Sydney NorthWest Music Festival
The Sydney NorthWest Music Festival provides the opportunity for public schools to come together annually to showcase high-quality individual items and combined school choirs.
Students from Kindergarten to Year 12 are provided with an opportunity to develop and refine music and performance skills. In 2024, the Sydney NorthWest Music Festival is open to all public schools across NSW and moves to an exciting new venue at The Concourse in Chatswood.
Opportunities are available for school groups of up to 30 students to participate in the combined primary choir and for soloists, duets, small groups and large ensembles to perform as individual items in one of four performances.
Please note, this program was formerly known as the Arts Alive Choral Festival.
2024 dates
Sydney NorthWest Music Festival – performance dates
- Burrendong Concert – Monday 19 August 2024 (Term 3 Week 5) – Concert Hall, The Concourse
- Cawndilla Concert – Tuesday 20 August 2024 (Term 3 Week 5) – Concert Hall, The Concourse
- Pinaroo Concert – Wednesday 21 August 2024 (Term 3 Week 5) – Concert Hall, The Concourse
- Wyangan Concert – Thursday 22 August 2024 (Term 3 Week 5) – Concert Hall, The Concourse
On the day of the performance, groups in the combined primary choir will be expected to rehearse at The Concourse from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm and then return at 6:15 pm for a 7:00 pm performance.
Tickets for the 2024 Sydney NorthWest Music Festival will go on sale at 10:00 am on Tuesday 25 June 2024 via The Concourse.
Sydney NorthWest Music Festival – preliminary rehearsal information
- Schools participating in the Burrendong Concert – Tuesday 11 June 2024 (Term 2 Week 7) – 9:30 am to 1:00 pm – Civic Pavilion, The Concourse
- Schools participating in the Cawndilla Concert – Wednesday 12 June 2024 (Term 2 Week 7) – 9:30 am to 1:00 pm – Civic Pavilion, The Concourse
- Schools participating in the Pinaroo Concert – Thursday 13 June 2024 (Term 2 Week 7) – 9:30 am to 1:00 pm – Civic Pavilion, The Concourse
- Schools participating in the Wyangan Concert – Friday 14 June 2024 (Term 2 Week 7) – 9:30 am to 1:00 pm – Civic Pavilion, The Concourse
Schools should attend the rehearsal for the concert they have been allocated to.
How to apply
Combined primary choir applications for the 2024 Sydney NorthWest Music Festival have now closed. Please contact peter.s.hayward@det.nsw.edu.au if you would like to be considered for a late application.
Applications to perform as an instrumental or vocal item are now open and close on Monday 20 May 2024 (Term 2, Week 4).
Combined primary choir
The 2024 repertoire will feature an array of diverse choral works for primary school choirs, including a number of newly commissioned pieces by Australian composers, and is most suitable for students in Years 4 to 6.
As with the 2022 Arts Alive Choral Festival, a series of videos will be created to assist teachers in teaching the repertoire. These videos will be released in late Term 1, 2024.
No audition is necessary for schools to join the 2024 Sydney NorthWest Music Festival combined primary choir. Schools may apply for a group of up to 30 students to participate, and there will be an option on the online application form to indicate that you would like to bring more than 30 students if we have space available.
Please note the number of students accepted from your school will be confirmed upon acceptance into the concert. Due to capacity limitations in each venue, we may not be able to accept the full number of students each school applies to have involved. Schools will be notified of their final numbers accepted by the end of Term 1 2024.
Participation fee
- The student resource fee for each student participant in the combined primary choir is $40.00 (ex GST). As part of this, students will receive a printed repertoire booklet, access to digital teaching materials, and a concert performance t-shirt.
- Payment will be made to the student's school and direct debited by The Arts Unit from schools in early Term 3, 2024.
Instrumental and vocal items
In 2024, performance opportunities are available for outstanding instrumental and vocal items at the Sydney NorthWest Music Festival. These opportunities are open to all public school students and can include music ensembles of all sizes, large or small – including soloists and choirs.
An audition video must be submitted with your nomination, and this video must be of the piece you are nominating to perform at the festival.
Items who are successful in the audition process will be allocated an on-stage rehearsal time on their performance day. Please note, this rehearsal will take place during school hours on your allocated performance day. It is not possible to schedule this rehearsal out of school hours.
There is no participation fee payable to be involved as an individual item in the festival.
Applications for individual items are now open and close on Monday 20 May 2024 (Term 2 Week 4).
Gallery
Arts Alive Choral Festival 2023
All Arts Unit programs are inclusive. If support is required to participate in the Sydney NorthWest Music Festival, please email peter.s.hayward@det.nsw.edu.au so that we can assist.
