We'll start big, with Noah Kahan at Afterpay Arena in Sydney Olympic Park on Tuesday the sixth of October. Kahan is a Vermont singer-songwriter whose 2022 album Stick Season became a genuine phenomenon. This is The Great Divide Tour, named for his fourth album, which digs into success, family and distance with a bigger, more anthemic sound around his honest storytelling.
On Wednesday the seventh, the TikTok Entertainment Centre in Darling Harbour hosts Lord of the Rings in Concert, marking twenty-five years of The Fellowship of the Ring. Howard Shore's score is played live as the film screens, with The Metropolitan Orchestra and two choirs, so the music carries the story.
Then it's back to Afterpay Arena on Friday the ninth for Olivia Dean, a London-born singer trained at the BRIT School, whose heart-on-sleeve songs blend indie pop with a warm, Motown-tinged soul.
Saturday the tenth is the busiest day, so let's go from morning to night. During the day, the Ceramic Business District Market fills the City of Sydney Creative Studios for Sydney Craft Week. Browse everyday pieces, sculpture and studio seconds, buy straight from the makers, and see installations by Wong Ching Yee and Sylvia Zi Xin.
As evening arrives, Monster Jam World Tour rolls into Accor Stadium, with ten monster trucks, including Grave Digger and Sparkle Smash, flipping and jumping on stadium dirt.
Also that Saturday, Lebanese star Elissa plays the TikTok Entertainment Centre. She's the voice behind some of Arabic music's best-loved love songs, like Ayshalak and Halet Hob.
And for a more intimate Saturday night, Sydney's Hourglass Ensemble presents Jazz Nocturne in the Opera House's Utzon Room: chamber music for strings, winds and piano with an after-dark, jazzy feel, mixing Australian composers like Percy Grainger and Elena Kats-Chernin with a world premiere by Richard Grantham.
That's the week, from arena anthems to handmade ceramics. Check the linked event details before you head out.
1 sessionpmPekka Kuusisto: Legends & LuminariesCity Recital Hall · SydneyCity Recital HallSydneyMusicfrom $49Tue, 6 OctTue, 6 Oct
Tuesday 6 Oct · 8:00pm – 10:00pm
Pekka Kuusisto returns to the ACO after nearly a decade to direct music from four prodigious talents. Kuusisto is an artist unbound by convention, who embodies an artistic freedom that is unexpected and thrilling. As a renowned virtuoso and boundary-crossing composer, he pushes the limits of performance into exciting new realms, championing contemporary music with an openness and warmth that captivates audiences.
3 sessionspmLord Of The Rings in ConcertTikTok Entertainment Centre · Darling HarbourTikTok Entertainment CentreDarling HarbourMusicfrom $119Wed, 7 OctWed, 7 Oct
Wednesday 7 Oct · 6:30pm – 9:45pm
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring – In Concert Celebrating an epic quarter century since the release of the iconic Academy Award-winning film, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, fans can now immerse themselves in the spectacular 25th anniversary concert, with Howard Shore’s original scores performed LIVE to the epic motion picture.
pmLvl 1 - Boroky Album Launch + The Plum BootsLazybones Lounge · MarrickvilleLazybones LoungeMarrickvilleMusicfrom $32.33Wed, 7 OctWed, 7 Oct
Wednesday 7 Oct · 7:00pm – 11:30pm
Boroky: Experimental pop artist Boroky has been a source of confusion and positive psychological transformation in Sydney/Eora for several years now and has no intention of desisting. Join Boroky and his band as they perform his new album 'Rat Park’, in which he draws on psychology, philosophy, and childhood play to find insight into evil, self-deception and redemption. Watch them blend contemporary pop and beatmaking with jazz improvisational approaches and compositional ideas from contemporary classical music, then filter this delicious goop through an attitude of deep compassion and exploratory playfulness. Think James Blake, Saya Gray, Thundercat, and Brandon Sanderson. The Plum Boots: Hailing from the Deep South of the Inner West, The Plum Boots are a ragtag community of jazz, folk and classical musicians who’ve felt the call of the blues thanks to charismatic band leader Rory O’Keeffe. They are…
pmPekka Kuusisto: Legends & LuminariesCity Recital Hall · SydneyCity Recital HallSydneyMusicfrom $49Wed, 7 OctWed, 7 Oct
Wednesday 7 Oct · 7:00pm – 9:00pm
Pekka Kuusisto returns to the ACO after nearly a decade to direct music from four prodigious talents. Kuusisto is an artist unbound by convention, who embodies an artistic freedom that is unexpected and thrilling. As a renowned virtuoso and boundary-crossing composer, he pushes the limits of performance into exciting new realms, championing contemporary music with an openness and warmth that captivates audiences.
