What’s better than one guitar? Two, of course! This lunchtime concert celebrates the colour, versatility, and sheer fun of the guitar through a program of varied guitar duos.

Featuring Harold Gretton, Reg Dury, Jessica Parker, Jeff Donovan, and Tristan Tait, the concert explores the rich musical conversations possible when two guitars meet. From intimate and lyrical moments to lively rhythmic exchanges, each duo highlights a different facet of the instrument’s expressive range. Bright, engaging, and full of character, Guitarrific! — Duo Stringo offers a refreshing and uplifting musical break in the middle of the day.

Thursday, April 30, 2026 — 1 PM | Wagga Wagga Art Gallery

Can’t be there in person? Watch our livestream!

Step into three centuries of opera and musical theatre (1700s–1900s) with Character Chronicles, a captivating lunchtime concert of character solos and duets. From Handel’s Julius Caesar and Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro to Lehár’s The Merry Widow, Strauss’s Die Fledermaus, The Music Man and West Side Story, this program celebrates the drama, humour and charm of stage performance.

Featuring vocalists Stephanie Johnston, Rosemary De Battista, Katherine Choi, Peter Casey and Maggie Lawrence, accompanied by Kate Hodgson and Peter Casey, this concert promises a vibrant journey through some of the most memorable characters in musical theatre and opera.

Thursday, May 7, 2026 — 1 PM | St John’s Anglican Church

Can’t be there in person? Watch our livestream!

Pianist Hamish Tait presents a lunchtime recital of Beethoven and Brahms, exploring music of drama, lyricism, and expressive depth. The program opens with Beethoven’s 32 Variations in C minor, a compact yet intense work, followed by selected pieces from Brahms’s Op. 118, rich in warmth and intimate, song-like reflection.
The concert concludes with Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 7 in D major, a wide-ranging work that moves from grandeur to introspection before ending with wit and vitality, offering a compelling and satisfying midday musical journey.

Thursday, May 14, 2026 — 1 PM | R1 Room, Riverina Conservatorium of Music

Can’t be there in person? Watch our livestream!

As part of the Riverina Conservatorium of Music's 2026 Visiting Artists Series.

Timothy Young

Timothy Young – piano solo

UPDATED PROGRAM

Australian pianist Timothy Young presents a bold and electrifying program at the RCM, spanning early keyboard brilliance through to some of the 20th century’s most powerful orchestral works in virtuosic piano transcriptions.

The evening opens with Girolamo Frescobaldi Toccata Settima from Il Secondo Libro di Toccate, Canzone etc. (1627), offering intricate Baroque invention and expressive freedom.

This is followed by Maurice Ravel Gaspard de la Nuit (1908), a haunting and vividly atmospheric triptych featuring Ondine, Le Gibet, and Scarbo, widely regarded as one of the most demanding and imaginative works in the piano repertoire.

The first half concludes with George Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue (1905–09), a landmark fusion of jazz and classical styles, full of rhythmic drive, lyricism, and unmistakable energy.

After interval, the program culminates with Igor Stravinsky The Rite of Spring (1911–13), performed in the composer’s own arrangement for two pianos. This landmark duo piano version transforms Stravinsky’s revolutionary orchestral score into an intensely physical and uncompromising work for keyboard, where rhythmic drive, dissonance, and explosive energy are exposed with striking clarity and force.

This monumental performance brings together Timothy Young and Mathew Garvie, a former Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM) student of Timothy Young and current RCM staff member, in a collaboration defined by virtuosity, experience, and musical intensity.

From the primal ritual energy of Adoration of the Earth to the relentless build toward The Sacrificial Dance, the work unfolds as a visceral and electrifying journey, closing the program with overwhelming rhythmic power and dramatic impact.

