Friends of Wollongong Community Music

Four new community bands have started. If you're interested in joining one of these bands, please complete this form. More details to come, but for now:

1/ The Tuesday Big Band (Inclusive Adult Community Ensemble playing music from around the world):

Rehearsals: Tuesday 7.00pm-8.30pm (Starting Week 1, 21st July)

Venue: Keiraview Uniting Church Hall (38 Fisher St, West Wollongong)

2/ The Hot Club of Wollongong (‘Gypsy’ (manouche) jazz band):

Rehearsals: Tuesday 6.30pm-8.00pm (Starting Week 1, 21st July)

Venue: Kieraview Uniting Church (38 Fisher St, West Wollongong)

3/ The Thursday Youth Street Band (Playing all the street band classics):

Rehearsals: Thursday 5.30pm-6.30pm (Starting Week 1, 23rd July)

Venue: The Northern Illawarra Uniting Church (191 Princes Hwy, Bulli NSW 2516) 

4/ The Thursday Big Band (All Ages Dynamic Fast Paced with a mission to support youth):

Rehearsals: Thursday 7.00pm-8.30pm (Starting Week 1, 23rd July)

Venue: The Northern Illawarra Uniting Church (191 Princes Hwy, Bulli NSW 2516)

Killalea Strings, the amateur string orchestra established in Wollongong in 2025, recently enjoyed a week-long residency at Bundanon on the banks of the Shoalhaven River. In this inspiring location the ensemble engaged in masterclasses presented by professional musicians and educators; were tutored in important skills such as the Alexander technique; and under the masterful direction of conductor Adrian Davis perfected a program of works which were performed to a full house on the final Saturday. The concert entitled Down by the River featured the world premiere of Southern Highlands composer Ann Carr-Boyd’s “The Australian Wildflower Suite for String Orchestra” specially commissioned by Killalea Strings.

Huge thanks to our Artistic Director Adrian Davis for conceiving the idea and putting out the challenge to us; to Bundanon for awarding us the residency and providing such an inspiring location and unique accommodation; to Deborah and Chris from Ravenous Food Company who dossed in with us so they could feed us so sumptuously all week long; to Ann Carr-Boyd for her lovely compositions; and to CreateNSW and Friends of Wollongong Community Music for helping subsidise the residency.

• “Paris Dreams” concert by Cedar Newman/Calvin Abdiel — 6pm 31st July — Wollongong Art Gallery

• “Mixed Doubles” concert by Con Voci — 2pm 8-9th August – Berry Uniting Church & Wollongong Art Gallery