‘A celebration of Orange’s love for the arts…’

Free community event brings chamber music to civic square

Cultured is a celebration of Orange’s love for the arts, says Orange Chamber Music Festival Director,  Carmen Nieves, of the free community music, arts and heritage event happening in the Civic Square on Saturday, March 11.

First introduced at the Orange Chamber Music Festival in 2021, Cultured is a free family-friendly event that combines art, music, culture and heritage while making classical music accessible to people of all ages.  The all-day music program planned for March 11 will see local and visiting musicians and ensembles perform in spaces around the Orange Civic Square, starting off with the farmer’s markets in the North Court.

“Starting at 9am in the morning the NSW Police Brass band and then they will have a second ensemble called the NSW Police Band Dixieland ensemble,” Carmen said.

Then the music moves to the library at 11am for a ‘Cushion Concert’ aimed to appeal to children and the young at heart.

The free performances then continue inside the museum and gallery, respectively.

“They will be playing in the space standing up, it's not a sit-down concert,” Carmen said of the museum performance, which will feature Eliza Shephard (flutes) and Alicia Crossley (recorders).

“So we encourage people to come into the space and follow the musicians and move around the exhibition,” she said.

Orange’s own talented violinist Rachael Kwa will be performing in the gallery theatre, joined by German concert percussionist Elman Mecid.

The final performance of the day will be a musical-theatrical interactive performance of Camille Saint-Saens' humorous musical suite Carnival of the Animals. The performance will see the Orange Regional Conservatorium chamber music academy partnered with local theatre company The Pinnacle Players, who will add narration and impersonations.

It is a performance the whole family can enjoy together, Carmen said.

“It's going to be an open-air orchestral/theatre performance, outside in the South Court and we're hoping to have a lot of families coming and sitting on the stairs and kids will be able to run around,” she said.

“It is a joy to be able to provide the community with diverse free performances, with something for the whole family.”

Cultured is part of the four-day Orange Chamber Music Festival, March 9 to 12, supported by Orange City Council, Create NSW and the Orange Regional Arts Foundation.
For more information and times visit ocmf.com.au