDI Gloria in D\, RV 589 \nGloria\nEt in terra pax hominibus\nLaudamus te\nGratias agimus tibi\nDomine Deus\, Rex cœlestis\nDomine Fili unigenite\nDomine Deus\, Agnus Dei\nQui tollis peccata mundi\nQui sedes a dexteram Patris\nQuoniam tu solus sanctus\nCum Sancto Spiritu \n  \nThis performance of Thompson’s Foundry Band is being sponsored by the family of the late Yui Kwong Mak in his memory. During Mak’s time studying engineering at Castlemaine Technical College in the early 1960s\, Mak developed a lifelong admiration for the Band. \n 
URL:https://castlemainefestival.com.au/event/genesis-baroque-trinity-choir/
LOCATION:Castlemaine Town Hall\, 25 Lyttleton st\, Castlemaine\, Victoria\, 3450\, Australia
CATEGORIES:Music,Town Hall Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://castlemainefestival.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Genesis-Baroque.jpg
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