Australia's National Children's Choir - Gondwana Voices

Concerts, Tours & Events

2010
January

National Choral School brought together choristers old and new from across metropolitan, regional, rural and remote   Australia for a fortnight of music, learning & friendship. 2010’s program featured a collaboration with Synergy Percussion and included new works commissioned from Christopher Gordon & Graham Leak, and the choirs learnt and performed a diverse repertoire of music from all over the world, led by Lyn Williams and guest conductors Allison Harrigan, Harley Mead, Claire Preston, Ben van Tienen, Mark O’Leary, Paul Holley and Karen Grylls.

4 children from our Gondwana National Indigenous Children’s Choir (GNICC) – as part of the Qantas Choir - performed at the G’day LA week, meeting Hollywood stars like John Travolta, going to Universal Studios and generally having a wonderful time.


February

Our celebrated Gondwana Voices and Sydney Children’s Choir performed Mahler Symphony No.8 at the Sydney Opera House with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Western Australian Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Philharmonia, under the baton of Principal Conductor Vladimir Ashkenazy . GNICC Community Workshops were held in Shepparton, VIC.


March

10 Cairns-based GNICC choristers went to the Melbourne Grand Prix for a very exciting appearance trackside with Gabriella Cilmi.

GNICC Community Workshops were held in the Torres Strait Islands and Cairns.

June - July

A huge couple of months beginning with the GNICC’s Shanghai World Expo Tour - 10 children, most on their first overseas trip, performing at Australian National Day at World Expo as special guests of the Australian government.

This was followed by our 21st Birthday concert at the Sydney Opera House -  ‘Voices of Celebration’ - a magical and critically acclaimed event, which brought together Gondwana National Choirs, the Sydney Children’s Choir, GNICC and Alumni for the very first time. For many children, this was also their first time performing at the Sydney Opera House, and the season was enjoyed by choristers and audiences alike!

Gondwana Voices toured to Tasmania as special guests of the Festival of Voices, where they performed at Hobart Town Hall, Federation Concert Hall and Hobart Cathedral. Lyn was also invited to be Guest Conductor of the Festival of Youth stream.

Gondwana Chorale performed at the Australian National Association’s Choralfest in Port Macquarie’s new ‘Glasshouse’ Theatre, then travelled to Brisbane to perform with the New Zealand Youth Choir - one of the world’s finest choirs for young people - under the baton of Karen Grylls.

August

Local GNICC choristers performed at the opening of the Cairns Indigenous Arts Fair, watched by an enthralled audience including the Qld Premier and Governor.

Members of Gondwana National Choirs performed at a concert at the City Recital Hall in  memory of Ken Tribe AC along with musical luminaries including Nathan Waks, Trioz and the Goldner String Quartet. SMH critic Peter MacCallum wrote;  Tribe's work was always about the future, captured in an exquisitely beautiful performance of Lyn Williams's Uphill by the young voices of Gondwana Choirs.

September

Marked the first GNICC trip to Darwin and Arnhem Land. We conducted workshops and visited several schools in Darwin and a small community called Belyuen, located on the eastern side of Cox Peninsula. In Arnhem Land, we visited Jabiru and Gunbalanya where,  after fording a crocodile-infested river, we met and some extremely excited children ready to give singing a red hot go!

October

The NRL Grand Final brought together choristers from the SCC, Sydney and Cairns-based GNICC and the Glebe Public School Choir (who Lyn and Alumni Eavan Dowse and Kate McCallum have been volunteering their time with for some time now), for the chance to perform the Australian National Anthem with Jessica Mauboy in front of thousands and a TV audience of millions.

The GNICC Torres Strait Island Regional Camp itself took place on Thursday Island over 4 days. 43 children participated, from across 10 islands, and were accompanied by Gondwana Choirs staff including choreographer Sani Townson, conductor and composer Dan Walker, pianist Luke Byrne, 4 young musical mentors who have been or are current members of Gondwana Choirs as well as volunteer chaperones. Choristers sang songs in local languages, accompanied by choreography by Sani Townson, and the camp culminated in a performance to a packed house at the Port Kennedy Community Hall.  Among the works on the program included a world premiere by Dan Walker called Island Dreaming.

