Entertainment
16 July, 2026
Festival to mark decade of chamber music
THE fifth edition of the Atherton Tablelands Chamber Music Festival begins on Friday night and celebrates 10 years of chamber music on the Atherton Tablelands.
Organisers, locally born violinist Khalida De Ridder and Danish classical guitarist Simon, said the Friday concert, at 7.30pm at the Herberton Town Hall, will lead a weekend of fantastic concerts with two more on Saturday at 3.30pm and 7.30pm, and the closing concert on Sunday at 3.30pm.
This year, the program ranges from the most virtuosic to the beautiful, featuring works by Korngold, Paganini, Malcolm Arnold, Vaughan Williams, Elgar, Bach, Rachmaninoff, Satie, Reinecke, Piazolla, Strauss, Mozart and Haydn.
Khalida and Simon, mostly based in Europe, perform all over the world but take time each year to cultivate the unique event which has become integral to the cultural landscape of the Tablelands region.
Khalida was born in Atherton and has built a widespread career over the years performing as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral musician in Spain, The Netherlands, Slovenia, Greece and throughout Scandinavia.
Celebrated guitarist Simon is the president of the Danish Guitar Society, successfully hosting international artists and masterclasses as well as forging new initiatives such as the DGS orchestra and classical guitarist awards night in his home country.
Both Khalida and Simon say the Tablelands festival remains focused on quality and developing local talent, not on growing the event.
“We both truly believe that regional communities deserve and require sustained cultural investment, not occasional attention or to serve as an intermittent touring destination,” Khalida said.
“We hope we can also showcase the many skilled FNQ musicians performing at the festival and affirm that artists shouldn’t have to relocate to a capital city to be valued, and the talent we have on hand is actually quite incredible.”
Speewah local Kou William Kanye-Paul (age 7) has, despite his young age, already become a prize winner at numerous competitions, including at a state level.
Iroha Matsui is another incredible young and award-winning talent. A student in her final year at Cairns High School, she has participated in some of the country’s finest music education pathway programs.
Lara Madin is an Atherton local talent who has just returned from a tertiary preparation course at the Griffith Conservatorium and is in Year 11 at Atherton State High School.
Apart from the young performers, Khalida said the festival ensemble included the region’s finest professional musicians and educators, such as Emma Baker, Stephanie Grenning, Ariana Dedecius (currently studying in Paris), Shoko Ishikawa-Seaby and Maria Skocka (from Poland).
As well as the four concerts, a free instrumental workshop will take place on Sunday, beginning at 9.30 am. Program and festival information can be found at www.atcmf.com.au
