Chisholm St is a live performance space on Wadawurrung country, Ballarat. We acknowledge the traditional owners of the land and recognise that their sovereignty was never ceded.

Hosted by Bronwyn Blaiklock, Chisholm St is an intimate foray into fascinating corners of classical music. Launched in March 2021, this diverse series of concerts by regional musicians and spoken word performers gives you a rare glimpse into creative music-making, up close and personal.

Chisholm St: November

Homage to Bach explores the profound and wide-reaching impact of the work of baroque composer, J.S. Bach. Joining pianist Bronwyn Blaiklock on trombone is Ballarat musical legend, Hugh McKelvey, who only recently put down his baton from conducting the Ballarat Symphony Orchestra. Included in the hour-long program is Bach English Suite #2, and works by Dubois, Tomasi and Bozza for trombone and piano.

NB: This concert series has been postponed from 31 March/1 April due to illness. We apologise for any inconvenience this causes. Tickets that were purchased prior will be honoured and transferred to the equivalent day, either 10 or 11 November. You may also request a refund if the new date does not suit you.

The performers

Hugh McKelvey is a multi-instrumentalist, teacher, conductor, and performer in a wide variety of musical idioms. A graduate of Boston University’s School for the Arts, where he studied with the legendary John Coffey, he studied conducting with the late Robert Rosen and gained post-graduate qualifications from Deakin University and the University of South Australia. Hugh has taught instrumental and classroom music in schools in Melbourne and Ballarat while maintaining an extensive conducting and performing career. He was a member of the Melbourne Chorale (now Melbourne Symphony Chorus) for many years, as well as performing onstage and in the pit for music theatre companies and founding the Waverley Chamber Orchestra and the Camerata Opera Group. He has conducted the Malvern Symphony Orchestra, the Frankston Symphony, and for over a decade was the music director of the Ballarat Symphony and the Ballarat Choral Society. Hugh performs regularly with the Heidelberg Symphony, the Stonnington Symphony, and the Creswick Brass Band. He toured the USA, England, and Europe as a tubist with the Australian National Wind Orchestra. He’s played for rock and ska bands and is currently plays baritone and trombone with “The Wunderhorns”, a Balkans band based in Ballarat. He teaches low brass, woodwinds and beginning cello at Ballarat & Clarendon College and bands and brass at St Patrick’s College.

Bronwyn Blaiklock graduated from the Elder Conservatorium (University of Adelaide) a lifetime ago with Honours in piano performance, and a Bachelor of Arts majoring in German and psychology. She also studied at the University of Freiburg on a DAAD scholarship. Her artistic passion is evident in the breadth and depth of her activity in the arts and music education industry over the last 30+ years. She has achieved high-profile activity in performing arts and professional writing across three states through work as a performer, artistic director, arts administrator, adjudicator, and educator. An innovator, Bronwyn frequently initiates collaborative projects with other creative genres to broaden audiences’ experience. As the Riverina Conservatorium of Music’s first Head of Keyboard (NSW), Bronwyn led a diverse team of piano teachers and performers and fostered some of the RCM’s highest achieving students. Creative projects during this period included planning the inaugural Riverina Piano Pedagogy Conference and establishing the Pure Poetry project.

Bronwyn’s poetry has appeared in Australian magazines and anthologies since 1997, including Page Seventeen, 4W Press, Pendulum, Poetry Monash and Friendly Street, among others. She has read at the Newstead Short Story Tattoo, the Words in Winter Festival, the Castlemaine Poetry Readings, the Clunes Booktown Festival and the Overload Poetry Festival. Bronwyn also contributed to statewide literary initiatives through membership of the Board of Writers Victoria (2010-2014). Bronwyn’s first collection, Etching my Initials, was published in 2016 by Melbourne Poets Union in the New Poets series. She is currently on the Board of the Ballarat Arts Foundation (BAF).

The venue

Seating
Bespoke reupholstered deck chairs and lounge suite awaits you, however, be sure to dress warmly as seating extends to an external covered deck and this is Ballarat, after all.

Children
Young children are welcome at Chisholm St, although paid ticket-holders have priority of seating. Children are welcome to enjoy the garden and cubby house during daytime performances.

Refreshments
You are invited to join the performers for refreshments afterwards. This includes wine, cheese, gluten-friendly snacks, light drinks, tea and coffee at no extra charge. You are welcome to bring a bottle of your favourite beverage.

Illness/Covid-19
Please do not attend if you are unwell. If you are unable to attend due to illness, we may be able to arrange a transfer of your ticket. Consider sending a friend in your place if you can't make it for any reason. Please use the hand-sanitiser supplied at the point of entry and maintain social distancing where possible.