Join the Australian Chamber Orchestra for their next ACO Relaxed performance filled with Nordic charm and folk spirit. Inspired by northern landscapes and stories, the program features Grieg’s graceful Holberg Suite, the lively pulse of Rautavaara’s The Fiddlers, and a selection of Danish folk songs. Presented with flexible seating, adjusted lighting and sound levels, and a quiet space to chill out, this 50-minute relaxed performance is tailored to those for whom the traditional concert hall experience may be inaccessible. This welcoming concert invites you to listen and experience the music in your own way.
pmLord Of The Rings in ConcertTikTok Entertainment Centre · Darling HarbourTikTok Entertainment CentreDarling HarbourMusicfrom $119Thu, 8 OctThu, 8 Oct
Thursday 8 Oct · 6:30pm – 9:45pm
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring – In Concert Celebrating an epic quarter century since the release of the iconic Academy Award-winning film, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, fans can now immerse themselves in the spectacular 25th anniversary concert, with Howard Shore’s original scores performed LIVE to the epic motion picture.
pmDonald Runnicles conducts BrahmsSydney Opera House · Concert Hall · SydneySydney Opera House · Concert HallSydneyMusicfrom $36Thu, 8 OctThu, 8 Oct
Thursday 8 Oct · 7:00pm
Drawn from centuries-old folk melodies from the Auvergne region of France and sung in a local dialect, these 27 songs seem to emerge from the land itself, telling stories of shepherds, rivers and the slow rhythm of rural life, ‘rich with nostalgia and summer light’ (ABC Classic). Following her acclaimed Sydney Symphony debut with Sir Donald Runnicles in 2024, Chinese soprano Ying Fang returns with her ‘remarkable voice of polished delicacy, sweetness and strength without forcefulness’ (Sydney Morning Herald) – the ideal instrument to bring these exquisite pastoral scenes to life.
pmLive at Watsons Bay: Richard Tognetti x Alexander Gavrylyuk special eventWatsons Bay Private Home (full address after booking) · Watsons BayWatsons Bay Private Home (full address after booking)Watsons BayMusicCheck priceThu, 8 OctThu, 8 Oct
Thursday 8 Oct · 7:00pm – 8:30pm
A very special private house concert in Watsons Bay with two Australian music icons. Richard Tognetti — Artistic Director and Lead Violin of the Australian Chamber Orchestra — joins Alexander Gavrylyuk, the Ukrainian-born Australian pianist whose international honours include the Gold Medal at the Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Masters Competition.
2 sessionspmFreedom Street Documentary - Film Screening & Recital FundraiserStudio Woodlands · AshburyStudio WoodlandsAshburyMusicFreeFri, 9 OctFri, 9 Oct
Friday 9 Oct · 6:00pm – 9:30pm
Please join us for a meaningful film screening, intimate house recital concert, and talks with the filmmaker Alfred Pek and the film subject Nur Azizah via Zoom in the heart of Sydney's inner west, to raise money for the other upcoming international documentary by Alfred Pek called "Emerald Archipelago Documentary". The concert will feature musicians Keyna Wilkins, Alleta Louise, Yolande Cailly, and Sonia De Freitas. An Australian-Indonesian production, Suling Productions presents "Freedom Street" Documentary!
pmDonald Runnicles conducts BrahmsSydney Opera House · Concert Hall · SydneySydney Opera House · Concert HallSydneyMusicfrom $36Fri, 9 OctFri, 9 Oct
Friday 9 Oct · 7:00pm
Drawn from centuries-old folk melodies from the Auvergne region of France and sung in a local dialect, these 27 songs seem to emerge from the land itself, telling stories of shepherds, rivers and the slow rhythm of rural life, ‘rich with nostalgia and summer light’ (ABC Classic). Following her acclaimed Sydney Symphony debut with Sir Donald Runnicles in 2024, Chinese soprano Ying Fang returns with her ‘remarkable voice of polished delicacy, sweetness and strength without forcefulness’ (Sydney Morning Herald) – the ideal instrument to bring these exquisite pastoral scenes to life.
4 sessionspmDonald Runnicles conducts BrahmsSydney Opera House · Concert Hall · SydneySydney Opera House · Concert HallSydneyMusicfrom $36Sat, 10 OctSat, 10 Oct
Saturday 10 Oct · 2:00pm
Drawn from centuries-old folk melodies from the Auvergne region of France and sung in a local dialect, these 27 songs seem to emerge from the land itself, telling stories of shepherds, rivers and the slow rhythm of rural life, ‘rich with nostalgia and summer light’ (ABC Classic). Following her acclaimed Sydney Symphony debut with Sir Donald Runnicles in 2024, Chinese soprano Ying Fang returns with her ‘remarkable voice of polished delicacy, sweetness and strength without forcefulness’ (Sydney Morning Herald) – the ideal instrument to bring these exquisite pastoral scenes to life.
