The Lyrebird Festival - Megalong Valley, NSW

CONCERT DETAILS

• More details about Concert 1, 12.11, 7pm - 'Songs of Disappearance - Re:sounding the Wild' - at The Old Stables

  Concert 1, 12.11, 7pm - 'Songs of Disappearance - Re:sounding the Wild' - at The Old Stables

  The 2026 festival opens with a World Premiere from The Bowerbird Collective. Inspired by 'The Lost Words' project by Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris in the UK, this program features brand new music co-composed and performed by Simone Slattery, Emily Sheppard, Yyan Ng, Anthony Albrecht, and Katie Yap, with lyrics by Australian poet Maggie Slattery. The project seeks to resound the names and stories of some of our most iconic, and most threatened, wildlife.

• More details about Concert 2, 13.11, 7pm - Lotte Betts-Dean with Ronan Apcar - at The Old Stables

  Concert 2, 13.11, 7pm - Lotte Betts-Dean with Ronan Apcar - at The Old Stables

  The Lyrebird Festival welcomes the "irresistible" Australian soprano Lotte Betts-Dean, performing alongside "firebrand" pianist Ronan Apcar, for a compelling program tracing the development and resonance of vocal composition. The program ends with Alice Chance's exquisite Salve Regina, with Lotte and Ronan joined by members of the Bowerbird Collective. In demand throughout the world, Lotte has performed at Bayerische Staatsoper, Opera Holland Park and Grand Théâtre de Genève, Aldeburgh Festival, Oxford Song and the Australian Festival of Chamber Music. Of this program, Lotte notes "Words and wordlessness, singing and sound, electronic and acoustic, classical and pop, the very new and the very old, the celebrated and the unsung — Ronan and I invite you into this time-travelling tapestry, a world of musical dualities. We are so delighted you have chosen to be here tonight." Program: Béla Bartók Eight Hungarian Folksongs, BB.47 No.1: Fekete föd (1907) Madeleine Dring Five Betjeman Songs, No.1: A Bay in Anglesey (1976) Caroline Shaw Rise (2018) Courtney Barnett*+ Kim’s Caravan (2015) Giacinto Scelsi Hô 1 (1960) Barbara Strozzi L’eraclito amoroso (1651) Lili Boulanger Clairieres dans le ciel, No.3: Parfois, je suis triste (1914) Olivier Messiaen Poèmes pour Mi, No.9: Prière exaucée (1937) Linda Buckley revelavit part 1 (2011) John Adams Doctor Atomic, Act 1: Am I in your light? (2005) Arnold Schoenberg Das Buch der hängenden Gärten, Op.15 No.3: Als Neuling trat ich ein (1907) Clara Schumann Lieder Op.12 No.3: Warum willst du and’re fragen? (1841) Björk Guðmundsdóttir*+ Jóga (1997) Charli xcx/AG Cook*+ I think about it all the time (2024) Josephine Stephenson Rosemary Lane (2021) Erin Gee Mouthpiece 1 (2000) Sinéad O’Connor*+ Jackie (1987) Claudio Monteverdi Zefiro torna, SV.251: Ecco di dolci raggi (1638) Isabella Gellis+ I wish I could speak to you (2021) Luke Abbott+ Revelations of Divine Love (2023) György Ligeti Harom Weöres-dal, No.3: Kalmár jött nagy madarakkal (1947) Mathis Saunier Cannibal (2022) William Bolcom Cabaret Songs Vol.1 No.4: Waitin’ (1978) Blossom Dearie Touch the Hand of Love (1973) Alice Chance Salve Regina (2022) with members of the Bowerbird Collective

• More details about Concert 3, 14.11, 11am - Alice Morgan x Ronan Apcar - at The Old Stables

  Concert 3, 14.11, 11am - Alice Morgan x Ronan Apcar - at The Old Stables

  Firebrand pianist Ronan Apcar and trailblazing saxophonist Alice Morgan, finalist in the 2026 ABC National Concerto Competition, join forces in a program that celebrates joy and ebullience. Spanning a vast spectrum of repertoire ranging from film music to ragtime to jazz, the pair highlight their virtuosity in a showcase of music full of rhythmic vitality and vivid musical colours. Program: Gerard Brophy Yerevan Blues Lauren Tsamouras Zeibekiko Brad Mehldau When It Rains Alex Turley Sonata Alice Chance Lift Off Holly Harrison Swivel & Serve Robert Muczynski Sonata Paul Stanhope phoSpheric Variations Judy Bailey Colours of My Dream / The Spritely Ones

• More details about Concert 4, 14.11, 2pm - Joseph Tawadros, oud virtuoso - at Megalong Creek Estate

  Concert 4, 14.11, 2pm - Joseph Tawadros, oud virtuoso - at Megalong Creek Estate

  Joseph Tawadros AM is a leading Oud virtuoso, composer and 8-time ARIA Award winner. Born in Cairo, his chosen instrument, the Oud is an Arabic lute, the ancestor of the lute and modern guitar. Now based in London, he's returning to Australia this November for a series of spellbinding solo appearances. A virtuoso of diversity and sensitivity, Joseph performs in concert halls worldwide and is known for his brilliant technique, deep musicianship, storytelling and joyous style of performance. Joseph’s drive to push musical boundaries has inspired collaborations with diverse performers and a solid repertoire of innovative, original music. Don't miss this extraordinary performance at Megalong Creek Estate!

