Bathurst's Blackdown Farm to host inaugural, sold-out Piano Fest

Blackdown Farm on Eleven Mile Drive will host the inaugural Piano Fest festival, which will be directed by Italian-Slovenian pianist Alexander Gadjiev.

Organised by the Sydney International Piano Competition (SIPC), the event will also feature two of Australia's leading proponents of the piano Tamara Anna Cislowska and Stephanie McCallum, as well as young artist Calvin Abdiel.

According to SIPC CEO Marcus Barker the event was sold out months in advance, an overwhelming response.

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"This is the first time we've created such an event and to run in a regional location in Bathurst, where the Sydney International Piano Competition has had plenty of support over the years, is really encouraging," he said.

"To be able to work with local providers and inject economic resources and activity into that local community in the Central West and Bathurst is really important to us.

"We're using local caterers, local security, local wines, local foods. It's all about having us much local, to invest money back into the economy.

"While it's great for us to have this event sold out, I think it's even better that we're leaving this legacy in the community."

Mr Barker said there's a long-term plan to make Piano Fest a regular event.

"We would hope that the success of this inaugural year is enough to enable us to have the confidence that what we've created is what people want," he said.

"Even now, we're still getting people calling that they want to come. The hardest thing to say to these people, 'We're really sorry, but you should've bought your tickets two months ago because we've got no room'.

"I hope this can become a regular event. For people in Bathurst and the Central West, they know that the long weekend in October has this beautiful music food and wine event in their area and that it belongs to them."

Running from Saturday to Monday, the festival will feature in six concerts over the three days, including a number of food and wine events too.

Two concert grand pianos will be used during the festival, with one from the Mitchell Conservatorium and the other from the Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre.

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