So far, says Vatche Jambazian, so good. Programming his very first music festival has been fun, the Sydney pianist tells Limelight.

“A lot more fun than I thought it would be, actually. Prior to this, all I had to think about as a pianist was the music I was going to play. Now I’m much more across everything that goes into making that happen.”

Vatche Jambazian. Photo courtesy Omega Ensemble

Well known to Australian audiences as a concert pianist and more recently as Omega Ensemble’s go-to keyboardist, Jambazian is now adding the role of festival director to his resume. The next edition of the Bowral Autumn Music Festival (21–24 March) is all his – an event reflecting his tastes in music, his broad network of contacts and colleagues, and his desire to push the programming envelope.

“Straight away, I could see that the music scene was already popping in Bowral,” Jambazian says. “There are so many professional musicians living in the Southern Highlands, so many schools with excellent music programs, and there’s a long...