In association with the City of Bayswater. A concentrated celebration of the arts, bringing performers and audiences together each spring.
Entries for 2026 are now closed
The Festival provides participants with a wealth of experience in public performances as well as being able to listen to others. It's an opportunity to build confidence and experience, and receive helpful, personal reports from qualified adjudicators.
A feast
A celebration
An organised, concentrated celebration of the Arts
Bringing people together for the purpose of enjoyment, experience and entertainment
Whether you sing to your heart's content, play an instrument, recite a speech or drama, or tread the boards, there's $11,000 worth of prize money as well as exclusive gold medallions, trophies and certificates to be won.
The Festival is open to participants of all ages, with a range of categories on offer including piano, strings, singing, instrumentals and speech and drama.
The North of Perth Music Festival is a valuable cultural asset that has serviced the community for over 69 years, bringing people together in an organised, concentrated celebration of the Arts for the purpose of enjoyment, experience and entertainment.
"Many outstanding singers, actors and artists, the likes of Lisa McCune and the late Heath Ledger, have come through this Festival in their early stage of development."
The City of Bayswater is the major sponsor, with Zenith Music the main award sponsor, providing a $2,500 cash prize for the Most Outstanding Performance.
Auditions are held in September, with two Winners' Concerts in October.
The North of Perth Music Festival is truly a celebration of our community's diversity through the arts. We're looking for musicians, singers and actors to really bring the Festival to life, making sure it's as vibrant as ever.
$11,000 in prizes, medallions and trophies
5 categories: piano, strings, singing, instrumental, speech & drama
"Heath Ledger won the Ramsay McLean Perpetual Trophy for the Most Outstanding Speech and Drama Item at the 1995 North of Perth Music Festival. He was awarded the 2009 Academy Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his work as the Joker in The Dark Knight (2008), the first person to win a posthumous acting Oscar in this category."
"Lisa McCune was the winner of the City of Bayswater Shield for the Ladies Vocal Championship at the 1990 North of Perth Music Festival. In 1995 she won the Silver Logie for Best New Talent, then the Silver Logie for Most Popular Female Actress in 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999. In 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000 she won the Gold Logie for Most Popular Personality, the first woman in Australian television to win four consecutive Gold Logies. She currently stars in 'The Warriors'."
"Paul O'Neill was the winner of the Overall Most Outstanding Performance at the 2003 North of Perth Music Festival. An internationally renowned tenor, Paul O'Neill is one of Western Australia's finest musical exports. After graduating from the WA Academy of Performing Arts, Paul studied in London and Cardiff before moving to Germany, where he has performed with the Staatsoper Berlin."
"Carl Vine AO won first prize in the fourth grade piano section at the 1967 North of Perth Music Festival. He is one of Australia's best known and most performed composers; his piano music is played frequently around the world, with recordings on more than 60 CDs in regular rotation on Australian radio. Since 2014 Carl has been Senior Lecturer in Composition at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music."
The City of Bayswater is the Major Sponsor of the North of Perth Music Festival.
The City has been a major integral part of the Festival since 1986. It has helped build a solid foundation, instigating many additional and major improvements in the standard and running of the Festival.
Zenith Music is the Festival's main award sponsor, currently providing a cash prize of $2,000 for the Overall Most Outstanding Performance. This generous sponsorship has been available to the Festival since 1964.
