Music By The Sea Festival
Music By The Sea conducts monthly (first Saturday of the month) concerts at the Sandgate Town Hall. The concert series began in 1997. Program presented is classical, folk, jazz and world music.
The Sandgate Town Hall is a heritage listed architectural gem with superb acoustics.
It has been restored in 2011 with new air-conditioning, dance floor, lighting and sound.
Performances are intimate, giving the audience a much greater experience than a performance in a large concert hall.
In early January Music By The Sea produce's the annual three-day festival since 2002 – ‘Music By The Sea Festival’.
Music By The Sea and its engagement with the community:
At various times, Music By The Sea programmed music for the Australia Day celebrations and Einbunpin Festival with local musicians.
In 1997 prior to the Sandgate Town Hall renovations. Music By The Sea (MBTS) began bringing local Brisbane musicians to Sandgate when Ann Hobbs (dec’d), had a restaurant where Thai Sandgate restaurant is situated now. Sandgate was not a destination for concertgoers at the time. Nevertheless, some of those artists have gone onto bigger and better things, becoming nationally acclaimed musicians as well as performing on the international stage.
MBTS Concert Series began in the Sandgate Town Hall due to its excellent acoustic value. Many of the artists employed, were from Brisbane as well as closer to home.
In 2000, Music By The Sea was an initiator and co-founder of the Seaside Symphony Orchestra (SSO). It was unique in that it invited musicians at all levels of playing ability to join. During the time it called Sandgate home, the SSO performed several times for MBTS and other local festivals. MBTS presented the Premiere of SSO performing the Moreton Bay Suite, a composition by a then local, Tom Millar. It was also performed by the Brisbane Chamber Orchestra and eventually Moreton Bay Suite was recorded onto CD. The SSO joined forces with the Moreton Bay Symphony Orchestra in 2010 and is still going today.
CURRENT: Since 2002 when the MBTS Festival started, the program has included many local Sandgate and Brisbane solo artists, bands, dancers, poets and actors. MBTS produced two sold out Velvet Cellar Cabarets, which were the products developed from original ideas of Sandgate based, performing artists.
In 2003, MBTS Festival premiered then local, Andre Reginato’s composition, Concerto for guitar and orchestra. Performed with Seaside Symphony Orchestra.
In 2005, MBTS Festival presented, not for the first time, revered and celebrated, international artist and composer, Sarah Hopkins (still local) and her ‘Harmonic Whirlies’, which have gone on to become not only hugely popular as instruments (available in Ironwood Cottage), they also feature in many national and international choral and orchestral compositions today.
In 2006, Music By The Sea initiated ‘Unplugged Café’, voluntarily programmed the monthly event for the next nine years. ‘Unplugged Café’ celebrated its 10th anniversary in December, 2015. During that time, local artists have enjoyed ‘Unplugged Café’ as a platform for new works as well as an opportunity to perform before a live audience. Many of the local artists who perform/ed at ‘Unplugged’ since 2006 have gone on to receive regular, paid gigs at local bars and cafes.
CURRENT: Since 2012, MBTS Festival has donated an award to a Sandgate District High School student of music voted by teachers to be the “Performer of the Year”. The annual award carries with it an opportunity to perform at the Friday night opening of the MBTS Festival and a cash prize.
CURRENT: As part of the annual festival since 2013, MBTS has introduced a FREE Festival Café Series. MBTS employs local, Sandgate musicians, as well as from the wider Brisbane area, to perform in our local cafes during the weekend of the January festival.