South Coast Music Society

Since its inception in 1994, the South Coast Music Society has had a clear charter - “to provide a range of fine music for the South Coast community and to encourage young people to experience such music.”

For the nineteen years of its existence, the Society has been privileged to be able to stage their concerts using the first class facilities that St Bernard’s Church, Batehaven, is able to provide. Our grand piano is kept in the church and this has enabled many fine musicians to take advantage of it either for concerts or during church services.

We are grateful to our Sponsors, including Musica Viva Country Wide (supported by Federal and State Governments), Sydney International Piano Competition of Australia and St Peter’s Anglican College Broulee, who help us to provide concerts of exceptional quality and also to those who give of their time to ensure the continuation and success of the Society. Such access to fine music can only be seen as a positive influence in our community.
In its short history, the Society has provided concerts covering a range of musical experiences from Chamber Music to Opera and Jazz.

Highlights of over fifty concerts during our first sixteen years include:

- Oz Opera presenting the Magic Flute (1997)
- Choral: Handel’s Messiah presented by the Llewellyn Choir and Canberra School of Music Orchestra (1998)
- Pianists: Gerard Willems (1998); Lisa Moore (1999); Simon Tedeschi (2000); Roger Woodward (2002); Ian Munro (2003); Tamara Anna Cislowska (2006); Daniel de Borah (2007); Konstantin Shamray (2008 Winner Sydney International Piano Competition); Tatiana Kolesova (2010)
- Jazz: Don Burrows Quartet (1995 & 2000); Vince Jones (1999); Paul Grabowsky (2002)
- Outdoor Concerts: Water Music Festival as our contribution to the Centenary of Federation (2001) on the banks of the Clyde River; Sirocco in the Botanic Gardens (2002)
- Chamber Music: The Australian Chamber Orchestra led by Richard Tognetti (2001), Australian Brandenburg Orchestra Ensemble (2004); The Artemis Quartet (2004); Flinders Quartet (2007); Howard Penny, cellist and Timothy Young, pianist (2007); Ensemble Liaison & Majorian Ensemble (2008); Zephyr String Quartet (2009); Ironwood (2011)
- Local Musicians: ‘Mostly Mozart’ - a showcase of outstanding local young musicians (2006)
- Vocal: Soprano Sarah Shalders and clarinettist David Griffiths (2006); The Song Company (2007); Louise Page with Pip Candy (2011)
- Instrumental: Claire Edwardes, percussionist (2007); Guitar Trek (2008); Genevieve Lacey and Karin Schaupp (2010)

See what we have planned for 2013 and make sure not to miss these outstanding musicians performing in our atmospheric venue (up close and personal!) on the NSW South Coast.