Music camps and workshops

We organise weekend music camps, where The Dorkestra and The Awkwardstra get together for intensive weekends of music-making. The larger camps are based in Fairbridge, usually focusing on Dorkestra music and the smaller camps in Lancelin have focused on Awkwardstra music. Each orchestra may also run their own day workshops during the year (dates TBD during the year).

Events planned this year so far:

• Dorkestra Workshop on Saturday 16th May 2026, at Sullivan Hall in White Gum Valley from 2:15 p.m. till 9:00 p.m.
• Camp at Fairbridge Village on Friday 6th November – Sunday 8th November 2026.

Naturally, attendance is voluntary!

WORKSHOPS

Our May 2026 will be a trial of a new format of workshop. It’ll be from mid-afternoon till about 9 p.m. – we will be rehearsing intensively with breaks for afternoon tea and early dinner.

CAMPS

Most orchestra members end up deciding to attend for at least the main Saturday as it’s an opportunity for sectionals, and to intensively rehearse the whole orchestra. Those that don’t end up attending generally wish they could have, or regret not going! 

What happens at camp? Food, wine and general good humour is the order of the day for camp. Campers typically gather unofficially on the Friday afternoon from 2 p.m. onwards, for a couple of hours, to settle in, natter, have a cuppa and/or get together in informal small group ensembles to simply play for fun. Meals are self-catered, with campers bringing food to share. After dinner, if the mood takes us, we sometimes have an informal gig round the dinner table, playing old favourites and sight reading for fun. 

The real music business begins on Saturday morning, when we are joined by professional musicians, who tutor our sectionals. It’s the perfect opportunity to learn more about bringing your own sound into your orchestra, working with your peers on those tricky trills and, of course, getting the weekend off work! We rehearse all Saturday and, after dinner, it’s informal gig time again. We rehearse again on Sunday morning, finishing formal rehearsals at lunchtime. After lunch, there is time for informal music making before we pack up and leave.