Provided the opportunity for the SCC Kats-Chernin Choir and Sydney GNICC to perform together at the National Centre for Indigenous Excellence (NCIE) Gala dinner, inspiring an audience of some of Australia’s key business and Indigenous figures.


November

The GNICC Sydney Regional Camp at the National Centre of Indigenous Excellence involved choristers right across Sydney, including the outer Western Suburbs. Choristers spent time at the Art Gallery of NSW (as part of our year-long collaboration with the Gallery) and took part in visual art workshops and rehearsals. The Camp culminated in a performance with acclaimed didjeridu player William Barton at the beautiful Kingcopppal Rose Bay School Chapel. GNICC choristers, straight from the Sydney Regional Camp (including some brand new to Choir) appeared at Qantas’ 90th Birthday gala dinner, attended by John Travolta, with an ’awesome’ QANTAS A380 parked right next to the stage.

December

Oprah’s Ultimate Australian Adventure!  40 or so of our GNICC choristers from Cairns, Sydney and Thursday Island were involved in the filming of Oprah’s Grand Finale at the Opera House. The children were very pleased to share the stage and sing with Hugh Jackson, Russell Crowe, Olivia Newton-John, Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban, and of course the star herself.   Chorister Tyus sang the introduction to I Still Call Australia Home in Kala Lagaw Ya language and received a hug from Oprah!

Sydney Children’s Choir and Gondwana Voices presented our much-loved  annual festive Christmas concert, Voices of Angels, at the City Recital Hall, Angel Place. Highlights included a newly commissioned work from Australian composer Ben van Tienan, a solo from one of Australia’s foremost cellists Julian Smiles, a selection of  traditional Christmas carols, excerpts from Britten’s A Ceremony of Carols, and a medley of traditional Jewish songs.

 

2009
January
Gondwana National Choral School involved over 200 choristers collaborating with ARIA winning electronic music artist Paul Mac. Gondwana Singers – a new choir for singers on the verge of gaining entry to Gondwana Voices or Gondwana Chorale came together for the first time at National Choral School.

March
Gondwana National Indigenous Children’s Choir Community Workshops were held in Cairns and the Torres Strait Islands, QLD.

April – May
Torres Strait Islander members of the Gondwana National Indigenous Children’s Choir gave the world premiere performance of the children’s opera Ngailu – Boy of the Stars, with the Sydney Children’s Choir at City Recital Hall, Angel Place. The Gondwana National Indigenous Children’s Choir then participated in the recording and filming of the Qantas “I Still Call Australia Home” advertising campaign.

June
The Gondwana National Indigenous Children’s Choir performed with the Sydney Children’s Choir at The Dreaming Festival in Woodford, Queensland.

July
Gondwana Chorale toured to Hobart to take part in Festival of Voices and to Launceston to perform at the Australian Society of Music Educators conference. Gondwana Voices toured to New Zealand to perform with the New Zealand Youth Choir.

August
The Gondwana National Indigenous Children’s Choir performed as part of the Qantas Choir at the Bledisloe Cup in Sydney.

September
Gondwana National Indigenous Children’s Choir Community Workshops were held in Shepparton, VIC and the Choir performed as part of the Qantas Choir for the AFL Grand Final in Melbourne.

October - November
Gondwana National Indigenous Children’s Choir Community Workshops were held in Bowraville, NSW and Regional Music Camps were held in Cairns and Sydney.    
December
Gondwana Voices joined with the Sydney Children’s Choir for two sell out performances of the festive Voices of Angels program at City Recital Hall Angel Place, Sydney.

 

 

2008

January

Gondwana National Choral School involved 180 choristers collaborating with composers Dan Walker and Luke Robinson in the composition and performance of a new work for found percussion and voices. Gondwana Chamber Choir was renamed Gondwana Chorale and the age limit is extended from 17 to 21 years. Gondwana Voices collaborated with Richard Tognetti and composer Michael Yezerksi to develop the new work they performed with the Australian Chamber Orchestra on a national tour in July.

