In 2025 I’ll be continuing my now 10-year association with The Song Company appearing in two major tours across the year. Journeying to Finisterre is programmed and directed by Amy Moore, and will feature many early Spanish works alongside contemporary Australian works by Anne Cawrse, Joe Twist, and more.

From the Song Company website

7-16 March
Newcastle, Wollongong, Canberra, Sydney, Blackheath*

*Other dates to be added…

Journeying to Finisterre is an evocative exploration of pilgrimage, not just across landscapes but deep within the self. Curated by Co-Artistic Director and Soprano Amy Moore, this program delves into the 12th Century Codex Calixtinus and 14th Century Libre Vermell de Montserrat—devotional manuscripts that guided pilgrims both physically and spiritually.

We trace the Camino paths to Santiago de Compostela with Spanish and Portuguese Renaissance polyphony, including Tomás Luis de Victoria’s Versa est in Luctum which echoes through time in Joseph Twist’s setting of the same text. Paul Stanhope’s Explorer’s Journal draws us deep into the natural world, and Anne Cawrse’s Pilgrim Psalms offer a contemporary reflection on spiritual journeys, the quest for inner connection and the timeless search for meaning.

I am over the moon to announce that I will be debuting with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra for not one but two projects in their 2024 Season.

In August I will give the WORLD PREMIERE of Katy Abbott's new commission for the MSO 'Hidden Thoughts: Stories of Awe' – a 40-minute work for Orchestra, Soprano, Baritone and Narrator helmed by Maestro Benjamin Northey. You too can contribute to the work with your stories of awe via the MSO website below. To be part of such an important premiere in Hamer Hall really is a huge honour.

From the MSO Website

Friday 09 August 2024 - 7:30pm at Hamer Hall

Saturday 10 August 2024 - 7:30pm at Hamer Hall

Featuring

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
Benjamin Northey conductor
Sunny Kim vocalist
Andrew O'Connor bass-baritone
Pamela Rabe narrator

Program

Katy Abbott* Hidden Thoughts III: Stories of Awe**
Max Richter The Four Seasons Recomposed

*MSO Composer in Residence
**World premiere of an MSO Commission

About this performance

This dynamic program opens with the third piece in Katy Abbott's award-winning Hidden Thoughts series. Based on the stories of anonymous participants, this piece sets individual stories and the collective voice to music, capturing and delivering the very human experience of awe. The stories tell of unexpected encounters, of finding the extraordinary in the ordinary, of being moved by music, art, nature, kindness and courage. Collective effervescence, spiritual awakenings, the delicacy and complexity of nature and the infinitesimal self within it.

If you’d like to contribute a story to Hidden Thoughts III, please complete a short anonymous survey at: bit.ly/stories-of-awe

Ground-breaking composer Max Richter’s minimalist-inspired music is equally at home in the concert hall as it is on screen, having featured in Arrival, and episodes of Black Mirrorand The Last of Us, among many others. His innovative fresh take on Vivaldi’s Four Seasonstopped the classical charts in 22 countries in 2012, and continues to awe devotees of the original and new fans alike.

Duration: approx. 2 hours including interval

From the Song Company Website:

Celebrating the wealth of Australian music commissioned and performed by The Song Company over its illustrious 40-year history.

14-30 June
Newcastle, Wollongong, Canberra (more to come…)

Drawing inspiration from the iconic masterpiece by Peter Sculthorpe, The Stars Turn captures the essence of The Song Company's vibrant history, showcasing our rich tapestry of collaborations with some of the brightest stars of Australian music. From the mesmerising Elena Kats-Chernin to the intricate textures of Nigel Butterly and Katy Abbott, this program is a snapshot of The Song Company's musical milestones.

The Stars Turn also casts its gaze toward the future, with the next generation of composers whose talents light up the musical sky. Experience the innovative soundscapes of Alice Chance, Sonya Holowell and Chris Williams, and the debut of a mesmerising new work by Angus Davison.

Don't miss this extraordinary celebration of Australian musical creativity, past, present and future. Secure your tickets now and be part of this luminous constellation of sound.

I will be (re)joining The Song Company for three major projects in its 40th Anniversary Season in 2024 - and the first of these is Superbloom with guest director Jane Sheldon.

Touring from 1-10 March in Newcastle, Wollongong, Canberra, Sydney, and to the Orange Chamber Music Festival.

From The Song Company Website:

"Superbloom" is the phenomenon in which the desert landscape receives an unusual season of rain such that the next spring brings forth carpets of rare displays of flowers. Immerse yourself in this magical and musical "Superbloom" - a program of rare works for unaccompanied voices that draws parallels between the stark beauty of the arid desert and the lush abundance brought by the wet season.

