Welcome to our Festival!
The Oberon Chamber Music Festival has sprung from the recent revival of the historic Malachi Gilmore Hall and the presence of some outstanding, nationally recognised classical musicians in the Oberon area; and draws its inspiration from the successful Kowmung Music Festival which was held in and around Oberon in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Meet our Festival Artistic Director,
Emma Jardine
Emma Jardine is a violinist, chamber musician, and festival director whose work moves fluidly between the concert platform and the artistic leadership shaping it. Described by The Strad as an "eloquent, silver-toned violinist," she is recognised as one of Australia's leading chamber musicians and is the founder of the internationally acclaimed Streeton Trio.
Emma is Artistic Director of both the Oberon Chamber Music Festival and the Blue Mountains Chamber Music Festival. In 2026 she joins Musica Viva Australia as a touring artist, bringing her chamber music practice to audiences nationally.
She has performed extensively across Europe, the UK, Scandinavia, Asia, and Australia, including as a resident in the European Chamber Music Academy (ECMA), one of the continent's most prestigious platforms for emerging chamber ensembles. A former violinist with the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, she has appeared as soloist with Camerata Menuhin (Switzerland), and has been engaged in Guest Principal positions with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, alongside performances with the Melbourne, Tasmanian, Adelaide and West Australian Symphony Orchestras. Her playing has been broadcast on ABC Classic FM, 3MBS, 2MBS, and Australian television.
A graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts, Emma studied with Alice Waten at the Australian National Academy of Music before completing her Master's degree with High Distinction at the Haute École de Musique de Genève under Mihaela Martin, following earlier studies with Pierre Amoyal, Gyulla Stuller, and Miwako Abe. She is the recipient of awards and scholarships from the City of the Arts Cultural Trust, Australia Council, the Ian Potter Foundation, IMS Prussia Cove, Salzburg Mozarteum and the Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Siena.
A committed educator, Emma is currently Head of Chamber Music at the Sydney School of Music and Arts, was formerly Artistic Director of Bougy Music Camp in Switzerland, and continues to give masterclasses throughout Australia. She plays a violin commissioned for her in 2025 by French luthier Christian Bayon.
Emma is based in the Blue Mountains, Australia.
The Malachi Gilmore Hall
Our mission is to bring world-class chamber music to the gorgeous town of Oberon. We strive to give our audiences an unforgettable experience of the close-up experience of chamber music at its finest.
Four concerts will be held at The Malachi Gilmore Hall in the centre of Oberon. Built in 1937, this State Heritage listed Art Deco 'Dance Hall and Picture Show' was at the centre of Oberon life for 40 years before it fell dormant for a decade and then became a wool store and craft shop. Since 2018 the Hall has undergone a revival, being reinstated as a mixed Arts performance space.
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The Malachi welcomes the Oberon Chamber Music Festivalgoers!
Malachi Gilmore Hall
124 Oberon Street OBERON NSW 2787
Other Festival Venues
2025 saw our festival expand into three new venues in Oberon, giving our festivalgoers a chance to experience more of the town.
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Our Festival music specialist Andy Bromberger presents free pre-concert talks at the Oberon Library and Community Centre on Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning. The Community Centre is just a short four-minute walk from the Malachi.
- Our Saturday evening candlelit concert is held at the charming St. Barnabas' Anglican church, also just a four-minute walk from the Malachi.
- Our Sunday morning concert is held at the beautiful chapel at Mayfield Garden - a 15 minute drive from the Malachi. Concert tickets include entry to the magnificent gardens, so leave some time to explore after the concert.
