A FEAST OF MUSIC DAYLESFORD

STORIES RETOLD
Stanbridge Centre, Christ Church Daylesford
Friday 11 September 7:30pm

Stories Retold launches the festival with a vibrant celebration of imagination and reinvention. Across four centuries, composers borrow, transform and reimagine musical ideas, creating unexpected connections between past and present. From the virtuosic flair of Matteis and the creativity of WF Bach and Elena Kats-Chernin to the colour and passion of Ravel’s extraordinary String Quartet, this is a program brimming with energy, invention and discovery.

Program to include:

NICOLA MATTEIS Ground after the Scotch Humour
ELENA KATS-CHERNIN Re-inventions
WILHELM FRIEDEMANN BACH Sonata for 2 flutes in E minor F54 (arr 2 violins)
MAURICE RAVEL String Quartet in F major

Concert duration: approx. 75 minutes (no interval)

IN GOOD COMPANY
Stanbridge Centre, Christ Church Daylesford
Saturday 12 September 11:00am

In Good Company celebrates the joy of musical conversation. From Handel’s elegance and Telemann’s wit to Beethoven’s expansive and spirited String Trio, these works showcase composers at their most engaging and inventive. Full of warmth, charm and interplay, this program invites us into a world where music is shared among friends, reminding us that some of the most rewarding musical experiences come from simply being in good company.

GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL Sonata in C major HWV 365
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN String Trio in D major Op 9 No 2
GEORG PHILIPP TELEMANN Trio Sonata in A minor TWV42:a4

Concert duration: approx. 55 minutes (no interval)

A MUSICAL GATHERING
Stanbridge Centre, Christ Church Daylesford
Saturday 12 September 2:30pm

A Musical Gathering brings together the full festival community in a celebration of friendship, collaboration and shared music-making. Featuring our inspiring guest musicians, Genevieve Lacey and Neal Peres Da Costa, this concert highlights the artistry, creativity and spirit of collaboration that lie at the heart of the festival. From the elegance and brilliance of the Baroque to the warmth and generosity of Dvořák’s magnificent String Quintet, this concert celebrates the pleasure of coming together through music.

Program to include:

GIOVANNI BATTISTA SAMMARTINI Concerto in F major for Recorder
ANTONIN DVOŘÁK String Quintet No 2 in A major Op 77

Concert duration: approx. 100 minutes (incl. interval)

CHAMBER MUSIC DINING
St Michael’s Room, The Convent, Daylesford
Saturday 12 September 6:30pm

Enjoy an intimate dining experience with chamber music in the beautiful surrounds of The Convent in Daylesford. A set three-course meal thoughtfully paired with selected Narkoojee wines* is accompanied by musical interludes performed by musicians of the festival. Numbers are strictly limited.

*includes selected wines.
Note: Bookings must close 31 August 2026

WHERE PATHS MEET
Stanbridge Centre, Christ Church Daylesford
Sunday 13 September 11:00am

Where Paths Meet brings the festival to a joyful close, gathering together many of the themes explored throughout the weekend. Inspired by landscape, folklore, birdsong and dance, this colourful program celebrates the ways music connects us to place and to one another. From the evocative sound worlds of Sculthorpe and Macens to the exuberance of Rossini, Kats-Chernin and Veltheim, these diverse musical paths converge in a vibrant finale that is both reflective and celebratory.

PETER SCULTHORPE Night Song
ELENA KATS-CHERNIN Russian Rag
CATHERINE LIKHUTA Once upon a Seagull
DANISH TRADITIONAL Selections from Last Leaf
JOHN RODGERS Bird Suite
ELLA MACENS The Lake
GIOACHINO ROSSINI String Sonata No 1 in G major
ERKKI VELTHEIM Playford Maze

Concert duration: approx. 75 minutes (no interval)