Yesterday was an incredibly busy day at WollCon, with every performance space alive with music and excited audiences. At times it even felt like our venues were “competing” for attention – a wonderful problem to have when there are so many beautiful performances happening at once. The variety on offer created a vibrant atmosphere across the entire campus.
Concerto Competition
One of the key highlights was our 2025 Concerto Competition.
Congratulations to Albert Au, winner of this year’s competition, and to Elaine Xie and Annabel Wouters, who both received honourable mentions for their outstanding performances. The musicianship shown by all competitors added a special sense of achievement to an already full day of music-making.
A Day Full of Performances
Across WollCon, audiences enjoyed an impressive lineup of performances from:
- Strings
- Clarinets
- Guitars
- Concert Band
- OffBeat Street Band
- Minor Swing Band
- Jazz Orchestra
- Drums
- Keyboards
- Pianos
- Speech & Drama
- Choirs and Vocal students
Every performance space within the WollCon campus had something special to offer, from first-time performers making their debut on stage to seasoned players sharing their experience and confidence with younger musicians. It was heartening to see students supporting one another, teachers providing guidance, and families showing their support from the audience.
A standout moment came from the Clarinet Concert, where the ensemble performed pieces arranged by students within the program – a fantastic achievement that showcases the remarkable skill and initiative of our young musicians.
Speech & Drama also had a memorable highlight. Lucy, who this year created the play Dog People for Merrigong Theatre, shared that performing alongside her students yesterday was one of her career highlights – a beautiful reflection of the connections formed at WollCon.
ChiME Graduation
The day was also special for our ChiME Transition student, who completed their early learning program and celebrated with their families and teachers. We are so proud of these young musicians and look forward to welcoming them back next year as they begin the next stage of their musical journey.
Thank You
A huge thank-you to the many WollCon staff who came in throughout the day to guide performers, tune violins, help students to the stage, settle nerves, and keep everything running smoothly – all fuelled by a well-earned free coffee.
Days like this remind us of the heart of WollCon: a community where learners of all ages can explore, perform, and grow. We couldn’t imagine a better way to wrap up the year.
