Nexas Quartet | Wollongong Conservatorium Concert
16 January, 2026, Wollongong Conservatorium of Music, NSW
Pulling into the green sweep of the Wollongong Botanic Gardens late on a Friday afternoon, the atmosphere was one of fun. Kids were spread across the lawn outside, cartwheeling, cricket bats in hand. By the time I reached the buildings of the Wollongong Conservatorium of Music, those same children, of all ages and abilities, were being gently gathered for the final moments of a day-long masterclass with the Nexas Quartet. What followed was a heartening sight: young musicians presenting what they’d worked on during the day to parents and curious onlookers, supported, included and clearly buoyed by the experience. Shared music-making and a lot of smiles!
After a short wander through the gardens with their historic buildings and sweeping lawns, we regrouped for the quartet’s own concert at 5.30pm. Civilised, relaxed and perfectly timed before heading out into Wollongong for dinner. The venue itself is a little gem: seating around 80, fully air-conditioned (a real blessing on a warm afternoon), comfortable and intimate. It’s hard to think of a nicer way to spend an early evening, especially given it’s barely a 90-minute drive from Sydney.
The audience reflected the day: students from the masterclass, their families, and local community members. The program stayed in friendly, familiar territory – arrangements for saxophone quartet of George Gershwin and Leonard Bernstein, and it suited both the space and the occasion.
From the opening strains of An American in Paris, it was clear that each instrument would get its moment in the sun, from soprano through alto and tenor to baritone. Jay Byrnes, Nathan Henshaw, Nick Russoniello and Michael Duke are all at the top of their game, both as individual musicians and as an ensemble. Byrnes, an engaging and genuinely funny guide, was quick to point out that while these works were written for full orchestra, they arguably sound even better distilled down to four saxophones. The audience didn’t argue.
Summertime brought a languid, gently swinging pulse, with Duke’s soprano sax weaving familiar jazz inflections into the line – relaxed, stylish and charming. The Three Piano Preludes (well piano originally, and yes, apparently better on four saxes!) were another highlight, the ensemble relishing Gershwin’s rhythmic snap.
The second half moved into Bernstein territory, with an extended suite from West Side Story. All the favourites were there, America buzzed with energy, complete with cheeky “car sounds” and fiesta-like swagger, while in the slower moments, stripped of the full orchestral colour, I could really pick up the inner lines and harmonic shifts more clearly in these arrangements. In Somewhere, Russoniello’s alto sax carried a warm, singing line that felt especially intimate in this setting.
An encore mambo sent everyone out smiling. All feel-good music, played with polish, humour and real generosity of spirit.
Catch Nexas at the Orange Chamber Music Festival with Simon Tedeschi in March.
This review is about place as much as performance. The Nexas Quartet were first-class, no question, but what made the evening special was how seamlessly it sat within the broader life of the conservatorium. This is a place that genuinely lives its mission of positive change through music, from children just starting out, to emerging musicians, to visiting artists working alongside the community.
Wollongong might feel like “the regions” to Sydneysiders, but it really isn’t far at all and evenings like this make the short drive more than worthwhile. With more masterclasses and visiting artists planned across the year, the Wollongong Conservatorium is very much a space to watch – and, better still, to visit.