Timothy Young is one of Australia’s most respected pianists, performing regularly at major festivals and with leading orchestras including the Australian World Orchestra and Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. A founding member of Ensemble Liaison and Head of Piano at the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM), he is also a dedicated educator, mentoring many of Australia and New Zealand’s finest young musicians. His performances are known for depth, versatility, and communicative warmth. This recital promises an evening of beautiful sound, vivid storytelling, and breathtaking piano artistry.

Date & Time: Friday 15th May 7:30pm

Duration: 7:30pm – 9pm, Inc. interval

Refreshments: The RCM Visiting Artist Series is excited to partner with Borambola Winery to offer a  selection of refreshing beverages at this concert.

Tickets: Wagga Civic Theatre Box Office, Burns Way (off Tarcutta Street), Wagga Wagga

6926 9688 ONLINE BOOKING

Ticket Prices:

Premium $88.00

Adult $58.00
Concession $48.00
Student $48.00
Child U15 & Under $33.00

Premium: A premium ticket entitles you to premium seating, a meet and greet with the artists, photo opportunity with the artists and after concert hospitality. Premium tickets are strictly limited.

Enjoy an uplifting lunchtime concert featuring the renowned Australian Army Band Kapooka, showcasing the exceptional talent of its brass and woodwind musicians. The program offers a vibrant and engaging mix of musical styles, promising something for every listener. This concert delivers a memorable, high-quality musical experience in an inspiring setting.

Thursday, May 21, 2026 — 1 PM | Uranquinty Hall

Can’t be there in person? Watch our livestream!

This concert showcases a talented selection of Riverina Conservatorium of Music alumni and current scholarship students. Offering a dynamic and engaging experience for all audiences, the program features exceptional performances across a range of genres, highlighting the skill, creativity, and artistry of the region’s most promising emerging musicians.

Thursday, May 28, 2026 — 1 PM | R1 Room, Riverina Conservatorium of Music

Can’t be there in person? Watch our livestream!

Join RCM Brass faculty members Tamara Spencer, Miles Martin, Emilie Wendt, and Ivan Simac for a lunchtime degustation of brass quartet music. Brass Bites serves up a vibrant tasting plate of works written and arranged for brass ensemble, sampling flavours from across a range of styles and genres. From bold and spicy to smooth and savoury, with moments of sweetness in between, this engaging program celebrates the colour, warmth, and versatility of brass instruments — offering something to delight every musical palate.

Thursday, June 4, 2026 — 1 PM | St John’s Anglican Church

Can’t be there in person? Watch our livestream!

This lunchtime concert presents a rich and entertaining program of piano music performed by members of the Piano Department staff. Featuring a delightful mix of piano duets (four hands) and two-piano works (from four to eight hands), the program celebrates the collaborative brilliance and colour of ensemble piano playing. Spanning styles and eras, the repertoire ranges from Bach and Mozart through to Gershwin, Rachmaninoff, and Shostakovich, culminating in works by contemporary composer Joanne Burrows, offering audiences a diverse and captivating musical journey.

Thursday, June 11, 2026 — 1 PM | R1 Room, Riverina Conservatorium of Music

Can’t be there in person? Watch our livestream!

Take your partners for a spirited musical journey through tango, waltz, tarantella, and fandango with Kurrajong Ensemble - Lunch on the Dance Floor.

Featuring the flutes of Fran Griffin and Keith Griffin with guitar by Harold Gretton, this performance is expanded by viola and percussion, with Jane Hazelwood and Rachel Cope adding rich new colours and rhythmic drive. This unorthodox combination of instruments opens the door to vibrant, unexpected sound worlds, delivering an energetic and engaging lunchtime concert full of movement and character.

Thursday, June 18, 2026 — 1 PM | R1 Room, Riverina Conservatorium of Music

Can’t be there in person? Watch our livestream!

Musik of Yore brings together Matthew Garvie, Fran Griffin, Jane Hazelwood, Stephanie Johnston, Rachel Roberts, Hamish Spicer and Tristan Tait for a journey into the intimate and colourful world of early and Baroque music. Featuring oboe, voice, violin, viola, guitar and harpsichord with basso continuo, the program celebrates the rich interplay of small ensembles, from lyrical melodies to lively dances. Through collaborative performance and historically inspired sound, these works reveal the charm, elegance and expressive immediacy of the music of this era.

