The event raised more than $27,000 for the Manning Music Program of the Australian Children’s Music Foundation – ensuring that our talented local musicians Jake Davey, Stuart Lovell, Brad Bunyan and next year Matt Zarb will continue to share the magic of music with students at Taree High, Chatham High, Manning Gardens, Taree Public and Chatham Primary Schools.

Mingling with the crowd were featured artists, dancers nine-year-old Elly Sievert, 12-yearold, Jodi Cooper backed by Tanya Brown, Tim Gibbs from Port Macquarie and Cassidy Donovan.

Then the guests moved off stage and sat back to watch a fabulous array of popular music arranged for the classical musicians of the Kaleidoscope Pops Orchestra by maestro conductor George Ellis with singers Lisette De Gray, Jodi Cooper, Michael Standen and Terry Grant and Mitchell Brown on clarinet.

George Ellis, one of today’s most talented Australian conductors, composers and orchestrators, is an ambassador for the Australian Children’s Music Foundation.

“You have such a talented and friendly community,” George said. “I have never experienced a cocktail party with entertainment on stage before – you may have started something for Sydney!”