The Open Academy at the Con and the Australian Band and Orchestra Directors Association (ABODA) NSW Branch are pleased to present the Australian National Band and Orchestra Conference 2026.

ANBOC 2026 offers an array of opportunities to work with outstanding conductors and music educators in a collaborative and friendly environment at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. The conference will feature conducting masterclasses, keynote lectures and gala concerts. More detailed information on the conference appears below.  

Dates and venue

Friday 2 October to Monday 5 October 2026

Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Macquarie Street Sydney.  

Registration commences from 4:00pm on Friday Oct 2 followed a concert from the Sydney Conservatorium Brass Ensemble and a keynote address from Cynthia Johnston Turner. 

Conference Program

The conference program encompasses a wide variety of topics to engage directors of bands and orchestras, educators, classroom teachers and students through presentations, masterclasses, workshops and concerts.

The conference will offer classes in:
Conducting: Masterclasses and lessons for beginning, intermediate and advanced band and orchestra directors led by international clinicians - An opportunity not to be missed for conductors wishing to develop their conducting skills.

Repertoire: Get the inside scoop on pieces that will work for your ensemble as they prepare for concerts, festivals and eisteddfods, especially the best new Australian repertoire out there.  

Interpreting the Score: Get inside the music: an opportunity to understand how to move beyond the notes.

Rehearsal Technique: Essential ‘how to’ guides for directors of all ensemble types. Find out how to run a better rehearsal room. 

Jazz Improvisation: How to develop improvisation in your Big Band.

The full conference program can be found here https://anboc2026.sched.com/

Conducting Clinics

Conducting Clinics are planned for Monday October 5.  Spend 20 minutes on the podium directing either a symphony orchestra or wind band with feedback provided by Dr. Mark Laycock and Benjamin Northey for orchestra and Dr. Cynthia Johnston Turner and Stephen Williams for wind band.  The cost of participating in a Conducting Clinic is $100.  Applications for conducting clinics have now closed.

Conducting Lessons

Private conducting lesson sessions are planned during the conference.  The following conductors will be available for a private 45 or 60 minute technique session and will cost $100 per lesson.  

Jaclyn Hartenberger - 4 lessons -  NO SPACES LEFT

Jo Heaton - 3 lessons - NO SPACES LEFT

Dale Pointon - 3 lessons - 2 SPACES LEFT

Steve Williams - 2 lessons - NO SPACES LEFT

Lessons are only available to delegates enrolled into the full conference.  To apply for a conducting lesson with your preferred conductor use this form

ANBOC 2026 Conducting Lesson Preferences – Fill out form

Prices

The costs to attend the conference are:

The early bird rate is available until COB on 8th June 2026.

ABODA members and Presenters will be provided with a promo code from the State ABODA offices for their enrolment rates.

Enrolments requested after Sunday September 20 will be charged at the higher rate of $750.

To access the student concession prices please call (02) 9351 1208 to register your details before proceeding with the on-line enrolment process.

GUEST PRESENTERS

Cynthia Johnston Turner

Cynthia Johnston Turner is a highly sought-after conductor and clinician internationally. She was appointed Dean of the Faculty of Music at Wilfrid Laurier University in July 2021 where she has led a music school of approximately 475 undergraduate and graduates. During her tenure at Laurier, the Faculty of Music has completely overhauled the curriculum to dismantle hierarchies between "Classical" and "Popular" music. She also oversees the Laurier Academy of Music and Arts, a school serving approximately 1000 community members. Previously, she served as Director of Bands on the faculty of the Hugh Hodgson School of Music at the University of Georgia where she oversaw the entire UGA Band program, including the 440-member Redcoat Marching Band, Masters and Doctoral students in conducting, was chair of the conducting area, and artistic director of the Contemporary Chamber Ensemble. She formerly served on the faculty of Cornell University, where she directed the Wind Ensemble, Wind Symphony, Ensemble X, and chamber winds. She was appointed Artistic Director and Conductor of the Wellington Wind Symphony in 2023 and Festival Winds at Summer Music Society in 2024. She has served on faculty with the American Band College since 2021 and was recently elected President of the World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles.

