2026 CONverge in the Atrium series at Sydney Conservatorium of Music

The 2026 Sydney Con Jazz Festival returns for its seventh all-day festival on Sunday May 31, running from 12pm to 9pm across six concert halls at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, nestled within the Royal Botanic Gardens. The program features 140 artists across 26 concerts, offering a snapshot of contemporary Australian and international jazz, from newly commissioned works to big band and hip-hop. Headlining the festival are alto saxophonist Ben van Gelder and guitarist Reinier Baas, alongside vocalist Kristin Berardi performing with Florian Ross and strings, pianist Jef Neve with trumpeter Teus Nobel, and the hip-hop big band collaboration ZERO X MACE with Western Australian Noongar MC Zero Emcee and conductor Mace Francis. The CONverge in the Atrium series showcases five student bands as part of the broader festival program, which also features Barney McAll, Spirograph Studies, the Australian Youth Jazz Orchestra, and award-winning artists including Lucy Clifford, Lauren Tsamouris, Lachlan McKenzie, and Sam Gill.