If you hear the colourful sounds of jazz fusion or New Orleans-style melodies drifting through the air of Wollongong this week, you’re not going mad.
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Dozens of bands will be roaming the streets giving free performances for the third annual Honk! Oz Festival, a non-commercial celebration street music and performance beginning on Wednesday.
They’re putting a call out for anyone musical to take part in a large scale composition, “Honkski Oro”, which will be performed en masse at Wollongong’s Arts Precinct on Saturday, 11am.
I sort of feel like this is a bit of a celebration of that transformation of Wollongong
- David Rooney
Band director David Rooney sought to bring the concept to life, inspired by a similar event in New York several years ago.
“A composer created a piece of music for street musicians and they all converged on the steps of the Brooklyn library and performed this ... to the public, it would have appeared out of nowhere,” Mr Rooney said.
Around 350 musicians took park in that musical flash mob and would love to get around the same this weekend. He even received a cultural grant from Wollongong City Council to help.
Already around 150 people from various bands have registered with room for plenty more.
“I thought Honk! is the perfect place for us to do that, and I think it suits Wollongong,” Mr Rooney said.
“The increasing vibrancy of the town and things that are happening - the cafe culture and the Wonderwall murals and all the stuff that’s going on outdoors - I sort of feel like this is a bit of a celebration of that transformation of Wollongong.”
Professional or amateur musicians keen to take part can register and download the music score from the festival website, then join in the fun on Saturday.
The festival kicks off Wednesday evening with a public lecture at the Wollongong Art Gallery.
On Thursday a series of “Pre-Honk!” workshops for adults and kids will be held at the Wollongong Conservatorium of Music, before the official festival opening at 5pm in Wollongong mall.
From then until Sunday performers from around the region, the country and internationally will be found at the Town Hall, Arts Precinct, Belmore Basin, Globe Lane and the Illawarra Jazz Club at Corrimal Hotel.
For more details visit: www.honkfest.org.au