• More details about Concert 5, 14.11, 7pm - Lior - at The Old Stables

  Concert 5, 14.11, 7pm - Lior - at The Old Stables

  Lior burst on to the Australian music scene in 2005 with his stunning debut album - ‘Autumn Flow’. Recorded and released entirely independently, and spearheaded by ‘This Old Love’ and subsequent singles ‘Daniel’ and ‘Autumn Flow’, the album became one of the most successful independent debuts in Australian history. A swag of accolades followed, amongst them three Aria nominations (including Best Male Artist), as well as Triple J’s prestigious ‘J Award’ nomination for Album of the Year. Subsequent releases ‘Corner of an Endless Road’, (2008) and ‘Tumbling into the Dawn’ (2010) were also a huge success, debuting at #2 on the Australian Albums chart and topping the Independent charts for several weeks, as well as earning the gifted songwriter a further three Aria nominations. Lior is known for his dynamic and moving performances, and has earned a reputation as one of Australia’s finest live performers. He is part of a rare breed of artists that has achieved a great degree of success and critical acclaim, whilst maintaining an independence and individuality in their craft. Don’t miss the chance to see him in this one-off intimate show, joined by cellist Anthony Albrecht.

• More details about Concert 6, 15.11, 11am - Mindy Meng Wang - guzheng master - at The Old Stables

  Concert 6, 15.11, 11am - Mindy Meng Wang - guzheng master - at The Old Stables

  One of the world's leading Guzheng players, Mingy Meng Wang weaves an exquisite tapestry of sound that invites the listener into a transformative and deep listening experience. A rare opportunity to hear this ancient Chinese harp up close and performed by one of Australia's most celebrated musicians. Mindy’s work explores the fertile space between traditional and contemporary practices. Her cross-cultural life and professional experience create her unique style, which has been influenced by Chinese and Western music. She is a musical pioneer, having brought the guzheng into many western genres such as experimental, jazz, western classical, electronic and improvisation. Mindy is a force in the global music scene! Classically trained on Guzheng in China with leading masters from the age of seven, Mindy started giving solo performances at the age of ten. She won many national and international awards throughout her teens, and graduated with a BA (Hons) in Music University of Newcastle upon Tyne in UK.

• More details about Concert 7, 15.11, 2pm - Where Water Meets - at Megalong Creek Estate

  Concert 7, 15.11, 2pm - Where Water Meets - at Megalong Creek Estate

  Don't miss the mainland-Australia premiere performance of Ashore, all to pieces, an immersive chamber-folk album, by Where Water Meets, Yyan Ng and Emily Sheppard. The album explores the idea of what carries us through longing, loss and regret. Drawing on remote places as emotional landscapes, the music is anchored in Tasmanian stories, wilderness and place, unfolding from moments of intimate reflection into expansive, emotionally intense orchestral soundscapes. The program is inspired by the stories we carry, the poetry of Rumi, New Zealand playwright Violet Targuse, and John Cook's memoir The Last Lighthouse Keeper. Forging a musical language entirely their own, Where Water Meets dissolve the boundaries between chamber music, contemporary folk and musical traditions from around the world. Violin, viola, guitar and voice are joined by cello, double bass, piano and banjo, alongside eel-skin instruments, kayamb percussion, Blu-Tack violin and alternate tunings to create a textural tapestry full of unexpected timbres and intricate musical detail.

• More details about Concert 8, 15.11, 6pm - 'Festival Finale' with Joseph Tawadros and the Bowerbird Collective - at The Old Stables

  Concert 8, 15.11, 6pm - 'Festival Finale' with Joseph Tawadros and the Bowerbird Collective - at The Old Stables

  Join the festival artists in an extravaganza of talent and musical vibrancy, featuring a program of original composition by Joseph Tawadros that includes unexpected instrumental combinations and a rare musical chemistry. Performers will include Joseph Tawadros, Simone Slattery, Emily Sheppard, Beth Condon, Anthony Albrecht and more. Concert Program (original compositions by Joseph Tawadros): Dreaming Hermit Work Constellation ⁠Sleight of Hand Give or Take Kindred Spirits Eye of the Beholder Permission to Evaporate Constantinople Point of Departure Bluegrass Nikriz