2026 Northern Beaches Instrumental Festival

The aim of the Festival is to provide a formal, non-competitive performance opportunity for ensembles that is a positive and encouraging experience.

The Festival is held in June, towards the end of Term 2 at Pittwater High School, with the Stage Band Festival at Harbord Public School. The entire festival is co-hosted by the Northern Beaches Symphonic Wind Ensemble, the Northern Beaches Orchestra, the Northern Beaches Symphonic Youth Band, and the Northern Beaches Concert Band, and all proceeds from the festival go back into community music.

Performances are held in small blocks of ensembles so that the students will have the opportunity to listen to other groups. Students remain in the hall with their ensemble for all the performances in their time allocation. (This will be approximately 1-1.6 hours in total). This gives every ensemble performing a large and interested audience.

Schools entering more than one ensemble will have each one programmed in a separate block. The intention is for students and their families to have the opportunity to listen to groups from other schools. Within each block we will also vary the nominated levels of the ensembles to avoid direct comparisons. While professional feedback is provided this is not a competition but a festival celebrating our music making on the Northern Beaches and beyond.

Each ensemble will perform 3 pieces at an appropriate grade. Their performance will be recorded for their future use and a short workshop by an experienced appraiser will be held on stage at the conclusion of their performance. The appraiser also makes comment on the recording.

Availability of tickets.

Non performing audience members can purchase tickets at the door for $10 per adult, $5.00 concession or $20.00 per family. These tickets are valid for the entire festival and entitle the holder to entry to the Gala Concert. Tickets are not available for pre-purchase.
A portion of the ticket sales will be going to the support of the Northern Beaches Performance Venue Public Fund.

Application form

Applications for the 2026 Northern Beaches Instrumental Festival are now closed. If you have any questions regarding your applications, please contact the Secretary.

List of Sessions (as at 23 May 2026)

Concert Band Sessions

Monday 25th May 2026 (Day 1) - Killarney Heights High School, Killarney Heights

Session 1: 5:00pm - 6:40pm

  • Narrabeen Lakes Public School Intermediate Band (Suna Flynn)
  • Narrabeen Sports High School Concert Band (Julie.Olzomer)
  • Wakehurst Public School Concert band (Dani Cosford and Raylie Bladock)
  • Wahroonga Adventist School Concert Band (Brianna Walkden-Brown)

Session 2: 7:10pm - 8:50pm

  • Wakehurst Public School Training band (Dani Cosford and Raylie Bladock)
  • Northern Beaches Christian School Senior Concert Band (Dani Cosford)
  • The Beaches Community Band (Sasha Shargh)
  • Sydney North Public Schools Band Program Concert Band (Jennifer Power)

Tuesday 26th May 2026 (Day 2) - Killarney Heights High School, Killarney Heights

Session 1: 5:00pm - 6:40pm

  • Cammeraygal High School Wind Band (Alex Lang)
  • Narrabeen Lakes Public School Training Band (Lillian Burke)
  • Bilgola Public School Concert Band (Warwick Dyson)
  • Killarney Heights Public School Training Band (Maddy Shearer)

Session 2: 7:10pm - 8:50pm

  • Narrabeen Lakes Public School Senior Band (Jennifer Power)
  • Barrenjoey High School Concert Band (Rebecca Heather)
  • Cammeraygal High School Concert Band (Jennifer Power)
  • St Luke's Grammar School Concert Band (Rebecca Hildebrandt)

Wednesday 27th May 2026 (Day 3) - Killarney Heights High School, Killarney Heights

Session 1: 5:00pm - 6:40pm

  • Seaforth Public School Training Band (Maddy Shearer)
  • Narrabeen North Public School Training Band (Janella Fyfe)
  • Our Lady of Good Counsel, Forestville Training Band (Felicity Stanwell)
  • Forestville Public School Concert Band (Colden Anderson)

Session 2: 7:10pm - 8:50pm

  • Seaforth Public School Performance band (Maddy Shearer)
  • Our Lady of Good Counsel, Forestville Performance Band (Felicity Stanwell)
  • Stella Maris College Performance Band (Juliet Ivkovic)