Acclaimed Australian-American soprano and composer Jane Sheldon makes her Guest Directorial debut with The Song Company. Her artistry has created a musical journey that connects historical compositional giants such as Hildegard von Bingen and Carlo Gesualdo with contemporary composers Rebecca Saunders, Chaya Czernowin and James Weeks. Plus, be among the first to experience a brand-new work composed by the talented Jane Sheldon herself.

The Song Company has been captivating audiences with adventurous programming for 40 years. Join Australia's world-class vocal ensemble for this unforgettable experience that celebrates both the resilience of the desert and the creativity of the human spirit.

Superbloom Tour Dates & Ticket Links

Newcastle
Fri 1 March, 6pm
Newcastle Conservatorium of Music, Newcastle

Wollongong
Sat 2 March, 3pm
St Francis Xavier Cathedral, Wollongong

Canberra
Sun 3 March, 3pm
Wesley Music Centre, Ainslie

Sydney
Thu 7 March, 7pm
Utzon Room, Sydney Opera House 
 
Orange
Sat 9 March, 11am
Orange Chamber Music Festival 
Holy Trinity Church, Orange

Chatswood
Sun 10 March, 3pm
Our Lady of Dolours Catholic Church, Chatswood

The Australian Vocal Ensemble (AVE) concludes its Regional NSW tour - facilitated in part by Music Viva and the former RISE Fund - with performances in Bathurst, Orange, Kangaroo Valley, and Goulburn. Orange also includes an education and choral workshop which is open to singers in the community - so I advise contacting the Orange Regional Conservatorium for more specific on-the-ground details in preparation for that.

Importantly, our performance in Kangaroo Valley is facilitated by Arts in The Valley - and long-time supporters of the arts, Nick and Caroline Minogue. We are very grateful, as I am in particular, to be heading to the exceptional beauty of The Valley for this tour performance.

All tour details can be found at the Australian Vocal Ensemble (AVE) website.

I am delighted to be making the trip out to Baradine and Dubbo again this year (having missed the August camps being in the United States) for the always engaging, connecting, and grounding Moorambilla Voices Residency Camps and Gala Concerts.

In addition to the usual concerts there are also many open-air activities and cultural events as part of a mini festival just across the road from the theatre.

Taken from the Moorambilla Voices Website

Experience the fantastic choirs of Moorambilla Voices as they celebrate regional Australia and the youth that inhabits it in the iconic Moorambilla Gala Concert Series! Each year Dubbo Regional Theatre & Convention Centre will host four concerts. Each 80-minute concert will leave you mesmerised and uplifted. Feel firsthand the power of the Japanese Taiko Drums, listen to the beauty of the angelic voices of our regional choirs and MAXed OUT company as they join with senior choreographers, photographers, Taiko percussionists, a Chamber Orchestra and Visual Artists. Led by Founder and Artistic Director Michelle Leonard OAM, join them as they celebrate the inspiring beauty and capacity of the region.

(SOLD OUT) MOORAMBILLA VOICES RIVERSONG 2023: MARKS ON COUNTRY

DUBBO: 23 & 24 September 2023 at the Dubbo Regional Theatre & Convention Centre

Experience the Moorambilla Magic in this joyful celebration of Country, connection, contemporary art and choral music, choreography and installation visual art.
Celebrate the energy, tenacity and enormous capacity of our region’s children. 
Feel the power and energy of our magnificent rivers interpreted through Japanese Taiko Drums, dance, and the voices of our four regional youth choirs, all woven together with a word-class Chamber Orchestra.

The program was informed by the annual 2023 Artistic and Cultural Immersion Program, inspired by the stories, relationships and Country of the Gamilaroi,Yuwaalaraay and Yuwalayaay language groups of the Gomeroi Nation starting from the head of the Castlereagh River at the magnificent Warrumbungles connecting through to the wonders of the Narran Lakes.
  
Performed by four youth ensembles that represent 21 LGAs of North West NSW.

Following the concerts join us across the road at Victoria Park for spectacular FREE light and fire sculptures. 

MOORAMBILLA VOICES RIVERSONG 2023: FIRE! SAND! LIGHT!

In addition to our two sold-out performances of ‘Marks on Country’ at the Dubbo Regional Theatre, we are proud to share our FREE community ‘FIRE! SAND! LIGHT!’ festival which will take place over the weekend – Friday 22-24 September in Victoria Park – opposite the theatre. 

MUSIC OF BRITTEN, SAARIAHO AND GYGER

9-15 June
Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne and online

The Song Company's second program Songs of Rosa Mystica, led by Guest Music Director Jack Symonds, is a program of contemporary masterworks for unaccompanied voices. From Elliott Gyger's mighty 1994 work Ficta, through excepts of Benjamin Britten's A.M.D.G. and works by Tippett, Saariaho and Symonds himself, The Song Company will challenge your perception of what the human voice is capable.

