The Riverina Summer School for Strings during the day and the accompanying Sounds of Summer concert series at night, always held over a week in the city during January, has become a significant event in the city's annual cultural program.   

Parkes may have its Elvis Presley weekend and Tamworth its country and western music festival, but Wagga's RSSS and SoS events have established themselves in the top echelon of teaching and entertainment performances in regional Australia.

The concert series features some of the nation's finest professional players and teachers of string instruments including the violin, viola, cello, guitar and bass who during the day teach and tutor some of the finest talent attending the RSSS.

This year the visiting professionals were led by the head of the Sydney Conservatorium, Associate Professor Goetz Richer, noted performer and tutor Tamaris Pfeiffer and international performer on the Scottish fiddle, Catherine Fraser.

The events are put together by an administrative committee led by the head of the string department at the Riverina Conservatorium, Jeff Donovan.

The events began almost 20 years ago and from a relatively humble beginning have developed into a professionally run organisation which attracts people from inter-state to come to the city.

They are a boost for the city's hospitality businesses during the school holidays, many visitors and their families choosing to stay in the city's caravan parks and sample attractions such as the Wagga Beach.

Charles Sturt University (including the Conservatorium) and the City Council have thrown their resources behind the annual event which features five night-time SoS concerts and a grand finale concert by all involved in the RSSS at the weekend.

Music, arts and other cultural activities feature large on the city's lifestyle; one of the reasons that makes it an alternative decentralised lifestyle.