pmDinner & a show with Soprano Siobhan StaggHunters Hill Town Hall · Hunters HillHunters Hill Town HallHunters HillMusicfrom $85Sat, 10 OctSat, 10 Oct
Saturday 10 Oct · 7:00pm – 10:00pm
It's the annual Gala performance, the sparkling centrepiece of the Hunters Hill Music season, featuring one of Australia’s most celebrated sopranos alongside a pianist of international distinction. Siobhan Stagg is widely celebrated on the international stage for her “angelic voice” and “ethereal presence”, performing leading roles at major opera houses including the Royal Opera House, Deutsche Oper Berlin and Lyric Opera of Chicago, and appearing with orchestras such as the London Symphony and Melbourne Symphony.
pmHunters Hill Music presents Siobhan Stagg & Jonathan Ware Gala EventHunters Hill Town Hall · Hunters HillHunters Hill Town HallHunters HillMusicfrom $85 + feesSat, 10 OctSat, 10 Oct
Saturday 10 Oct · 7:00pm – 10:00pm
In an exclusive Sydney event, soprano Siobhan Stagg and pianist, Jonathan Ware inspire with a program of mystical derivations. Following the recital, join the artists for a post-performance supper at the Hunters Hill Town Hall curated exclusively by Simon Sandal and his team at Boronia Kitchen and Savannah Estate Wines.
pmHourglass Ensemble: Jazz NocturneSydney Opera House · Utzon Room · SydneySydney Opera House · Utzon RoomSydneyMusicfrom $85Sat, 10 OctSat, 10 Oct
Saturday 10 Oct · 7:30pm
2025 Polish Music Eagles Winner, Best Foreign Album for “Her Journey”. Experience sultry and swinging chamber music for strings, winds, and piano, featuring brightest locally-grown performers. Sydney’s own Hourglass Ensemble curates a program of stunning new works and unfamiliar gems from Australia and around the world. Suffused with jazzy intrigue and beguiling nocturnal musings, this concert make the head spin and the heart swoon, all while your soul dance and your toes tap.
4 sessionspmSpectra Jazz Orchestra’s 10th Birthday!The Petersham Bowling Club · PetershamThe Petersham Bowling ClubPetershamMusicfrom $22.73 + feesSun, 11 OctSun, 11 Oct
Sunday 11 Oct · 1:30pm – 5:00pm
Spectra Jazz Orchestra is turning 10 years old! Come and celebrate with Spectra for an afternoon at Petersham Bowling Club. Spectra Jazz Orchestra is an initiative for young
pmL’Invitation au Voyage - a Celebration of a Life Spent Exploring the World.St Columba Community Centre · WoollahraSt Columba Community CentreWoollahraMusicfrom $60 + feesSun, 11 OctSun, 11 Oct
Sunday 11 Oct · 2:00pm – 4:00pm
ABOUT THE RECITAL L’invitation au voyage explores one of the most enduring themes in music and literature; the idea of being drawn to ‘elsewhere'. It is a celebration of a life spent exploring the world. Through songs of adventure and freedom, restlessness and uncertainty, nostalgia and yearning, it is ultimately a reflection on the universal human desire to find where we truly belong.
pmMagic, Spells, and Other WorldsSydney Opera House · Utzon Room · SydneySydney Opera House · Utzon RoomSydneyMusicfrom $95Sun, 11 OctSun, 11 Oct
Sunday 11 Oct · 4:00pm – 5:30pm
Where fantasy and music collide. Step into a world of fantasy, folklore and musical storytelling in this captivating four-hand piano recital by Andrew Rumsey and Ivan Horvatic. Featuring beloved classical masterpieces inspired by fairy tales, myths and magical adventures, the program includes music by Ravel, Saint-Saëns, Grieg, Mussorgsky, Dukas and Gluck. From enchanted forests and sleeping princesses to sorcerers, supernatural dances and mountain kings, these vivid piano duets bring extraordinary characters and imaginary worlds to life. Combining virtuosic performance with evocative storytelling, this unique classical music experience invites audiences of all ages to explore the wonder, mystery and imagination that have inspired composers for generations.
pmKeyna Wilkins and Kaylie Dunstan Duo with Elsen Price (solo)Church Street Studios · CamperdownChurch Street StudiosCamperdownMusicfrom $30Sun, 11 OctSun, 11 Oct
Sunday 11 Oct · 8:00pm – 10:00pm
The Kaylie Dunstan and Keyna Wilkins Duo is a dynamic Australian contemporary classical partnership that bridges virtuosic percussion and multi-instrumental composition and improvisation. Both highly accomplished musicians in Sydney’s art music scene, they combine extensive classical training with a passion for structured improvisation and genre-blurring performances. The duo’s signature sound relies on a rich, cinematic dialogue between Dunstan’s intricate array of percussion (ranging from marimba and vibraphone to theatrical percussion) and Wilkins’ versatile mastery of the piano and flutes. For this project, they are inspired by all the different flavours and textures in a chocolate box.