More than 3,700 NSW public school students will perform at the Sydney Opera House this Public Education Week (3 to 7 August) as part of the 2026 Festival of Choral Music, a proud musical tradition that began in 1947.
This year's historic event will bring together approximately 3,300 primary choristers from 116 public schools and two regional choirs, alongside hundreds of featured instrumentalists, vocalists and soloists.
Five concerts will be held in the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall from Monday 3 August to Friday 7 August, with more than 650 young performers taking part each evening. The festival program includes primary and secondary students performing as massed choirs, orchestras, concert bands, chamber ensembles, vocal ensembles, jazz and contemporary music groups and soloists. The event is coordinated by the Department of Education's Arts Unit and coincides with Public Education Week 2026, which celebrates the achievements of NSW public schools and recognises the students, teachers, school staff, families and communities who make public education strong.
The newly formed North Coast Festival Orchestra will become the first ensemble based outside metropolitan Sydney to perform a featured item and accompany the combined Festival Choir as part of the concert series. The orchestra comprises 44 musicians from 13 NSW public schools and will appear in the Argyle and Australis concerts on Monday 3 and Tuesday 4 August.
The program also includes performances by students from groups and schools including the North Sydney Boys High School Symphony Orchestra, Matthew Pearce Public School Senior Band, Sydney North Public Schools Symphonic Band, Hunter Wind Ensemble, Winmalee High School Rock Orchestra, Chatswood High School Senior Vocal Ensemble and Sydney Secondary College Chamber Strings.
Department of Education Arts Unit Student Music Programs Officer Luke Wallace said the public education tradition helps students develop musicianship, confidence, discipline, teamwork and a strong sense of belonging.
"The Festival of Choral Music began in 1947 and has provided generations of NSW public school students with opportunities to perform challenging music as part of a major combined choir," explained Luke.
"Over almost eight decades, the festival has continued to evolve while maintaining its central purpose; bringing students together through music and giving young performers access to high-quality repertoire, specialist musical direction and professional performance experiences. "Participating students have spent much of the year learning specially selected and arranged repertoire in their own schools before joining hundreds of other young singers and musicians for combined rehearsals and performances.
"For many families and teachers, the festival also has an intergenerational connection, with parents, educators and community members recalling their own experiences in NSW public school music programs." The Festival of Choral Music is part of the NSW Department of Education's Inspire High Potential and Gifted Education, supporting students to be challenged and develop their potential in the creative domain. High potential and gifted education recognises that students can demonstrate advanced potential across the creative, intellectual, physical and social-emotional domains.
For Festival of Choral Music participants, this includes learning complex repertoire, working with specialist conductors and musicians, developing advanced ensemble skills and performing under professional concert conditions.
These opportunities demonstrate the role public education plays in identifying student potential and providing the challenge, support and experiences needed for talent to grow.
MEDIA OPPS – 3 to 7 August:
- Rehearsals 10am to 11:30pm and 12:30 to 3:30pm each day in the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall
- Whole choir sound check each day – 2:30pm to 3:30pm - 600 primary students
- Students rehearsing and preparing backstage
- Conductors bringing hundreds of individual voices and instruments together
- Each concert begins at 6.30 pm in the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall.
SCHOOL PARTICIPANTS:
Newcastle & Hunter (185 students)
Hunter Trebles – Argyle Concert: Monday
Glendore Public School – Australis Concert: Tuesday Hunter School of Performing Arts – Australis Concert: Tuesday Booragul Public School – Barangaroo Concert: Wednesday
Hunter Wind Ensemble – Bennelong Concert: Thursday
Wirreanda Public School – Endeavour Concert: Friday
NSW Central Coast: (24 students)
Gorokan Public School – Bennelong Concert: Thursday
Central West: (188 students)
Parkes Public School – Australis Concert: Tuesday
Cudgegong Valley Public School – Bennelong Concert: Thursday
Gulgong Public School – Bennelong Concert: Thursday Raglan Public School – Bennelong Concert: Thursday
Bathurst Public School – Endeavour Concert: Friday Bathurst West Public School – Endeavour Concert: Friday Orange Public School – Endeavour Concert: Friday
Blue Mountains: (125 students) Winmalee Public School – Argyle Concert: Monday
