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About the NBSO

The orchestra was set up with aid of a committee during 2009, and the first rehearsal was held at The Royal Far West in March 2010. Chris Hawkins was able to get the orchestra up and running by providing some of her own instruments along with music from her large personal library. Some of the earliest members were Chris’s private music students.

When we changed venue from The Royal Far West in Manly there was the problem with storage of instruments, so she found a suitable second hand Mitsubishi van and, at her own expense, had it mechanically upgraded and completely refitted to accommodate and transport the instruments. In 2014, with the number of instruments growing and lack of space, she sold the van and purchased a larger second hand Ford Transit Van. In 2015 Dr Chris Hawkins (musical director) took leave from conducting, and Christian Sherlock, a talented young musician who has been a member of the orchestra for many years, took over and has been an outstanding conductor.

Christian, who is at present an Advanced Science student majoring in Biology at UNSW, completed his secondary education at Manly Selective Campus School, where he excelled as a trombone player in the school's orchestra and jazz band programs.

History of the NBSO

Ever since she was young Chris Hawkins of Freshwater had a dream to have an orchestra open to all musicians. "It’s for people who are not in the ranks of elite musicians . There is no pressure with auditions and anyone can join. "(Manly Daily. Oct 28th, 2011)

Its purpose is to give any player a chance to perform (orchestrally or as a soloist), to conduct the orchestra or to have a composition performed. In Oct 2011, an 11 year old had her own composition performed by the orchestra, and in 2014 one of our members gave a beautiful debut performance of a Krommer Clarinet Concerto.

NBSO has performed many concerts since its inception: Manly West School, Manly Senior Citizens’ Club, several Church Halls in the Northern Beaches and at a venue in rural NSW.

Highlights

*July 10th, 2010

The orchestra was invited by the Community Engagement and Events Section of the Premier's Department to perform at the FIFA Fan Fest at Darling Harbour.

The orchestra received a formal letter of thanks from the NSW Dept of Premier and Cabinet.

Thank you and congratulations on a sensational performance at the Sydney International FIFA Fan Fest. Thank you for agreeing to take part in this inaugural event which was so much more than just football; by celebrating community & cultures of the participating nations. The orchestra’s performance was one of the absolute stand outs of the event and is a wonderful example of community spirit.

*October 21st, 2012

The orchestra presented Brindisi, a program of beautiful music at the Prince of Wales Opera House in Gulgong. We were transported by coach and stayed overnight in motels in Gulgong and Mudgee. A splendid performance was directed and conducted by Dr Chris Hawkins and the orchestra received accolades in the rural press “The Weekly”.

As well as accompanying the Cudgegong Choir (Director-Mary Mitchell) and visiting soloists Sarah Clark (soprano) and William Moxey (baritone), the orchestra performed well-loved items such as Beethoven’s fifth symphony and music from Fiddler on the Roof. The soloists performed pieces from Verdi’s opera, Nabucco, and Les Filles de Cadix by Delibes. The concert ended with the glorious Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves from Verdi’s Nabucco and Brindisi from Verdi’s La Traviata. The concert raised funds for Bear Cottage, where Sarah Clarke worked as a nurse. It was a wonderful and memorable experience for all the orchestra members who enjoyed the country atmosphere and a celebration dinner in Mudgee. The article published by the Mudgee Guardian can be found online here.

The orchestra gave a repeat performance in Dee Why RSL on the 28th Oct.

About Dr Chris Hawkins (founder)

Chris won a full scholarship to the Sydney Conservatorium of Music at age 18, where she majored in violin and piano as well as studying the pipe organ. "We were, at that time, able to learn all the instruments we wanted," she says, before rattling off violin, viola , piano, oboe, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, harmonica and classical guitar. February marked her 40th year of teaching on the peninsula. "My favourite composer is Bach because of the equality and independence of each instrumental part... everyone is sharing the melody, everyone is of equal importance." (Peninsula Living. Sept. 2012)

Chris has played violin and viola in many professional orchestras and chamber groups. She has lead orchestras as concertmaster and founded a professional string quartet which performed at various social occasions for more than ten years. She has played the pipe organ for several churches and cathedrals in NSW, conducted Master classes in performance and worked in radio and TV. Chris has a Bachelor of Music from the Sydney Conservatorium, a Masters Degree in Music Education and Doctorates in Music, namely Composition, String Playing and Music Education.