Sometimes a concert comes along and reminds you of the pure delight of music-making. This collaboration between Club Weld and the Australian Chamber Orchestra was exactly that.

Or, as one musician recalled: “It’s made me look at music in a different way… it’s pure joy making their music.”

The quote set the tone for the evening at Pier 2/3, where the ACO and Club Weld opened their 2026 concert with a preview of their forthcoming documentary, celebrating what has become a fruitful collaboration between the two organisations.

ACO X Club Weld. Photo © Lyndal Irons

The Club Weld program is managed by Arts and Cultural Exchange (ACE) and supports neurodiverse and disabled artists, facilitating the creation, recording and distribution of their music. On this occasion, four of the program’s musicians presented a diverse array of music, rehearsed and developed throughout the year with ACO musicians.

The performances began with singer-songwriter Tua Hunt. Her voice had an exceptional sense of depth, bringing a stirring quality to her original There Will Always Be a Way. She was joined onstage by the ACO String Quartet, comprising project lead and violinist Charlie Westhoff, violinist Yuhki Mayne, violist Beth Condon and cellist Jack Ward, along with a rhythm section, backing vocals and winds.

Jerrah Patston and Sam Worrad. ACO X Club Weld. Photo © Lyndal Irons

Next came Jerrah Patston, who presented a set of country-folk songs alongside guitarist Sam Worrad. His witty lyrics astutely captured the everyday: “This is a song about bowling,” he announced before launching into his opener, The Lane Was Talking Nonsense. His rapport with violinist Westhoff was undeniable, demonstrated by a cheeky mid-set fist bump, while his impeccable comedic timing had the audience in stitches.

Pianist Patrick Li followed, his classically informed instrumentals providing a refreshing change of pace. Performing three original compositions for piano and string quartet, Li made a particular impression with Ghost Dance, a suspenseful evocation of Halloween.

Jonathan Yung was the final performer to appear onstage. His self-described “romantic song”, Flowers Blossom, was a sultry waltz featuring a swooning saxophone solo from Tom Avgenicos. Seated at the piano, Yung owned the stage, his expressively conversational playing drawing listeners into his cinematic compositional world.

Yung also composed and sang the evening’s final work, Giant Disco Ball, which brought the complete ensemble and all four Club Weld performers together. Complete with an actual disco ball, it was the fitting conclusion to an evening characterised by joy. Exceptional musical quality and distinctive artistry met a stage full of musicians who could not wipe the smiles from their faces. Their enjoyment was contagious, a shining light in an often all-too-serious musical world.