The Bendigo Festival features a week-long program of music at various venues around Bendigo as well as workshops and recitals.

Artistic director  of Orchestra Victoria Nicolette Fraillon said the city’s arts precinct was very inviting.

“There is so many fabulous venues and the opportunity to play music beyond the concert halls,” she said.

“What we are keen to do is give people who wouldn’t ordinarily come along a chance to see performances at different times of the day in different places and access something new.”

Ms Fraillon said a number of venues had been very supportive.

“We are going to try a series of lunchtime concerts in the library,” she said.

“They have been very supportive and have a range of spaces for concerts, which is great.”

Performances will also take place at the Bendigo Art Gallery, La Trobe Visual Arts Centre and the Bendigo Bank Theatre at The Capital.

The festival comes a year after Orchestra Victoria became a wholly owned subsidiary of The Australian Ballet.

Orchestra Victoria will also perform at Ulumbarra for the first time on August 22 at 7pm. The concert is free but people must book places..

“We will have a symphony concert there on the Saturday,” Ms Fraillon said.

“I haven’t been in side yet but visited three times at various points of construction.

As part of the festival, Orchestra Victoria educational program On the mOVe will see students get the chance to work with orchestra musicians.

“It is a great program for secondary school music students who have been practicing but have little opportunity to play in a larger orchestra,” Ms Fraillon said.

“We have 13 Orchestra Victoria musicians who work with the conductor and do a few sessions (with students) before performing with them on the Thursday.”

The On the mOVe Showcase Concert is a free performance that will be held on August 20 at The Capital from 6.30pm.

Ms Fraillon said Bendigo’s two theatres were very inviting for musicians.

“I love The Capital too. It is a gem of a theatre and I love walking into places like that and getting a sense of the history.

“Now that Bendigo has a larger contemporary theatre as well, it is a pretty amazing destination for the arts.”

For more on Orchestra Victoria’s Bendigo Festival visit www.orchestravictoria.com.au/bendigofestival