The Sydney Chamber Music Festival 2026

Two days. Four incredible musical experiences. One beautiful weekend by the harbour at Manly. The Sydney Chamber Music Festival returns to the Manly Art Gallery and Museum on 27–28 June 2026. This year's Season is a genuinely extraordinary program, including:

A Family Concert: Leonard the Lyrebird

• Saturday 27 June, 11am

• Adult $30, Child $15, Family of 4 $65

• Composer Ian Munro brings his original Australian work to life, narrating the story himself, as clarinet, cello and piano weave through this beloved tale of friendship and bravery. Perfect for families and anyone who has ever loved a good story told through music.

Saudade

• Saturday 27 June, 3pm

• Adults $60, Concession $55, Student $25

• The Portuguese word for longing and memory that no English word can quite capture, sets the mood for an afternoon of unexpected beauty. Flute, bass trombone and piano come together in a program that travels from Bach and Fauré to Piazzolla and Rachmaninoff, with a highlight that is not to be missed: the World Premiere of a brand new Sonata for Flute and Piano, commissioned by the Festival and performed by the composer Calvin Bowman alongside the artist for whom it was written, Bridget Bolliger.

Instrument Exhibition & Violin-Making Presentation

• Sunday 28 June, 11am

• Free event, registration required

• Master luthier Sam Blade of Blade Strings (UK) presents a rare, public event exploring the history, craft and science of violin making. A professional musician will demonstrate a selection of exceptional instruments, with the exciting possibility of a truly remarkable violin joining the programme. Musicians are warmly invited to have their own instruments assessed. Open to all, musicians, students, families and the simply curious.

The Art of Tenderness

• Sunday 28 June, 3pm

• Adults $60, Concession $55, Student $25

• A programme built on delicacy, depth and expressive freedom. Bridget Bolliger (flute), Julian Smiles (cello) and Jean-Bernard Marie (piano) perform works by Gaubert, Brahms, Shostakovich, Poulenc and Martinů, a sequence that moves from stillness to intensity and back again, and that reminds you what chamber music at its finest can do.