As live music makes a welcome return, Sinfonia is keen to get back into the communities and halls across the Mid North Coast, brining the rich and moving tapestry of sounds of a full orchestra in motion.

Conductor and arranger, Iain Pole has put together a program of music titled, Folk and Fantasy including some new works the orchestra has not performed before, and some well-loved audience favourites.

These include a selection of themes from Bedrich Smetana's comic opera, The Bartered Bride; Johannes Brahms' Academic Festival Overture; the Baletto from Suite No. 1 of Ottorino Respighi's Ancient Aires and Dances, and a zesty collection of Spanish dances in Andalucia Suite by Cuban composer, Ernesto Lecuona inspired by the Andalucia region of Spain.

Following Sinfonia's long tradition of encouraging young local music students with its scholarship program, the 2021 Quaver Scholarship recipient, Cornell Estibeiros will be performing a violin solo, Arioso by Jeffrey Wilson and arranged for orchestra by Iain Pole.

Cornell lives in Taree, and also studies piano and voice.

He has joined Sinfonia's violin section for this year and is a violin pupil of Sinfonia's orchestra leader, Carmel Brown.

The concerts are scheduled for June, beginning on Sunday, June 6 at the Port Macquarie Baptist Church, followed by concerts at Manning Valley Anglican College in Cundletown on Saturday, June 19 and at Tuncurry Memorial Hall the following day, on Sunday, June 20.

All concerts begin at 2pm and tickets will be available from Trybooking and at the door.

Children under 16 admitted free.

Sinfonia draws its players from across the region including from the Great Lakes, Manning Valley, Hastings, Camden Haven and Gloucester areas.

With a playing membership of more than 30, from youths to seniors, the orchestra welcomes amateur and student musicians, as well as music teachers seeking the opportunity to rehearse and perform with a full orchestra locally.

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Honorary conductor, Iain Pole lives and works in the Camden Haven as a music teacher and conductor also of the Camden Haven Concert Band and Choir.

He has been a member of Sinfonia since its inception more than 20 years ago, and has been honorary conductor since 2018.

Sinfonia is committed to bringing live orchestral music to the whole region, and while the upcoming concert series is the first in a long time because of restrictions on gatherings, the orchestra looks forward to providing an afternoon of music with many folk elements and a touch of fantasy to warm the soul.

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