Thursday, June 25, 2026 — 1 PM | R1 Room, Riverina Conservatorium of Music

Can’t be there in person? Watch our livestream!

RCM alumnus and staff member Matthew Garvie presents a lunchtime recital exploring the many sides of Franz Liszt’s piano music. Liszt the Narrator comes alive in the dramatic Mephisto Waltz No. 1, “Der Tanz in der Dorfschenke”, inspired by the legend of Faust, a scholar who makes a pact with the devil in pursuit of knowledge and pleasure.
Liszt the Modernist is revealed in the mysterious Nuages gris (Grey Clouds), a forward-thinking and unusual work. Liszt the Architect shines in the monumental Piano Sonata in B Minor, a carefully structured masterpiece full of contrasts and depth. Finally, Liszt the Arranger is celebrated in the lyrical ‘Widmung’ (Myrthen Op. 25 No. 1, after Schumann), transforming a beloved song into expressive piano writing.

Thursday, July 2, 2026 — 1 PM | R1 Room, Riverina Conservatorium of Music

Can’t be there in person? Watch our livestream!

As part of the Riverina Conservatorium of Music's 2026 Visiting Artists Series.

Acacia Quartet

Audience favourites Acacia Quartet return to the Riverina Conservatorium of Music for an unforgettable evening of chamber music. Renowned for their warm sound, energy, and connection with audiences, the quartet presents music of passion, colour, and finesse.

The program features the sweeping lyricism of Ernst von Dohnányi’s Piano Quintet No. 2 with guest pianist Hamish Tait, and the deeply expressive String Quintet in C minor K.516 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart with guest violist Jane Hazelwood, a highlight for lovers of great chamber music.

One of Australia’s finest string ensembles, Acacia Quartet has recorded twelve albums, championed Australian composers, and received multiple ARIA and APRA-AMCOS nominations. They have performed at prestigious venues including Sydney Opera House, City Recital Hall Sydney, and Melbourne Recital Centre, and internationally in Canada and Europe. This special return performance promises an evening of intimate, dynamic, and memorable music-making.

Date & Time: Friday 24th July 7:30pm

Duration: 7:30pm – 9pm, Inc. interval

Refreshments: The RCM Visiting Artist Series is excited to partner with Borambola Winery to offer a  selection of refreshing beverages at this concert.

Tickets: Wagga Civic Theatre Box Office, Burns Way (off Tarcutta Street), Wagga Wagga

6926 9688 ONLINE BOOKING

Ticket Prices:

Premium $88.00

Adult $58.00
Concession $48.00
Student $48.00
Child U15 & Under $33.00

Premium: A premium ticket entitles you to premium seating, a meet and greet with the artists, photo opportunity with the artists and after concert hospitality. Premium tickets are strictly limited.

As part of the Riverina Conservatorium of Music's 2026 Visiting Artists Series.

Australian Guitar Quartet

The Australian Guitar Quartet (AGQ) brings four of Australia’s most acclaimed guitarists to the RCM stage: Slava Grigoryan, Leonard Grigoryan, Vladimir Gorbach, and Andrew Blanch. Combining virtuosity, expressive warmth, and a distinctly Australian voice, the quartet delivers music of energy, elegance, and imagination.

The program spans Baroque mastery, contemporary Australian creativity, and jazz-infused textures, beginning with Johann Sebastian Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 6, continuing with Nigel Westlake’s imaginative suite Six Fish, and featuring Pat Metheny’s Road to the Sun alongside Paulo Bellinati’s lyrical works Un Amor de Valsa and A Furiosa.