Thursday 28th May 2026 (Day 4) - Pittwater High School, Mona Vale

Session 1: 5:00pm - 6:40pm

  • Manly West Public School Training Band (Penelope Coucill)
  • Avalon Public School Training Band (Colden Anderson)
  • Narrabeen North Public School Concert Band (Janella Fyfe)
  • Pittwater High School Symphonic Band (Jess Yendell)

Session 2: 7:10pm - 8:50pm

  • Avalon Public School Performance Band (Colden Anderson)
  • Manly West Public School Concert Band (Penelope Coucill)
  • North Shore Community Band (Sarah Shaw)
  • Narrabeen North Public School Performance Band (Janella Fyfe)

Friday 29th May 2026 (Day 5) - Pittwater High School, Mona Vale

Session 1: 5:00pm - 6:40pm

  • Avalon Public School Concert Band (Colden Adnerson)
  • Manly West Public School Intermediate Band (Penelope Coucill)
  • Northern Beaches Secondary College Mackellar Girls Campus Concert Band (Vanessa Patterson)

Session 2: 7:10pm - 8:50pm

  • Northern Beaches Secondary College Mackellar Girls Campus Symphonic Wind Ensemble (Vanessa Patterson)
  • Manly West Public School Performance Band (Penelope Coucill)

Saturday 30th May 2026 (Day 6) - The Forest High School, Allambie Heights

Session 1: 1:40pm - 3:20pm

  • Combined Diocese of Broken Bay Concert Band (Monique Reeves)
  • German International School Sydney Wind Ensemble (Janine Boubbov)

Session 2: 4:00pm - 5:40pm

  • Collaroy Plateau Public School Training Band (James Power)
  • Collaroy Plateau Public School Concert Band (James Power)
  • Northern Beaches Secondary College Manly Campus Concert Band (Brad Lucas)

Session 3: 6:00pm - 7:40pm

  • Frenchs Forest Public School Concert Band (Peter Squire)
  • Collaroy Plateau Public School Performance Band (James Power)
  • Northern Beaches Secondary College Manly Campus Wind Ensemble (Brad Lucas)

Sunday 31st May 2026 (Day 7) - Pittwater High School, Mona Vale

Session 1: 9:00am - 10:40am

  • Allambie Heights Public School Training Band (Surrey Hodges)
  • Manly Vale Public School Junior Band (Surrey Hodges)
  • Curl Curl North Public School Intermediate Band (Surrey Hodges)

Session 2: 11:20am - 1:00pm

  • Manly Village Public School Training Band (Nathaniel Porter)
  • Curl Curl North Public School Training Band (Surrey Hodges)
  • Dee Why Public School Concert Band (Robyn Phelan)
  • Allambie Heights Public School Concert band (Surrey Hodges)

Session 3: 1:40pm - 3:20pm

  • Brookvale Public School Training Band (Raylie-Anne Baldock)
  • Manly Village Public School Intermediate Band (Nathaniel Porter/Surrey Hodges)
  • Allambie Heights Public School Performance Band (Surrey)
  • St Ives High School Concert Band 2 (Mitchell Togher)

Session 4: 4:00pm - 5:40pm

  • Brookvale Public School Concert Band (Raylie-Anne Baldock)
  • Manly Village Public School Senior Band (Nate Porter/Surrey Hodges)
  • Northern Beaches Secondary College Manly Campus Symphonic Wind Orchestra (Brad Lucas)
  • Northern Beaches Secondary College Cromer Campus Concert Band (Marc Rolet)

Session 5 Gala Concert: 6:00pm

  • Sydney North Public Schools Band Program Symphonic Band (Jennifer Power)
  • Northern Beaches Concert Band (Sarah Shaw)
  • Northern Beaches Symphonic Youth Band (Jennifer Power)
  • Northern Beaches Symphonic Wind Ensemble (Derek Barg)

Sunday 31st May 2026 (Day 7) - The Forest High School, Allambie Heights

Session 2: 11:20am - 1:00pm

  • Killarney Heights Public School Intermediate Band (Derek Barg)
  • Killarney Heights High School Concert Band (Derek Barg)
  • The Forest High School Senior Concert Band (Matthew O'Brien)

