The Experience
In 2025, the WCMF presents world class performances and workshops across the Warren Shire during its major biennial festival 29 April - 4 May 2025. Sixteen of Australia's most beloved professional musicians will delight, inspire and enrich audiences across four days of spectacular music making.
Arguably, Australia's most in demand composer Anne Cawrse has accepted our invitation to write a new work for our 2025 festival. The world premiere will take place in Nevertire Memorial Hall on Friday 2 May. Our organisation believes in making an important contribution to the evolving Australian soundscape.
Performances will take place in the historic Nevertire Memorial Hall, much loved Collie CWA Hall, Warren Racecourse and the newly restored emblematic Warren Museum and Art Gallery. These venues have been specifically selected to provide a safe and welcoming space for everyone in the community from all walks of life.
Prior to the concert series, there is a comprehensive schools concert tour reaching up to 1000 students across the west (Trangie, Tottenham, Gilgandra, Tooraweenah, Narromine, Nyngan, Warren).
All children K-6 from the 18 selected small schools will be included, embraced, inspired and energized by powerful live music.
Artistic Director- Frances Evans
Frances Evans is a violinist, educator and collaborator residing on her family’s sheep and cattle property in the Warren Shire, Western New South Wales. She is the founder and artistic director of the Warren Chamber Music Festival.
Frances studied violin and piano from a young age, her parents travelling over 200 kilometres fortnightly to Narromine and Dubbo for lessons. After completing school, she studied at the Suzuki Talent and Education Research Institute, Matsumoto Japan. Frances then directed her own violin teaching studio in Dubbo for two years and performed across the region. In 2006, Frances studied violin performance under the tutelage of Tor Fromyhr, at the School of Music, ANU. Whilst there, she received scholarships from Canberra Symphony Orchestra and the Australian Youth Orchestra. Frances moved to Hobart in 2010 and completed post graduate studies at the Conservatorium of Music. The call home to her family’s sixth generation sheep and cattle grazing property was strong so she pursued education. On her journey back to Warren she was Director of Music at Caroline Chisholm Catholic College in Melbourne.
Frances is the director of Symphonia Jubilate Outback youth orchestra initiative and founder of the SING Warren community choir, an initiative of the Warren Chamber Music Festival. Since returning to the west, she has collaborated with Australian violinist Peter Clark, Musica Viva, Katie Noonan and the Australian Vocal Ensemble, Australian composer Fiona Loader, Ensemble Offspring, and the Goldner String Quartet. She has also had the privilege of working with many of Australia’s brightest stars through the Warren Chamber Music Festival.
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FRRR Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal, Create NSW, Department of Communities and Justice, Warren Services Club, Western Rivers Veterinary Group, Warren ROTARY, Warren Services Club, Warren Shire Council, and generous friends and private donors.
