ARTISTS ANNOUNCED 22nd SXS CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL TAMBORINE MOUNTAIN 14-16 AUGUST 2026
- Mar 31
- 4 min read
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, 31 March 2026
ARTISTS ANNOUNCED 22nd SXS CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL
TAMBORINE MOUNTAIN 14-16 AUGUST 2026
Southern Cross Soloists (SXS) today announces the artists for the 22nd SXS Chamber Music Festival 2026, set to unfold across three days from Friday 14 to Sunday 16 August at the breathtaking Shambala Estate, Tamborine Mountain – a place of outstanding natural beauty.
Twice APRA-AMCOS nominated for Best Regional Event (2022 and 2023), the critically lauded festival is presented in association with Shambala Estate and continues its celebrated Queensland chapter, bringing together 14 outstanding artists across nine events in an intimate, immersive setting just one hour from Brisbane and the Gold Coast. SXS is pleased to announce the program for its chamber music festival in the picturesque Tamborine Mountain on the land of First Nations Wangerriburra people.
Curated by Festival Director and three-time Grammy Award-winning flautist Tim Munro, the 2026 festival explores the theme:
“Safe in Sound” — a celebration of family, connection and belonging.
From musical siblings to lifelong collaborators and chosen artistic families, the 2026 program traces connections across generations, cultures, and creative partnerships.
A WORLD-CLASS ARTIST LINE-UP
Leading this year’s festival is one of Australia’s most beloved sopranos:
Sara Macliver (soprano) “thrilling and mesmerizing” ArtsHub
Timo-Veikko Valve (cello, ACO principal) “deeply expressive playing” Limelight Magazine
Aura Go (piano) “a revelation.” ArtsHub
Alongside the acclaimed:
Lyrebird Trio “exquisite and exhilarating” The Australian
Glenn Christensen (violin)
Simon Cobcroft (cello)
Angela Turner (piano)
And featuring Southern Cross Soloists artists:
Tim Munro (flute) Three-time Grammy winning artist and SXS and Festival Artistic Director
Ashley Smith (clarinet)
The festival also continues its strong commitment to emerging talent through the SXS Next Gen Program, with appearances also by the Margaret Schindler Vocal Scholar 2026 recipient Tashana Hardy (soprano). The 2026 SXS Next Gen artists are Sophia DeLuccio (violin), Bridget Wegner (viola), Amy Tashjian (flute), Hamish Cassidy (clarinet) and William Elvin (percussion).
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
Across ten curated events, audiences will experience a rich and emotionally resonant journey. The five (5) main stage Galaxy Ballroom, Shambala Estate concerts are:
Saturday 15th August 2026
Without Words – 11am Main stage Concert 1: Galaxy Ballroom –Shambala Estate
Mendelssohn and Cawrse reimagine song without voice - Sara Macliver joins the “exquisite and exhilarating” Lyrebird Trio for a program humming with bright morning energy.
Reflections – 2pm Main stage Concert 2: Galaxy Ballroom –Shambala Estate
Parisian sound worlds of Ravel, Debussy, and the Boulanger sisters.
Musical friendship in early-20th-century Paris. Music by Ravel, Lili and Nadia Boulanger, and Debussy moves from folksong to woodwind poetry. Soprano Sara Macliver brings her “thrilling and mesmerising” voice to the program, joined by the “brilliant” pianist Aura Go.
Lineages – 4:30pm Main stage Concert 3: Galaxy Ballroom –Shambala Estate
A single musical line unfolds. In the hands of Timo-Veikko Valve, the cello becomes storyteller and singer. This program traces the idea of variation across centuries, with music by JS Bach, Giuseppe Colombi and Jean Sibelius that is shaped by repetition and memory.
Sunday 16th August 2026
Tipi & Aura – 12:00pm Main stage Concert 4: Galaxy Ballroom –Shambala Estate
Aura Go and Timo-Veikko Valve love playing Beethoven together, bringing “extraordinary life and colour” (Limelight) to his cello sonatas. Here they assemble a “new” Beethoven sonata from favourite movements, framed by miniatures from Helvi Leiviskä, Anton Webern and Lisa Illean’s ever-weaver.
Exsultate! – 3:00pm Main stage Concert 5: Galaxy Ballroom –Shambala Estate
The festival ends in celebration. Ravel’s Three Mallarmé Songs brings together Sara Macliver and festival artists. Duos by Derek Bermel and Jessie Montgomery add energy, before Mozart’s radiant Exsultate, jubilate sends everyone out singing.
Alongside these main stage concerts are immersive and community-focused experiences, including:
Friday 14th August 2026
Coming together – 7pm Galaxy Ballroom, Shambala Estate
A performance with members of the Tamborine Mountain Orchestra and local schools including a world premiere.
Other scheduled sidebar events include:
A mystery concert in a secret location
A community folk music night
A sound healing meditation with festival artists
A family-friendly concert for young audiences directed by award winning Theatre maker Julie Ritchey.
Community collaborations with the Tamborine Mountain Orchestra and the young stars of tomorrow the SXS Next Gen Artists 2026 and the Margaret Schindler Vocal Scholar recipient 2026.
FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Festival Director Tim Munro said:
“This year’s festival is about connection—between people, across generations, and through music. We explore the idea of family in all its forms: the families we’re born into, the ones we choose, and the artistic relationships that sustain us. Tamborine Mountain becomes our meeting place—where artists and audiences come together and find belonging through sound.”
FROM SHAMBALA ESTATE
Shambala Estate owner Tony Chapman said:
“As one of the Gold Coast's premier wedding and events destinations, Shambala Estate is honoured to provide a 'home' for the Southern Cross Soloists - a talented group of artists creating beautiful experiences for the community. The SXS festival is that special experience you've been promising yourself!”
A FESTIVAL EXPERIENCE LIKE NO OTHER
Set within the lush surrounds of the Scenic Rim, the SXS Chamber Music Festival offers a boutique cultural winter weekend escape, blending world-class music with nature, food, and community.
Audiences can expect:
Intimate 60-minute concerts
Gourmet food experiences and licensed bar
Outdoor garden settings and scenic relaxation spaces
Easy access from Brisbane and the Gold Coast
Now in its 22nd year, the festival builds on a legacy of more than two decades, having presented over 800 artists across 270+ concerts and earning national acclaim as one of Australia’s leading chamber music experiences.
EVENT DETAILS
22nd SXS Chamber Music Festival 2026
Shambala Estate, 104 Beacon Road Tamborine (Scenic Rim, QLD)
Friday 14 – Sunday 16 August 2026
Program tickets available now via: https://www.sxsfestival.com/
ABOUT SOUTHERN CROSS SOLOISTS
Southern Cross Soloists is a Brisbane-based, not-for-profit chamber music ensemble and one of Australia’s most respected arts organisations. Known for its virtuosity, innovation, and commitment to Australian music, SXS presents an annual concert series at QPAC, national touring programs, and major creative projects including its flagship long-running SXS Chamber Music Festival. www.southernxsoloists.com.au
MEDIA CONTACT
Maxine Williamson
General Manager
Southern Cross Soloists
maxine@southernxsoloists.com.au +61 457 045 301
ENDS
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