Background
The Sutherland Shire Schools Music Festival acknowledges the Dharawal people, the traditional custodians of the land on which we perform at The Pavilion. The land was and always will be home to the Dharawal people.
The Sutherland Shire Schools Music Festival is open to all public primary schools in the Sutherland Shire. It is a culmination of music programs and musical achievements in many schools. Each year 4,500 primary school students from across the district perform at one of the 12 annual concerts. The festival owes its success to the combined team work of dedicated teachers and administrative staff, supported and encouraged by principals and NSW Public Schools office personnel.
The festival was founded in 1970, as part of the celebrations for the 200th anniversary of Captain Cook’s landing at Kurnell. One concert was held at Port Hacking High School, where annual concerts continued until 1978, when the festival relocated to the Sutherland Civic Centre, renamed in 1983 The Sutherland Entertainment Centre. Between 1984 and 1988, the festival grew from four concerts to nine concerts. In 2002, one extra concert was added to the regular nine, to cater for increased participation and provide additional tickets for parent audience. In 2013 an additional concert was added to cater for the overwhelming number of dance items and in 2014 a second dance concert was added to the schedule. These concerts have come to be known as the Dance Extravaganzas. In 2020 we were to celebrate 50 years of the festival. The onset of COVID-19 and the redevelopment of the Sutherland Entertainment Centre into The Pavilion Performing Arts Centre saw the festival take a three-year enforced break. In 2023 the Sutherland Shire Schools Music Festival finally returned to celebrate 50 years of choral singing, music, dance, and creative arts.
The Sutherland Shire Schools Music Festival is open to all public primary schools in the Sutherland Shire. It is a culmination of music programs and musical achievements in many schools. Each year 4,500 primary school students from across the district perform at one of the 12 annual concerts. The festival owes its success to the combined team work of dedicated teachers and administrative staff, supported and encouraged by principals and NSW Public Schools office personnel.
The festival was founded in 1970, as part of the celebrations for the 200th anniversary of Captain Cook’s landing at Kurnell. One concert was held at Port Hacking High School, where annual concerts continued until 1978, when the festival relocated to the Sutherland Civic Centre, renamed in 1983 The Sutherland Entertainment Centre. Between 1984 and 1988, the festival grew from four concerts to nine concerts. In 2002, one extra concert was added to the regular nine, to cater for increased participation and provide additional tickets for parent audience. In 2013 an additional concert was added to cater for the overwhelming number of dance items and in 2014 a second dance concert was added to the schedule. These concerts have come to be known as the Dance Extravaganzas. In 2020 we were to celebrate 50 years of the festival. The onset of COVID-19 and the redevelopment of the Sutherland Entertainment Centre into The Pavilion Performing Arts Centre saw the festival take a three-year enforced break. In 2023 the Sutherland Shire Schools Music Festival finally returned to celebrate 50 years of choral singing, music, dance, and creative arts.
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The festival is self-funded from the sale of tickets to the evening concerts. The revenues generated pay for the following:
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The festival committee is elected at the Annual General Meeting in November. All teachers are welcome to attend regular term meetings. |
The festival supports Stewart House and donates some of its funds to this worthy cause. Sufficient funds are retained for recurring general working expenses for the year.
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