Home celebrates a decade of Steel City Strings bringing classical music to the Illawarra, ten years of music-making rooted in community, place, and shared experience. This concert also marks a moment of heartfelt gratitude as we farewell two extraordinary longstanding volunteers, Yve Repin and Lyndall Fowler, whose dedication, generosity, and belief in this orchestra have helped shape who we are today. Reflecting on our mission, their contributions, and the community we have built together, one word kept returning: home.

Inspired by the beautiful place in which we live and create, Home brings together music that speaks to belonging, memory, and connection. At its heart are two beloved pillars of the string repertoire: Dvořák’s evocative Nocturne in B minor and Mendelssohn’s youthful yet radiant String Symphony No. 10, works that feel like familiar rooms we return to again and again. Alongside these classics, we are proud to present two world premieres that expand the idea of “home” within the string tradition. Barry Conyngham’s Under the Escarpment, written by the internationally recognised composer and Wollongong local, draws inspiration from the dramatic landscape that surrounds us. Adriel Sukumar’s Visions of Home is a deeply personal work, shaped by reflections from Steel City Strings musicians and community members on what home means to them.

The program also features music by Andrew Ford, celebrating Australia’s unique wildlife, and Elena Kats-Chernin, whose music reminds us of the sense of home we find in those we love.