FESTIVAL 2026
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 13
5pm Exclusive ‘Ultimate Experience’ Concert and Welcome Function
(for Ultimate Experience ticket holders)
Drinks and canapés followed by a short performance for our Ultimate Experience ticket holders with duos from members of the Australian String Quartet playing with Stewart Kelly, Timothy Young and Laurence Matheson.
5.30pm Arrival drinks (for Indulgent Ticket Holders)
Indulgent ticket holders are invited to join us for a pre-dinner drink in the Argus bar.
6pm Dinner – Entreé and Main Course
For Indulgent and Ultimate Experience ticket holders
7pm Arrival Drinks for Classic Experience ticket holders
Classic experience ticket holders are invited to indulge in a pre-concert beverage.
7.30pm Opening Concert
L’Invitation au Voyage
Chopin – Introduction and Grand Polonaise op. 3
Blair Harris and Laurence Matheson
Duparc – L’Invitation au voyage, Chanson Triste
Sidra Nissen and Stewart Kelly
Tansman – Suite Divertissement for piano quartet
Dale Barltrop, Chris Cartlidge, Blair Harris, Timothy Young
INTERVAL
Beethoven – String Quartet op. 127
The Australian String Quartet
9.30pm Dessert with the Artists
Celebrate with dessert and a night cap with the musicians.
(Ultimate and Indulgent Ticket Holders)
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 14
10am Taking Note
A conversation moderated by ABC Classic’s Mairi Nicolson delving into curiosities of the festival program and discovering more about the music with Stewart Kelly and festival artists.
11.30am Masterclass
An emerging young ensemble working on a great masterwork under the direction of a festival artist.
12.30pm Buffet Lunch
(Ultimate and Indulgent Ticket Holders)
2pm Afternoon Concert
War and Peace
Prokofiev – Violin Sonata no. 1 in f minor op. 80
Francesca Hiew and Timothy Young
Britten – String Quartet no. 2
The Australian String Quartet
Ravel – Kaddish
Sidra Nissen and Stewart Kelly
Poulenc – Prayer for Peace
Sidra Nissen and Stewart Kelly
Mozart – Sonata for four hands in F major K.497
Laurence Matheson and Stewart Kelly
6.30pm Evening Concert
Old American Songs
Gershwin arr. Heifetz – Three Preludes
Dale Barltrop and Stewart Kelly
Copland – Excerpts from ‘Old American Songs’
Sidra Nissen and Stewart Kelly
Barber – Cello Sonata
Blair Harris and Timothy Young
Florence Price – Piano Quintet in a minor
Laurence Matheson and The Australian String Quartet
8pm Celebration Dinner
(Ultimate and Indulgent Ticket Holders)
10pm Candlelight Concert – Highlights of the Great American Songbook
(Ultimate Ticket Holders)
Longtime duo of vocalist Emma Gilmartin and Tony Gould AM perform highlights from the Great American songbook to conclude the day.
SUNDAY FEBRUARY 15
11am Finale Concert
Olivia Bettina Davies – Confluence
Timothy Young and Stewart Kelly
Charles Martin Loeffler – Selections from songs op. 5 for mezzo-soprano, viola and piano
Sidra Nissen, Chris Cartlidge and Timothy Young
Shostakovich – Piano Trio no. 1
Laurence Matheson, Dale Barltrop and Blair Harris
Morning Tea
Alice Chance – Nose Scrunch Reel
The Australian String Quartet
Robert Schumann – Piano Quintet in E-flat major op. 44
Timothy Young and The Australian String Quartet
1pm Farewell Lunch
(Ultimate and Indulgent Ticket Holders)
Complete the weekend with a lavish final lunch, with roasted meats, amazing summer salads and exquisite desserts.
To join our waitlist please click here.