A full biography of Cynthia Johnston Turner is available here:

Dr. Mark A. Laycock

Dr. Mark Laycock is a Professor of Music at Wichita State University, where he holds the Ann Walenta Faculty of Distinction Endowed Professorship. He serves as Director of Orchestras and Coordinator of Strings. He has been recognized with the WSU Excellence in Creative Activity Award, the WSU College of Fine Arts Excellence in Teaching Award, and the Hall of Fame Award from the Kansas Chapter of the American String Teachers Association. Dr. Laycock is a member of the Board of Directors of the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic; he serves as Chair of Orchestra Activities. From 2015-2024, he was Conductor of the Wichita Youth Symphony.

His work as guest conductor, clinician, or adjudicator spans 35 states. In addition to numerous all-state ensembles, he recently led the All-Northwest Orchestra, with students representing six states. He has served as a faculty member of the Conn-Selmer Institute, The Ohio State University String Teacher Workshop, and the Texas Conducting Workshop. A presenter for numerous state education conferences, Dr. Laycock has also contributed to the Northwest and Northeast Division Conventions of the National Association for Music Education and the Midwest Clinic. He has provided sessions for numerous ASTA National Conferences, worked as adjudicator, clinician, and chair of the National Orchestra Festival, contributed multiple articles to the American String Teacher journal, and served as an appointed member of the ASTA Conducting Committee.

In 2026, Dr. Laycock will be a keynote presenter for the Australian Band and Orchestra Directors’ Association National Conference in Sydney, his fifth professional appearance on the continent. He is a five-time invited music education panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts. Dr. Laycock is a chapter author for the fourth volume of Teaching Music through Performance in Orchestra and a featured contributor to Rehearsing the Full Orchestra, both published by GIA.

A full biography of Mark Laycock is available here:

Patrick Bowen

Patrick Bowen has served as Director of World Jazz Studies at Las Vegas Academy of the Arts since 2001 and Director of Percussion since 1993. Under his leadership, LVA’s jazz bands have performed at prestigious events including the Midwest Clinic, Monterey Jazz Festival, Reno Jazz Festival, Brandon Jazz Festival, Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival, and the Jazz Education Network Conference. The school has received 12 Grammy Awards and has earned 26 DownBeat Awards from DownBeat Magazine.

Patrick is the Principal Percussionist for the Las Vegas Philharmonic. He is also a sought-after clinician and adjudicator, he has worked with jazz festivals across the U.S. and Canada, including the Con Brio Music Festival (Whistler, Canada), Sun Peak’s Jazz Festival (Canada), Hank’s Jazz Festival (El Paso, TX), Reno Jazz Festival (Reno, NV), the Utah All-State Music Festival, and the University of Louisville Jazz Festival.

He holds a B.M. in Music Performance (Cum Laude) from the Hartt School of Music, an M.M. in Music Performance from the University of Montana, and a Teaching Certificate from UNLV.

A full biography of Patrick Bowen is available here:

Other presenters include: 

PERFORMANCES

A range of ensembles will be both participating in clinic sessions and giving concerts over the weekend.  Single tickets are also available for most of the concerts

Conference Catering

Catering for the Conference will be provided by Piccolo Me who will provide morning tea and lunch for delegates.  Additional food and beverage can also be purchased from Piccolo Me at other times if required.

Conference Dinner

The ANBOC conference dinner will be held at the Sydney Conservatorium following the Saturday night concert from the Adelaide Wind Orchestra.

This a chance to relax, have a drink and some food and socialise with your fellow delegates.  Food and drink will be supplied by Cupcakes and Canapes with a tasty range of canapes, noodle boxes and sweet treats.  Vegan and Gluten-free options are available.  Beer and wine will come from the Tulloch Winery and Slow Lane Brewing, plus an assortment of soft drinks.

All food and wine is included in the $40 per head price

The dinner will run from 7:45pm to 9:45pm and will be held on level 1 of the Sydney Conservatorium.  To book, go to Related Products and use the Conference Dinner link.

Conference Supporters