The Blue Mountains’ premiere destination for fine music, the Blackheath Chamber Music Festival (BCMF), returns from 24–26 April with a lineup of acclaimed Australian artists, and the launch of a special world-premiere program.

Symphony Septet: Principal players of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra at Blackheath Chamber Music Festival 2024. Photo Keith Saunders

BCMF 2026 kicks off with a showcase of emerging talent from the Sydney Conservatorium’s Open Academy, its program for talented young musicians. Then Shakuhachi master Riley Lee returns to the festival alongside Taikoz drummers and percussionist Timothy Constable for Resounding Bell, a program of energetic works from Australian composers.

Saturday afternoon brings the world premiere of The Passionate Pilgrim, a program that draws upon the writings of Shakespeare and Thomas Wyatt. John Bell joins with Elysian Fields for a program blending spoken word and music with compositions from Jennifer Eriksson, Matt McMahon, Laura Bishop, Matt Keegan and more.

Labyrinth places clarinettist Lloyd Van’t Hoff and Sydney’s Chroma Quartet centre stage. The program feature Brahms’ Clarinet Quintet, Janáček’s Intimate Letters...