Session 3: 1:40pm - 3:20pm

  • Frenchs Forest Public School Training Band (Peter Squire)
  • Killarney Heights Public School Senior Band (Derek Barg)
  • Curl Curl North Public School Senior Band (Matthew O'Brien)
  • The Forest High School Symphonic Wind Ensemble (Matthew O'Brien)

Monday 1st June 2026 (Day 8) - Narrabeen Sports High School, North Narrabeen

Session 1: 5:00pm - 6:40pm

  • Hornsby Girls' High School Minerva Orchestra (Nadia McCarthy)
  • Northern Beaches Christian School Primary Concert Band (Kristen Welling)
  • Beacon Hill Public School Intermediate Band (Emily Costa)

Session 2: 7:10pm - 8:50pm

  • Beacon Hill Public School Concert Band (Emily Costa)
  • St Ives High School Concert Band 1 (Sally Cooper)

Tuesday 2nd June 2026 (Day 9) - Narrabeen Sports High School, North Narrabeen

Session 1: 5:00pm - 6:40pm

  • Forestville Public School Training Band (Colden Anderson and Evie Kacskovics)
  • Newport Public School Junior Band (Tom Dayer)

Session 2: 7:10pm - 8:50pm

  • Forestville Public School Intermediate Band (Evie Kacskovics)
  • Newport Public School Senior Band (Tom Dayer)
  • Manly District Band (David Cosentino)

Wednesday 3rd June 2026 (Day 10) - Narrabeen Sports High School, North Narrabeen

Session 1: 5:00pm - 6:40pm

  • Harbord Public School Intermediate Band (Jordan Russell)
  • Mater Maria Catholic College Concert Band (Klara Hollestelle-Watson)
  • Mona Vale Public School Training Band (Tom Dayer)
  • Manly Vale Public School Senior Band (Ben Dickson)

Session 2: 7:10pm - 8:50pm

  • Manly Vale Public School Intermediate Band (Ben Dickson)
  • Harbord Public School Concert Band (Jordan Russell)
  • Mona Vale Public School Concert Band (Tom Dayer)

Thursday 4th June 2026 (Day 11) - Narrabeen Sports High School, North Narrabeen

Session 1: 5:00pm - 6:40pm

  • Belrose Public School Performance Band (Katie Anderson)
  • Harbord Public School Junior Band (Jordan Russell)
  • Davidson High School Concert Band (Kelly Morrow)

Session 2: 7:10pm - 8:50pm

  • Belrose Public School Training Band (Katie Anderson or Felicity Stanwell)
  • Harbord Public School Senior Band (Jordan Russell)
  • Wheeler Heights Public School Senior band (Shauna Tyson)
  • St Luke's Grammar School Combined Junior Concert Band (Rebecca Hildebrandt)

String/Orchestra Sessions

Saturday 30th May 2026 (Day 6) - St Luke's Grammar School, Dee Why

Session 1: 9:00am - 10:30am

  • Dee Why Public School Mezzo Strings (Fiona Brock)
  • St Ives North Public School Elementary String Ensemble (Katrina Papallo)
  • Northern Beaches Secondary College Manly Campus String Ensemble (Charlotte Fetherston)
  • Dee Why Public School Poco Strings (Indy Brock)
  • Northern Beaches Secondary College Cromer Campus String Ensemble (Tammi Rolet)

Session 2: 11:00am - 12:30pm

  • St Ives North Public School Intermediate String Ensemble (Katrina Papallo)
  • Killarney Heights Public School Beginner Harp Ensemble (Irene Renaud-Assemat)
  • Dee Why Public School String Orchestra (Fiona Brock)
  • Kamaroi Rudolf Steiner School String Ensemble (Genia McDonald)
  • Northern Beaches Secondary College Manly Campus Chamber Orchestra (Charlotte Featherstone)

