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Experience sublime piano music, gastronomy and nature at Out West Piano Fest this 25-27 October, a three-day symphony of the senses at picturesque Blackdown Farm, in Bathurst, regional New South Wales.

Once again Bathurst will hum to a different sound at OutWest Piano Fest, held in the glorious regional setting of historic Blackdown Farm, just five minutes from the town centre of Bathurst NSW. A location steeped in pastoral heritage, art and culture; it was once home to the Australian artist Tim Storrier.

The extensive gardens in full spring bloom offer a stunning backdrop for sumptuous music, food and wine events. Local providores and famed winemakers of the central west offer a suite of gastronomic experiences over the weekend, matched with visual art exhibitions and a celebration of the piano with four superb Australian pianists, who will move, excite, educate and entertain. 

The sounds of the piano ring out over the landscape as you immerse yourself in the enchanting melodies of five sumptuous concerts. From familiar classics to hidden gems, each performance has been carefully curated by much-loved Australian pianist Konstantin Shamray to create an unforgettable experience, inspired by place, nature and a shared passion for music.

Five themed concerts will be held throughout the weekend each inspired by the spectacular natural setting of Blackdown Farm in a carefully curated program headlined by acclaimed Australian pianist and Competition laureate Konstantin Shamray.

Konstantin brings the program to life with combinations of solos, duos, duets, trios and quartets, designed to ignite your senses, capture the imagination and create a sense of connection through the music, that will stay with you long after the weekend is done.

“Being Music Director of this year’s Out West Piano Fest has given me freedom to create, with my wonderful collaborative pianists, an emotive and diverse program. The very location and the timing of the festival, as well as the personalities of each performer, inspired some of the repertoire choices. I invite you to join us in Bathurst this Spring for three days of continuous celebration of Piano music in all its genres and combinations, from two to eight hands. Stay tuned!” Konstantin Shamray.

Friday 25 October

6pm to 8pm
Welcome Drinks & Dinner in the Olive Grove

8pm to 10pm
Concert 1 – Night Music

Saturday 26 October

10am to 11am
Morning Tea

11am to 12pm
Concert 2 – Bells Across Europe

12.30pm to 2pm
Long Table Lunch

2.30pm to 4.30pm
Concert 3 – En Plein Air

4.30pm to 5.30pm
Wine Tasting

Sunday 27 October

10am to 11am
Morning Tea

11am to 12pm
Concert 4 – Two by Four

12.30pm to 2pm
Farewell Lunch

2.30pm to 3.30pm
Concert 5 – Printemps

Felix Mendelssohn:
Overture from A Midsummer Night’s Dream Op.21
Grace Kim, Konstantin Shamray, Lee Dionne & Vatche Jambazian

Maurice Ravel:
Ondine from Gaspard de la nuit M.55
Grace Kim

Modest Mussorgsky/Nikolay Artsybushev:
Night on Bald Mountain
Vatche Jambazian & Lee Dionne

Franz Liszt:
from Études d’exécution transcendante S.139
No.11 Harmonies du soir
Lee Dionne

– Interval –

Komitas:
Nocturne
Vatche Jambazian

Frédéric Chopin:
from Nocturnes Op.37
No.2 in G major
Vatche Jambazian

Nikolay Medtner:
Piano Sonata Op.25 No.2 in E minor ‘Night Wind’
Konstantin Shamray

Franz Liszt:
from Années de pélerinage II S.161
No.1 Sposalizio
Vatche Jambazian

Olivier Messiaen:
from Visions de l’Amen
No.7 Amen de la Consommation
Konstantin Shamray & Grace Kim

George Enescu:
from Suite No.3 for Piano Op.18
No.6 Choral
No.7 Carillon Nocturne
Konstantin Shamray

Maurice Ravel:
from Sites auriculaires M.8/13
No.2 Entre cloches
Grace Kim & Lee Dionne

Richard Wagner/Karl Klindworth/Konstantin Shamray:
Excerpts from Parsifal Act I WWV 111
Vatche Jambazian & Konstantin Shamray

Maurice Ravel:
from Miroirs M.43
No.5 La vallée des cloches
Lee Dionne

Sergei Rachmaninoff:
from Suite No.1 Op.5
IV. Easter
Lee Dionne & Vatche Jambazian

Johann Sebastian Bach:
Capriccio on the departure of a beloved brother BWV 992
I. Ist eine Schmeichelung der Freunde, um denselben von seiner Reise abzuhalten
II. Ist eine Vorstellung unterschiedlicher Casuum, die ihm in der Fremde könnten vorfallen
III. Ist ein allgemeines Lamento der Freunde
IV. Allhier kommen die Freunde
V. Aria di Postiglione: Allegro poco
VII. Fuga all’ imitazione die Posta
Konstantin Shamray

Francis Poulenc:
Promenades FP24
I. A pied
II. En auto
III. À cheval
IV. En bateau
V. En avion
VI. En autobus
VII. En voiture
VIII. En chemin de fer
IX. À bicyclette
X. En diligence
Grace Kim, Konstantin Shamray, Vatche Jambazian & Lee Dionne