Winmalee High School – Argyle Concert: Monday Katoomba North Public School – Australis Concert: Tuesday
Ellison Public School – Barangaroo Concert: Wednesday
Blackheath Public School – Endeavour Concert: Friday
Mid-North Coast: (49 students)
Westport Public School – Argyle Concert: Monday
Great Lakes College Senior Campus – Argyle Concert: Monday
Bellingen High School – Australis Concert: Tuesday
Tacking Point Public School – Barangaroo Concert: Wednesday
North Coast: (1 student)
Maclean Public School – Australis Concert: Tuesday
Northern Rivers: (112 student)
Lennox Head Public School – Argyle Concert: Monday
Bilambil Public School – Australis Concert: Tuesday
Uki Public School – Australis Concert: Tuesday
Southern Cross Public School – Bennelong Concert: Thursday
The Pocket Public School – Bennelong Concert: Thursday
Banora Point Public School – Endeavour Concert: Friday
New England (40 students)
Ben Venue Public School – Australis Concert: Tuesday
Tamworth South Public School – Bennelong Concert: Thursday
Riverina (41 students)
Riverina Central Choir – Argyle Concert: Monday Leeton Public School – Argyle Concert: Monday
Southern Highlands (55 students)
Bowral Public School – Argyle Concert: Monday
Moss Vale High School – Argyle Concert: Monday
Greater Sydney
Abbotsford Public School
Abbotsford Public School
Allambie Heights Public School
Ashbury Public School
Bald Face Public School
Balgowlah Heights Public School
Baulkham Hills North Public School
Bayanami Public School
Beacon Hill Public School
Beaumont Hills Public School
Beauty Point Public School
Bellevue Hill Public School
Bondi Public School
Bourke Street Public School
Burwood Public School
Caddies Creek Public School
Camdenville Public School
Cammeray Public School
Canterbury Public School
Chatswood High School
Chatswood Public School
Cherrybrook Public School
Concord West Public School
Conservatorium High School
Croydon Park Public School
Croydon Public School
Darlinghurst Public School
Davidson High School
Dee Why Public School
Dobroyd Point Public School
Drummoyne Public School
Dulwich Hill Public School
Dural Public School
Eastwood Public School
Elanora Heights Public School
Epping Public School
Epping West Public School
Epping West Public School
Excelsior Public School
Ferncourt Public School
Forestville Public School
Fort Street High School
Frenchs Forest Public School
Girraween Public School
Gymea Bay Public School
Haberfield Public School
Harbord Public School
Homebush West Public School
Hornsby Girls High School
Hornsby North Public School
Hunters Hill Public School
Kellyville Ridge Public School
Kenthurst Public School
Killarney Heights Public School
Laguna Street Public School
Lane Cove Public School
Lane Cove West Public School
Leichhardt Public School
Lindfield East Public School
Marie Bashir Public School
Matthew Pearce Public School
Matthew Pearce Public School
Middle Harbour Public School
Mona Vale Public School
Mount Colah Public School
Mowbray Public School
Murray Farm Public School
Narrabeen Lakes Public School
Neutral Bay Public School
Newtown High School of Performing Arts
North Rocks Public School
North Ryde Public School
North Sydney Boys High School
North Sydney Public School
Oakhill Drive Public School
Oyster Bay Public School
Padstow Park Public School
Parramatta Public School
Pennant Hills Public School
Penrith Public School
Putney Public School
Pymble Public School
Rainbow Street Public School
Rose Bay Public School
Roseville Public School
Samuel Gilbert Public School
Seaforth Public School
St Ives North Public School
Strathfield North Public School
Strathfield South Public School
Summer Hill Public School
Sydney Conservatorium of Music
Sydney North Public Schools Band
Sydney Secondary College
Turramurra Public School
Ultimo Public School
Vaucluse Public School
Waitara Public School
West Pymble Public School
Wilkins Public School
Woollahra Public School.
KEY FACTS:
- The Festival of Choral Music began in 1947.
- More than 3,700 student singers and musicians are expected to participate in the 2026 festival.
- The festival includes 3,272 primary choristers from 116 NSW public schools and two regional choirs.
- The broader program includes hundreds of featured instrumentalists, vocalists and soloists.
- Students from 140 NSW public schools are represented across the combined choirs, featured performances and North Coast Festival Orchestra.
- Five concerts will be held at the Sydney Opera House from 3 to 7 August 2026
- Argyle: Monday 3 August
- Australis: Tuesday 4 August
- Barangaroo: Wednesday 5 August
- Bennelong: Thursday 6 August
- Endeavour: Friday 7 August.
- More than 700 young performers will appear in each concert.
- The festival coincides with Public Education Week 2026, held under the theme Inspiring Excellence.
- The Festival of Choral Music is an Inspire High Potential and Gifted Education opportunity in the creative domain.
- The North Coast Festival Orchestra comprises 44 musicians from 13 public schools.
- The North Coast Festival Orchestra's participation is a historic first for the concert series.
- The Festival of Choral Music is presented by The Arts Unit of the NSW Department of Education.