Session 3: 1:00pm - 2:30pm

  • Killarney Heights Public School and Forestville Public School Beginner Strings (Pip Birkett)
  • Killarney Heights Public School, Forestville Public School and Roseville Public School Junior Strings (Pip Birkett)
  • St Ives North Public School Junior String Ensemble (Adrian Mansukhani)
  • Pennant Hills Public School Junior Strings (Lilly Bennett)
  • Killara High School Junior Strings (Gabby Jung)

Session 4: 3:00pm - 4:30pm

  • Avalon, Elanora Heights and Mona Vale Public schools Strings (Emma Wake)
  • St Ives North Public School String Orchestra (Adrian Mansukhani)
  • Killarney Heights Public School Amadeus Training Strings (Lu Guo)
  • Killarney Heights Public School Corelli and Forestville Public School Senior Strings (Annabelle Kim)
  • Pennant Hills Public School Main Ensemble (Sarah Qiu)

Session 5: 5:00pm - 6:30pm

  • Northern Beaches Secondary College Mackellar Girls Campus Orchestra (Lachlan Power)
  • St Luke's Grammar School Senior String Ensemble (Stephen Buchanan)
  • Northern Beaches Suzuki Ensemble (Deb Johnston)

Session 6 Gala Concert: 7:00pm

  • Northern Beaches Youth Orchestra (Bec Hildebrandt)
  • Pittwater High School Orchestra (Sophia Lauber)
  • St Luke's Grammar School Orchestra (Stephen Buchanan)
  • Northern Beaches Orchestra (Stephen Buchanan)

Saturday 13th June 2026 (Day 13) - St Luke's Grammar School, Dee Why

Session 1: 11:00am - 12:30pm

  • Killara Public School String Ensemble (India Wilson)
  • Cromer Public School Junior Strings (Tammi Rolet)
  • German International School Sydney Senior String Ensemble (Janine Boubbov)
  • Newport Public School String Orchestra (Karen Leimbach)
  • Northern Beaches Christian School String Ensemble (Michael Monahan)

Session 2: 1:00pm - 2:30pm

  • St Luke's Grammar School Combined Junior String Ensemble (Stephen Buchanan)
  • Cammeraygal High School String Orchestra (Alicia Lee)
  • Neutral Bay Public School Senior String Ensemble (Gabriel kerridge)
  • Middle Harbour Public School Paganini Strings (Samina Mahood)
  • Neutral Bay Public School Beginner String Ensemble (Samina mahood)

Session 3: 3:00pm - 4:30pm

  • German International School Sydney Junior String Ensemble (Janine Boubbov)
  • Cromer Public School Senior String Ensemble (Tammi Rolet)
  • Middle Harbour Public School Stradivarius Strings (Gabriel Kerridge)
  • Killarney Heights High School Chamber Ensemble (Rowena Macneish)
  • Pittwater High School String Orchestra (Karen Leimbach)
  • John Colet School Orchestra (Glen Miller)

Stage Band Sessions

Sunday 14th June 2026 (Day 14) - Harbord Public School, Freshwater

Session 1: 9:00am - 10:00am

  • Pittwater High School Big Band (Jess Yendell)
  • Killarney Heights High School Jazz Orchestra (Nick Barnard)
  • Stella Maris College Jazz Ensemble (Rob Sutcliffe)

Session 2: 10:00am - 11:20am

  • Harbord Public School Jazz Band (Miles Bennett)
  • The Forest High School Stage Band (Joe Manton)
  • Killara High School Stage Band 2 (Winsteon Weng)
  • Barrenjoey High School Stage Band (Fiona Gudmunson)

Session 3: 12:00pm - 1:20pm

  • Forestville Public School Jazz Band (Colden Anderson)
  • St Ives High School Jazz Combo (Sally Cooper)
  • Cammeraygal High School Stage Band (Ann Boyle)
  • Northern Beaches Secondary College Cromer Campus Stage Band (Marc Rolet)

Session 4: 2:00pm - 3:20pm

  • Mona Vale Public School Jazz Band (Joshua Hughes)
  • Cammeraygal High School Jazz Band (Alex Lang)
  • Collaroy Jazz Collective (James Power)
  • Blue Riff Big Band (Joshua Hughes)

