Local children meet some of the Taiko Drumming performers.
Canowindra Baroquefest Musical Director Andrew Baker says this year’s program is the best ever put together, ahead of this weekend’s annual festival.
The Canowindra Baroque Music Festival, better known as “Baroquefest”, is now in its fifth year, and will showcase a wide variety of music across six concerts from Friday night until Sunday night.
“Adhoc Baroque”, the first show on Friday evening, and “Elysian Fields”, the third concert on Saturday night, will be the two centrepiece events of the weekend, held at the All Saints’ Church.
Four other shows will be held at local wineries and properties.
Mr Baker, who organises all of the musicians in each performance, said there would be a wide variety of music on offer this weekend.
“Baroque music is very specialised. Most musicians travel and play together,” he said. “The music is mostly from the early to mid 1700s, and the start of the classical music period. It’s quite a popular genre very vibrant and energetic.”
“Some of our shows will feature music from before and after the Baroque period too. There will be Jazz, Tango, and medieval style sounds that have links to Baroque.”
Examples of some of the instruments expected to be seen are the harpsichord, violin, viola, cello, opera singing, and an electric jazz ensemble.
Mr Baker said concert goers will enjoy hearing many different sounds, and would get an understanding of the development of music over the last few hundred years.
He said the concerts would be quite informal, with performers engaging the audience regularly.
Judy McLaren, who has organised the local school programs for this year’s festival, said with villages and towns in the area presently planning their futures and looking for future attractions, it was worth noting some present events that with encouragement and support can develop into bigger attractions and help expand visitation to the area.
“Canowindra Baroquefest, now in its 5th year of providing outstanding musical entertainment over a whole weekend is one such event. And each year it attracts new people. This year Baroquefest has developed a coach tour program and looks forward to welcoming the members of KurRingGai West Probus Club who will travel
from Sydney on Friday 18th October and enjoy 4 concerts as well as leisure time in the town and visits to surrounding areas before returning to Sydney on Sunday evening,” she said.
“A drought prevents the countryside looking its best but surely the warmth of country folk will encourage return visits.”
Canowindra Baroquefest has already this year brought children, teachers and other supervisory staff from surrounding small schools to town to join local schools attending an outstanding concert of Japanese Taiko drumming.
Baroquefest pays the cost of buses bringing small schools from Carcoar, Greenethorpe, Wyangala Dam, Woodstock and others in to attend a Musica Viva Concert at the auditorium at the Canowindra Services Club.
“On 9th September this year 400 children attended these concerts to their great enjoyment and as part of their music education. Some schools then went on to visit the Age of Fishes. A great day out for all and more visitors to Canowindra,” Judy said.
“Baroquefest 2019 is almost upon us with a choice of 5 concerts provided by world class musicians all of whom love the opportunity to come to Canowindra.”