Performance. Community. Connection.

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

Hosted by Bronwyn Blaiklock, Chisholm St is an intimate foray into fascinating corners of classical music. The platform was dreamt up in the 2021 global pandemic to provide a performance space for performers based in Ballarat and the region. The annual concert series offers an eclectic program with an ethos of shared inspiration. The intimate space gives you a rare glimpse into creative music-making, up close and personal.

Paper Mouse, 8 & 9 August

Paper Mouse is a Trentham-based duo. Guitarist and composer, Robbie Melville, joined vocalist and double-bass player, Liz Frencham, after their paths crossed in a café in 2013. Their signature jazz-inspired style will warm your soul.

Frencham and Melville discovered a shared love of jazz, pop, and folk, and instinctively blended their influences into a warm, earthy sound like red wine on a winter's night. This results in an extraordinary musical empathy, full of surprises, light and shade, and a child-like playfulness. Frencham’s vocals will tug on your heart, mirrored by Melville’s beautiful harmonic dissonances and creative nuance.

The performance is approximately one hour's duration unless stated otherwise. Concerts start at 6:00 pm; please arrive in time to settle in. Dress for the weather - doors to the deck could be open if the temperature is mild (though our performers' comfort gets priority). If you are unwell at the time of a concert and you have missed the chance to request a refund, please consider gifting your seat to a friend!

Save on tickets: Buy a pass!

All tickets include refreshments - a glass of wine, cheese and other delectables - and you are invited to stay on afterwards to meet the performers and enjoy the Chisholm St. community.

Spring Pass: five concerts, August - December (available until 1 October)

Venue options!

Please note: select your date carefully - this series offers a different venue. The Friday 8 August performance is at the 'usual' Chisholm St venue in Black Hill, Ballarat. The second performance, Saturday 9 August, is at Radius Art Gallery in Hepburn Springs. The addresses will be emailed to you upon purchase of a ticket.

Season pass holders attend the Friday/Ballarat venue unless you wish to switch to Saturday, then just let us know in advance.

The performers

Robbie Melville began performing in his teens, and in 2005 was offered the Principal Guitar Chair in the Australian Pops Orchestra, appearing at Hamer Hall and the Sydney Opera House with artists such as James Morrison, Marina Prior, and Guy Sebastian. Melville’s compositions have garnered several awards. Most recently he became a recipient of the 2021 Johnny Dennis Music Award. In 2016 he was awarded both the Industry and Orkeztra prizes in the Composition Competition for world music ensemble Orkeztra Glasso Bashalde with the piece ‘Tango In Pusan’. He was awarded first place for ‘Junkyard’ in the Instrumental Category of the 2018 International Songwriting Competition, a competition that amassed over 19,000 entries. The same song was shortlisted for the 2021 Composition-To-Choreography Competition "MadeBy", an initiative of OneMusic Australia and the Australian arm of the Royal Academy of Dance.

Bio courtesy of Robbie Melville; read more here: https://robbiemelville.com

Liz Frencham studied Jazz performance at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and works full time as a musician. She is an experienced session double-bassist and vocalist who has been employed by household names like the The Waifs, and was once flown from Canada to England to add her distinctive style to an album for English songwriting team Chris While & Julie Matthews.

Her natural habitat, however, is the stage. She has become an audience favourite on the music festival circuit whether performing alone, with Sydney band Jigzag, award winning songwriter Fred Smith, Melbourne’s first all girl Old Timey outfit Dev’lish Mary, iconic vaudeville showman Mic Conway or 2008 National Flat pick guitar champion Robbie Long.

Bio courtesy of https://www.reverbnation.com/lizfrencham

The venue in Ballarat

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 a glass of 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 if you would like to enjoy more wine.