Renowned for their glorious sound and inventive programming, the AGQ has performed at Australia’s most prestigious venues and internationally at festivals including the Festival Internacional de la Guitarra de Córdoba in Spain. Riverina audiences will experience four of the country’s finest guitarists in a dynamic, captivating recital.

Date & Time: Friday 16th October 7:30pm

Duration: 7:30pm – 9pm, Inc. interval

Refreshments: The RCM Visiting Artist Series is excited to partner with Borambola Winery to offer a  selection of refreshing beverages at this concert.

Tickets: Wagga Civic Theatre Box Office, Burns Way (off Tarcutta Street), Wagga Wagga

6926 9688 ONLINE BOOKING

Ticket Prices:

Premium $88.00

Adult $58.00
Concession $48.00
Student $48.00
Child U15 & Under $33.00

Premium: A premium ticket entitles you to premium seating, a meet and greet with the artists, photo opportunity with the artists and after concert hospitality. Premium tickets are strictly limited.

As part of the Riverina Conservatorium of Music's 2026 Visiting Artists Series.

Sharma and Kernaghan: Opera Arias

Shanul Sharma - Tenor

Helena Kernaghan - Associate Artist

Tenor Shanul Sharma presents an evening of beloved opera arias with acclaimed pianist Helena Kernaghan. Celebrated for his powerful voice, expressive phrasing, and commanding stage presence, Sharma captivates audiences with both dramatic intensity and lyrical sensitivity.

The program features timeless favourites from the world’s greatest composers, showcasing the emotional depth and technical brilliance of the tenor voice. From soaring high notes to tender, lyrical passages, each aria transports listeners to the grandeur of the opera stage.

Shanul Sharma is in demand internationally as a lead tenor, performing across Europe, his native Australia, Russia, and the UK. He made his operatic debut in 2014 with Opera Australia and has since established himself as one of the country’s most compelling voices. Helena Kernaghan’s nuanced accompaniment brings each aria to life, creating an intimate musical dialogue that enhances the dramatic and emotional impact. Audiences will be swept away by Sharma’s vocal brilliance and expressive storytelling in this extraordinary evening of artistry and elegance.

Date & Time: Friday 20th November 7:30pm

Duration: 7:30pm – 9pm, Inc. interval

Refreshments: The RCM Visiting Artist Series is excited to partner with Borambola Winery to offer a  selection of refreshing beverages at this concert.

Tickets: Wagga Civic Theatre Box Office, Burns Way (off Tarcutta Street), Wagga Wagga

6926 9688 ONLINE BOOKING

Ticket Prices:

Premium $88.00

Adult $58.00
Concession $48.00
Student $48.00
Child U15 & Under $33.00

Premium: A premium ticket entitles you to premium seating, a meet and greet with the artists, photo opportunity with the artists and after concert hospitality. Premium tickets are strictly limited.

Join us for a magical evening as the Riverina Conservatorium of Music proudly presents the fifth annual Christmas with the Con, a spectacular FREE community celebration of the festive season at Wagga Wagga's Riverside Precinct Stage.

This much loved event features classical, traditional and contemporary Christmas music performed by the Riverina Conservatorium Orchestra, Simmons Street Big Band, Combined Concert Bands, Mass Choirs, instrumental ensembles and featured soloists.

In 2026, the concert embraces a special Christmas World Music theme, celebrating festive musical traditions from around the globe, from beloved carols and international holiday favourites to rich musical influences inspired by cultures both familiar and far reaching. More than 220 musicians will take the stage in a joyful celebration for all ages. The evening culminates in a specially orchestrated Christmas Medley performed by the Conservatorium Orchestra, followed by a fireworks display over the Murrumbidgee River.

Two large screens will livestream the concert so everyone enjoys the full experience, and a variety of food and drink vendors will be available, or guests are welcome to bring a picnic.

The evening also features the Light a Light of Hope tree lighting ceremony in partnership with Country Hope, supporting local families through this important initiative.

Celebrate Christmas with music, community and riverside magic.