Session 5: 4:00pm - 5:20pm

  • Collaroy Plateau Public School Jazz Band (James Power)
  • Southern Northern Beaches Jazz Band (Surrey Hodges)
  • Northern Beaches Secondary College Manly Campus Big Band (James Power)
  • Northern Beaches Big Band (Joshua Hughes)

Session 6: 6:00pm - 7:20pm

  • Northern Beaches Big Band (Joshua Hughes)
  • Allambie Heights Public School Jazz Band (Surrey Hodges)
  • Northern Beaches Secondary College Manly Campus Stage Band (James Power)
  • Northern Beaches Secondary College Manly Campus Jazz Orchestra (Craig Driscoll)

Festival Information for Participating Ensemble Directors

Ensemble members MUST arrive at least 20 minutes prior to the start of the session they are performing in. Please let them know that parking can be difficult so to allow time. Arrange to meet outside the hall at Pittwater High School. You will be directed to storage for instrument cases. There are short breaks between sessions to facilitate movement in and out of the hall. Musicians will be required to sit with their ensemble for the entire session (approx 80 minutes in most cases).

There will be a short allocated time period for each ensemble to tune in the holding room. Please keep the scheduled time as other ensembles will need to tune after yours. A quick warm up on stage is permissible. Please make sure all electronic instruments are in tune prior to getting on to the stage.

Ensembles will move from hall seating straight on to the stage to perform, do a short workshop and then return to their seats until released at the end of the session. It is expected that performers will NOT leave the hall so that all ensembles have a full and interested audience. We have made the sessions fairly short for this reason. Please stress this to parents, as they are inclined to try to remove their child as soon as they have performed.

Non performing audience members can purchase tickets at the door for $10 per adult, $5.00 concession or $20.00 per family. These tickets are valid for the entire festival and entitle the holder to entry to the Gala Concert. A portion of the ticket sales will be going to the support of the Northern Beaches Performance Venue Public Fund.

Please supply a labelled photocopy of your scores for use by the appraiser prior to the start of your session. These should be given to the appraiser's desk on arrival. This will be returned to you with notes/recording. In addition each ensemble will receive a plaque in recognition of their participation.

Encourage your ensemble members to recognise, respect and appreciate the efforts made by the other ensembles. We have deliberately timetabled the sessions so that a variety of levels of ensembles perform in each session.

Please be mindful of the time limitations and be as efficient as possible in organising your ensemble on and off stage. Members of the NBSWE, NBO, NBSYB and NBCB will be acting as ushers and stage hands to assist you with this.

At some of the venues, light refreshments will be available at the canteen.

Finally... don't get too stressed and feel free to ask for help from our experienced musical crew. This festival is about celebrating music on the Northern Beaches and is meant to be a fun and positive experience for all involved!

Sponsors

The Northern Beaches Instrumental Festival is co-hosted by the Northern Beaches Symphonic Wind Ensemble, the Northern Beaches Orchestra, the Northern Beaches Symphonic Youth Band and the Northern Beaches Concert Band. The Festival is also sponsored by Pittwater High School (pittwater-h.schools.nsw.gov.au), Killarney Heights High School (killarney-h.schools.nsw.gov.au) , The Forest High School (theforest-h.schools.nsw.gov.au) , Narrabeen Sports High School (narrabeen-h.schools.nsw.gov.au) Harbord Public School (harbord-p.schools.nsw.gov.au) and St Luke's Grammar School (www.stlukes.nsw.edu.au), who kindly allow use of their facilities and equipment.

History

The Northern Beaches Instrumental Festival was first held in June 2012 as an afternoon event. It was so popular that in August of the same year, a two day Festival was held to allow other bands to take part. In 2013, the Festival added a whole day of Strings and Orchestras, under the guidance of the Northern Beaches Orchestra. The Festival continued to grow, and in 2014 was held over four days. In 2015, we celebrated the addition of Stage Bands to the Festival. Now in its fifteenth year, the Festival has become one of the main performance focuses for Concert Bands, Stage Bands and String Ensembles on the Northern Beaches.