Susannah Lawergren, Amy Moore, Jessica O'Donoghue, Timothy Reynolds, Simon Lobelson and Andrew O'Connor

GUEST MUSIC DIRECTOR

Jack Symonds

WITH

Ben Carey, Sound Designer

COMPOSERS

Elliott Gyger, Benjamin Britten, Jack Symonds, Michael Tippett, Kaija Saariaho

Facilitated via RISE and Musica Viva Australia - AVE will be touring Regional NSW in March 2023. Performances will feature our Tumbling Like Stars program, and in addition a range of workshop and educational activities are available by arrangement.

More details to come as Musica Viva Australia arranges final details.

I am thrilled to be joining Voces8 and The VOCES8 Foundation Choir for this LIVE From London project next week – featuring the music of Christopher Tin, Caroline Shaw, Eric Whitacre, and a new adaptation of 'The Lark Ascending' to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of Ralph Vaughan Williams. It will be available for broadcast from 15 October.

It was a moment of extraordinary serendipity that the project fitted so neatly alongside personal travel plans in Europe (UK, Ireland, Spain, Andorra) to coincide with my Brother's wedding. This will also mark the first time the O'Connor family will be under the same roof in almost three years!

I'm hugely looking forward to working with both new and familiar faces in London – and for a few weeks break after an immensely busy year – with more to come upon my return!

#freelancelife

Presented in association with Musica Viva Australia (NSW Touring) Vocal Detour are looking forward to taking For The Beauty of The Earth to Bellingen and Coffs Harbour as part of the Muse Festival.

https://www.bellingenmuse.com.au/event/vocal-detour/

CONCERT DETAILS HERE

In a time where our travel options are somewhat restricted, many of us have turned to reconnecting with nature and a more ‘close to home’ getaway. In this performance, Vocal Detour will take you on a journey to different countries and different times, in a celebration of plants and animals, the various seasons, and the natural beauty that surrounds us.

From 16th Century Paris to spring in Italy, European winters to Australian summers, music by Renaissance masters Lassus and Schütz are complimented by Australian works from Kevin Barker, Martin Wesley – Smith, Gordon Hamilton and Brooke Shelley.

A program as varied in style as in genre, the sumptuous harmonies and complexity of 5 part madrigals are juxtaposed with smooth jazz harmonies and will leave you uplifted and connected with nature.

Biography
Anna Fraser, Soprano, Hannah Fraser, Mezzo-soprano, Andrei Laptev, Tenor, Mark Donnelly, Baritone, Andrew O’Connor, Bass-baritone

Vocal Detour is a newly formed Australian vocal ensemble dedicated to engaging and educating its audience in the world of a cappella music. Its members are amongst the most accomplished ensemble singers in Australia and are well versed in a wide variety of styles and genres. In addition to concert, festival, and recording projects, Vocal Detour is also highly committed to nurturing and enriching the choral landscape at both a school and community level via its highly adaptable Education Program.

First Stones

a vocal writing intensive

Presented in association with the Australian Music Centre

Halcyon presents First Stones in July, an intensive composer development program focusing on the voice and vocal writing. First Stones is perfect for composers who are keen to learn more about working with voice and exploring the diversity of contemporary vocal composition. It is designed to lay foundations, deepen understanding and help produce better and more confident composers for the voice. Stage 1 of the program is also ideal for singing students or teachers who want to learn more about contemporary composers for voice and broaden their repertoire.

Held over two weekends in July (9-10 and 16-17), First Stones is an exciting opportunity for emerging Australian composers to hone their skills with Australia’s pre-eminent vocal chamber music ensemble and composer-mentor Elliott Gyger.

I am looking forward to joining Jenny Duck-Chong, Elliott Gyger and the emerging composers selected for this program for the second weekend of workshops in July. Jenny is an extraordinary musician and Halcyon such an important organisation in the landscape of Australian Contemporary Art and Vocal Music.

I am excited to return to the rugged beauty of Tasmania for a project at the Festival of Voices (Hobart) which features the music of Franco-Flemish Composer Pierre de Manchicourt. A small group of vocalists will perform these works (which were recorded in January 2021) for what in many cases will be the first time they have been heard live since the composer wrote them in the 16th century.

New works by Australians Brooke Shelley and David Drury will also be given their Tasmanian Premiere.

6 & 8 July at 7:30pm and 6:00pm

St David’s Cathedral, Hobart

Click here for tickets and information

AVÉ will be facilitating workshop and composer development with six NSW born or professionally connected composers as part of funding made possible thanks to Create NSW. These works will become part of our repertoire and will enter the pipeline for performance - particularly within NSW Regional and Metropolitan Touring. Including later in 2022!