Starting in 2011, the Dorkestra was formed to provide new and returning adult musicians with a friendly opportunity to play together and develop musicianship as a community orchestra.

Through fun and dynamic weekly rehearsals, the Dorkestra has grown and developed, exploring the gamut of genuine repertoire that enables a quality, level-appropriate experience. Dorkestra programmes regularly include works by Bach, Handel, Telemann, Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven and Schubert, and they also delve into the variety of Western Art Music by preparing and performing music by composers such as Brescianello, Fasch, Hoffmeister, Mayer, Ferrenc and Weill. The orchestra’s repertoire history now includes more than 300 works by a wealth of composers.

Based in North Fremantle, the Dorkestra’s enthusiastic, intermediate level players meet weekly on Thursday evenings, enjoying the sympathetic acoustic of the North Fremantle Community Hall. The hall itself was built to model the natural resonating properties of ancient Roman performance spaces. Players bring their own music to play from, reading comfortably from their own stand, and parts are annotated and accessed online. Players are invited to arrive a little before 7:30pm to get comfortable and warm up, and we take a break halfway through the two-hour rehearsal to relax, stretch, and hang out.

The community of enthusiastic players that has come together through the Dorkestra’s shared musical experiences is welcoming and positive. The orchestra presents several concerts each year, as well as two weekend music camps, and also undertakes an annual holiday-tour of favourite pieces to Eagle Bay. In 2024, the Dorkestra, along with sectional tutors and guest participants, travelled to Fairbridge, Pinjarra, for its 24th music camp.

The Dorkestra welcomes new members and prospective members, and teachers are welcome to visit rehearsals and performances to see the orchestra in action. We welcome orchestral string players: violins, violas, cellos and double basses; and have positions available for woodwinds and brass, from time to time. Please get in touch if you’re interested in making music with us.