Compass Music Festival

Compass Music Festival – Central West

Region: Rural South and West | Orange
Year 3 to 12 students and teachers
Program Music
Tags: Choral music, Music, Teacher professional development (PD)
Back to Compass Music Festival

The NSW Department of Education will present a combined public school performance at Orange Civic Theatre. The concert will feature a combined secondary choir, a combined primary choir, and a combined recorder ensemble.

On this page

Enquiries

Compass Music Festival
[email protected]

Venue

Orange Civic Theatre

Orange Civic Theatre
135 Byng Street
Orange NSW 2800
Australia

Open Map

Applications and cost

Applications for Compass Music Festival – Central West are made by schools on behalf of their participating students.

  • A participation fee of $20.00 per student will be payable upon confirmation of numbers late Term 1, 2026.
  • Each participating student and teacher will receive a specially designed T-shirt to wear at the performance.

Schools may put forward groups in more than one ensemble, however students will only be able to rehearse and perform in one ensemble per day.

Please complete the schools application form by Friday 13 February 2026 (Term 1 Week 3).

Back to index

Rehearsal and performance

Compass Music Festival – Central West will be held at Orange Civic Theatre on the Wednesday 24 and Thursday 25 June 2026 (Term 2 Week 10).

Schools participating in the Compass Music Festival will come together to rehearse throughout the day and perform an evening concert.

Back to index

Combined ensembles

The combined ensembles include:

  • combined secondary choir (Years 7 to 12)
  • combined primary choir (Years 3 to 6)
  • combined recorder ensemble (Years 3 to 12)

There is no audition required for the combined ensembles. All schools that apply will be accepted.

Back to index

Repertoire

The repertoire for combined ensembles will be made up of selections from:

  • Festival of Choral Music (combined primary choir)
  • Festival of Instrumental Music (combined recorder ensemble).

All of the combined ensembles will perform a combined opening and finale item as part of a massed choir.

Back to index

Professional learning and resources

  • Teachers will receive a master copy of the relevant repertoire (choir and/or recorders) from which to make copies for every participating student.
  • Access to a range of online repertoire resources will become available soon.
  • Teachers from participating schools are encouraged to attend in-person teachers professional development workshops for the musical component in which their school is involved.
  • Teachers from participating secondary schools are encouraged to attend in-person cluster rehearsals with their students.

 

Local teacher professional development workshops available to participating schools include:

  • Compass primary choir workshop: Monday 23 February 2026 Orange Regional Conservatorium 9:00 am to 12:30 pm
  • Compass recorder workshop: Monday 23 February 2026 Orange Regional Conservatorium 12:00 pm to 2:30 pm
  • Compass secondary choir cluster workshop: Friday 27 March 2026 Orange Regional Conservatorium 9:00 am to 2:30 pm

Please complete the teacher PL registration form if you wish to participate in the recorder and primary choir workshops.

 

Sydney teacher professional development workshops also covering the Compass repertoire include:

  • Festival of Instrumental Music recorder workshop
  • In Concert secondary choir workshop
  • Festival of Choral Music primary choir workshop

Teachers may choose to attend their local professional development workshop and/or the corresponding Sydney workshop.

Back to index

Secondary choir cluster workshop

Secondary choirs and their teachers are invited to participate in an exciting day of singing with Paul Jarman.

The cluster workshop for the combined secondary choir will support the teaching and learning of Compass repertoire. Schools are encouraged to attend this workshop. It is not expected that students will have completely learned the songs by this time.

The workshop will be led by our expert conductor and include demonstration of choral teaching strategies to support your ongoing rehearsals.

This workshop is available to participating schools and will be held from 9 am to 2:30 pm, Friday 27 March 2026 at Orange Regional Conservatorium.

Back to index

Featured ensemble opportunity

Performance opportunities are available for outstanding individual school instrumental and vocal items at Compass Music Festival – Central West. Solos, duets, or small ensembles are encouraged to apply. Pieces will be selected on the basis of providing high quality and variety to the concert.

Applicants must be available for a sound check and the evening performance.

Applications for featured performers will open in Term 1 2026.

Back to index

VET entertainment

There are opportunities for Entertainment Industry (VET) students to undertake a work placement at this event. VET Entertainment teachers should contact Alison Buckley, Arts Coordination Officer for further information at [email protected]

Applications for VET entertainment opportunities will open in Term 1 2026.

Back to index

Compass Central West: Orange 2025

A close up students performing on stage as part of the mass choir. Students are wearing black shirts with the purple compass logo under blue stage lights.
Students performing on stage as part of the mass choir. Students are wearing black shirts with the purple compass logo under blue stage lights.
A high school student sings a solo item as she accompanies herself on piano.
Students performing on stage as part of the mass choir. Students are wearing black shirts with the purple compass logo under blue stage lights.
Students performing on stage as part of the mass choir. Students are wearing black shirts with the purple compass logo under blue stage lights.
A local public school student performing a solo as a featured artist. They are singing into a microphone and being accompanied by the pianist.
The massed recorder ensemble perform onstage playing descant, treble or bass recorders. They are wearing all black and are lit by blue stage lights.
A focused photo of two students playing the violins as part of the accompanying orchestra.
A local First Nations Choir perform on stage under red lights. They are wearing all black.
Students performing on stage as part of the mass choir. Students are wearing black shirts with the purple compass logo under blue stage lights.
A black and white photo of one of the featured students playing solo piano.
A close up of two primary school students in their school uniforms singing during rehearsals.
A black and white photo of one of the featured students singing into a microphone as a soloist on stage.
A group of school students in their uniforms playing recorders as part of the Compass Music Festival rehearsals.
A group of school students in their uniforms singing as part of the Compass rehearsals.
A large group of high school students in their uniforms sitting in a large semi circle around the conductor as they sing during Compass Music Festival rehearsals.
A group of school students in their uniforms playing recorders as part of the Compass Music Festival rehearsals.
A photo of the violin and flute sections of the accompanying orchestra.
Students performing on stage as part of the mass choir. Students are wearing black shirts with the purple compass logo and black pants.
A local high school student sitting solo on stage with a blue lit blackground playing a classical guitar.
A local high school student sings into a microphone, singing solo with the a piano accompanist alongside and the massed choir in the background.
A far away shot of the combined choirs onstage and the accompanying orchestra in front led by the conductor.
Students in the recorder ensemble engaging in rehearsals under the direction of the conductor.
The two high school comperes in their formal school uniform standing side of stage at a lecturn.
Back to index

Compass Music Festival – gallery

two primary school girls playing recorder
Secondary school students playing recorder
Primary students singing
Primary students singing
Primary students singing
Primary students playing recorder
Secondary students singing
Back to index

All Arts Unit programs are inclusive. If support is required to participate in the Compass Music Festival – Central West, please email [email protected] so that we can assist.