The New England Conservatorium of Music (NECOM) will host a Baroque music celebration this May, with Austral Harmony presenting “Dance with Bach” to mark the 10th anniversary of REMEMBER BACHfest.
The 5pm performance on Friday, 1 May, will feature a program led by UK-based oboist Jane Downer, offering regional audiences the chance to hear Bach performed on historical instruments.
Now based in the United Kingdom, Downer has performed with leading early music ensembles including the English Baroque Soloists, the Academy of Ancient Music and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. She specialises in baroque oboe and recorder.
“Dance with Bach” is a one-hour program exploring how Johann Sebastian Bach incorporated the rhythms and structures of 18th-century dance into his instrumental works. The concert will include chamber arrangements such as Trio BWV 529, alongside dance movements drawn from Bach’s solo repertoire.
Downer will be joined by Margaret Caley (baroque violin) and Camilla Tafra (baroque cello).
The visit will also include an education component. On Saturday, 2 May, the musicians will lead a three-hour workshop, “Diversity of the Dance”, at NECOM, focusing on baroque performance practice.
Event details
When: Friday, 1 May 2026, 5:00pm–6:00pm
Where: Auditorium, New England Conservatorium of Music (NECOM), corner Mossman and Faulkner streets, Armidale
Tickets: https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1542069
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