MUSIC SHOALHAVEN INC.

Music Shoalhaven Incorporated was formed as the Nowra Music Club, at a meeting in Nowra on 17th September 1948 in the old CWA Rooms, Berry Street, Nowra.

 

Under the guidance of Miss Clarice Campbell, a member of the Federated Music Clubs of Australia and music teacher in Nowra, a committee was elected and the club became an affiliate member group of the Federation.

 

The first concert was held on September 5th in the existing School of Arts Annex (the supper room) to the rear of the main building. There was no stage, but the young club received permission from Council to erect a temporary one for each of their musicales - but it had to be removed after each performance. The artistes were Florence Taylor, mezzo-soprano and Werner Baer, pianist.

 

At the Annual General Meeting in February 1991 it was decided by the committee that the name of the Nowra Music Club be altered to Music Shoalhaven. This was aimed to help present a more accurate understanding of the position of the club, in the rapidly growing City of Shoalhaven, i.e.that our operations were not confined to Nowra but to the whole district, and also to alter the rather prevalent (but inaccurate) view, that it was an elitist organisation.

 

In 2000, the City of Shoalhaven Council offered Arts grants to nonprofit community groups in the city and Music Shoalhaven Inc. applied for and received, a grant to stage in 2001 "The Marriage of Figaro" in costume using a narrator to carry the storyline.

 

Since 1948, the club has been instrumental in bringing to the Shoalhaven a huge list of musicians, vocal and instrumental, national and international and, although audience numbers have fluctuated during that time, we have always been held in high regard within the classical music world for the hospitality and enthusiasm extended to visiting artists.

 

Our visiting artists have included Dame Joan Sutherland (when she was just another hopeful young mezzo-soprano happy to do the Music Club circuit), Roger Woodward, Roger Howell, Simone Young, Yvonne Kenny, Elizabeth Powell, Geoffrey Chard, Christa Leahmann, Rachel Valler, and Gerard Willems.

 

We have also facilitated the performances of instrumental ensembles including the Sydney String Quartet, the Australian Chamber Orchestra, the Hazelwood Trio, and the Glinka Trio.

 

On 11 July 2018, we were incorporated and are now officially known as Music Shoalhaven Incorporated.