Maurice Ravel:
Jeux d’eau M.30
Lee Dionne

Béla Bartók:
Out of Doors Sz.81
I. With Drums and Pipes
II. Barcarolla
III. Musettes
IV. The Night’s music
V. The Chase
Lee Dionne

– Interval –

Robert Schumann:
Waldszenen Op.82
I. Eintritt
II. Jäger auf der Lauer
III. Einsame Blumen
IV. Verrufene Stelle
V. Freundliche Landschaft
VI. Herberge
VII. Vogel als Prophet
VIII. Jagdlied
IX. Abschied
Vatche Jambazian

Sergey Prokofiev:
3 Pieces for Piano Op.59
No.1 Promenade
No.2 Landscape
No.3 Pastoral Sonatina
Konstantin Shamray

Claude Debussy:
L’isle Joyeuse
Lee Dionne

Sergei Prokofiev:
Train
Grace Kim, Lee Dionne, Vatche Jambazian & Konstantin Shamray

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart/Ferruccio Busoni:
Duettino concertante BV B 88
Grace Kim & Lee Dionne

Franz Schubert/Sergei Prokofiev:
Waltzes
Konstantin Shamray & Vatche Jambazian

Antonín Dvořák:
4 Slavonic Dances Op.46
No.1 Furiant
No.2 Dumka
No.3 Polka
No.5 Skocná
Lee Dionne, Konstantin Shamray, Vatche Jambazian & Grace Kim

Igor Stravinsky/Achilleas Wastor:
The Firebird Suite
I. Introduction
II. The Firebird and its Dance
III. Variation of the Firebird
IV. The Princesses’ khorovod (Round)
V. Infernal dance of King Kashchei
VI. Lullaby
VII. Finale
Lee Dionne & Konstantin Shamray

Pyotr Tchaikovsky:
from The Seasons Op.37a
III. March: Song of the Lark
IV. April: Snowdrop
V. May: May Nights
Konstantin Shamray

Franz Liszt:
from 12 Lieder von Franz Schubert S.558
No.7 Frühlingsglaube
Vatche Jambazian

Aleksandr Scriabin:
Nocturne from Prelude and Nocturne for the Left Hand Op.9
Grace Kim

Franz Liszt:
Frühlingsnacht, Lied von Schumann S.568
Lee Dionne

Sergei Rachmaninoff/Earl Wild:
from 12 Romances Op.14
No.13 Spring Waters
Lee Dionne

Igor Stravinsky:
The Rite of Spring K015
Konstantin Shamray & Vatche Jambazian

Blackdown Farm is home to the Out West Piano Fest and is regarded as one of NSW’s most significant properties and one of the finest examples of Australian Heritage Architecture. The homestead is surrounded by 17 acres of beautifully maintained gardens and fields.

It dates back to April 1822 when Thomas Hawkins, a naval officer and pioneer settler, was appointed the commissarial storekeeper at Bathurst, travelling from Sydney to Bathurst selecting a 2000-acre land parcel which he called Blackdown. Accompanied by his wife, seven children and nine convicts, the original homestead was built by Hawkins in 1823-1824 and it remains part of the main homestead residence today. Additional outbuildings were constructed over time, including a mill, stables, coach house and servants’ quarters.

In approximately 1836, Blackdown became the site of the first vineyard west of the Blue Mountains and around the same time, many of the trees were planted, including the entrance avenue of English elms and Atlantic cedars. Over the course of time, with different owners the gardens were expanded.

In 1989 the owners at the time undertook a major restoration of the homestead, returning Blackdown to its near original condition, and planned and laid out the extensive Georgian gardens. The most recent restoration of the property was in 2008 by renowned architects Clive Lucas Stapleton and Partners of Sydney when it was owned by Australian artist Tim Storrier. The cavernous artist studio will be the sole venue for all concerts in the Out West Piano Fest.

One of the most beautiful features of Blackdown is the extensive gardens within 17 hectares of planted and maintained parkland. The Out Fest Piano Fest will stage a long table lunch under the crab-apple tree walkway linking the homestead to the in-ground pool and clay tennis court. The organic vegetable garden is filled with raspberries, strawberries, artichokes, asparagus and rhubarb and adjoined by a fruit orchard with a mix of seasonal fruit, including apricots, nectarines, quince and feijoa. The olive grove of almost 650 mature olive trees will provide another outdoor stage for the Out Fest Piano Fest.

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Accommodation Options

The beautiful Central Tablelands district has countless accommodation options to suit every preference and price bracket.  You can check out the Bathurst Tourism Centre’s accommodation guide here as a starting point.

Local Tourism

The Bathurst Tourism Centre has also partnered with Out West Piano Fest to ensure that all guests have a wonderful visit to the region. If you are coming a few days earlier, or staying a few days after the festival the Bathurst Tourism Centre is your first stop. Check their comprehensive guides to what’s happening and things to do here.

Piano Partner

Catering

Margot Burke Catering

Event Styling

Wines