“Almost every piece an orchestra plays will have at least one flute, one oboe, a clarinet, a bassoon and a horn as part of the orchestration. Here in the GVCO, the five principals of those instruments have recently joined together to form a wind quintet. Apart from their own enjoyment of playing some really lovely repertoire, this small group can also be used to take the orchestra’s name to towns where the whole orchestra would not find a hall large enough to fit.” 
Eric Andersen

GVCO String Chamber Orchestra

The GVCO's String Orchestra is a small chamber ensemble and consists of approx 20 GVCO string players who perform at the Chamber Concerts at Riverlinks Eastbank each year, as well as other smaller events. Led by concertmaster Peter Read (who often conducts from the chair), this wonderfully talented group often performs in a more intimate setting, and their dynamic music programs embrace celebrated classics as well as more contemporary pieces. 

The brass quintet is one of the most distinctive and versatile chamber ensembles in the modern musical landscape. Scored for two trumpets, horn, trombone, and tuba, the group combines brilliance and power with surprising warmth and subtlety. Together, these five instruments create a remarkably flexible sound world—capable of grandeur and lyricism alike. Our repertoire ranges from Renaissance and Baroque transcriptions to original twentieth and twenty-first century works, embracing classical, jazz, and contemporary idioms. Whether performing in the concert hall or in a community space, the GVCO brass quintet showcases the full range of character and colour that brass instruments can offer.

The wind trio Winded! was established in 1999, and whilst there have been some personnel changes over the years, is still actively performing in the community. Sandy Sexton, flute, Eric Andersen, oboe or bass clarinet, have now been joined by Carissa Lee on clarinet. They are all members of the Goulburn Valley Concert Orchestra, and they also form 60% of the GVCO Wind Quintet.

Winded! have performed for weddings, garden parties, and have given concerts in various festivals, wineries, various Mechanics Institute halls around Victoria, old folks’ homes, and even inside the Supreme Court.