 

July

Inaugural season of Gondwana Indigenous Children Choir in Sydney bringing together 44 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from Qld and NSW who joined with Gondwana Voices and Sydney Children’s Choir and sing at the papal arrival as part of World Youth Day festivities. Gondwana Voices gave a critically acclaimed performance tour with the Australian Chamber Orchestra of the world premiere of The Red Tree in Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne and Brisbane.

     

December

Gondwana Voices joined with Sydney based choristers from the Gondwana Indigenous Children’s Choir and the Sydney Children’s Choir for two sell out performances of the festive Voices of Angels program at City Recital Hall Angel Place, Sydney.






2007

January
Gondwana National Choral Program celebrated its 10th anniversary with the biggest ever National Choral School in Brisbane. Featuring Gondwana Chamber Choir, Gondwana Voices choir, Junior Gondwana and a special Reunion Choir of former Gondwana choristers, National Choral School culminated in two exciting performances at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music.

February
Gondwana Voices performed Benjamin Britten’s momentous War Requiem with the Australian Youth Orchestra and Sydney Philharmonia Choirs under the direction of Paul Kildea at the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall.

July
Gondwana Voices undertook its 10th Anniversary International Tour to Festival 500 in Canada, Polyfollia Festival in France and the prestigious BBC Proms in London. Gondwana Voices was the first Australian children’s choir to be invited to the BBC Proms and performed Brett Dean’s Vexations and Devotions with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus under the direction of David Robertson.

September
Gondwana Voices performed in a showcase of Australia’s finest artistic talent at the APEC Leaders’ Week Cultural Performance in Sydney.

December
Gondwana Voices performed with the Sydney Childrens Choir in their Christmas program, Voices of Angels to two full houses at the City Recital Hall, Angel Place.

 

2006
March
Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games
Gondwana Voices performed at the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of this major international event.
February
The UWA Perth International Arts Festival
Gondwana Voices gave the world premiere performances of Brett Dean's Vexations and Devotions with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra and Chorus under the direction of conductor Matthias Bamert.
January
National Choral School
Gondwana Voices, Junior Gondwana and Gondwana Chamber Choir gave a sell out concert in Melbourne. The concert was the culmination of two weeks of intense work at the National Choral School and was recorded for broadcast across Australia by ABC Classic FM.

2005
December
Christmas Season
Gondwana Voices joined forces with the Sydney Children's Choir and the Sydney Symphony in their annual Christmas concert series, Symphony of Angels, at the Sydney Opera House.
September/October
Perth Season
Gondwana Voices joined with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra and the Black Swan Theatre Company to give the world premiere performances of Gordon Kerry's For those in peril on the sea - a work expressing the stories, dreams and aspirations of today's young people.
March
CD recording for ABC Classics
Choristers from the January season gathered in Sydney to record a CD of Australian works for ABC Classics.
January
Concert with TaikOz
After their intensive two week Choral School in Wollongong, Gondwana Voices performed with TaikOz in a concert broadcast across Australia by ABC Classic FM.

2004
December
Christmas Season
Gondwana Voices joined forces with the Sydney Children's Choir and the Sydney Symphony in their annual Christmas concert series, Symphony of Angels, at the Sydney Opera House.
October / November
Polyfollia 2004 (Normandy, France)
The Choir was invited to represent Asia/Oceania at Polyfollia 2004 - a new high profile festival gathering the world's finest choral and vocal ensembles. 35 choristers took part in this tour.
March / April
America Cantat 4 (Mexico City)
Gondwana Voices appeared as a guest choir at the Festival of South American Choirs. 50 choristers were selected from the January season to participate in this tour, which included performances at Gala events in Mexico City and surrounding areas.
January
January Season
An intensive rehearsal period based at Wollongong University culminated in a sell-out concert at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Artistic staff included Paul Stanhope (conductor/composer), Michael Leunig (artist/philosopher), Paul Jarman and Elena Kats-Chernin (composers).

 

2003
December
Christmas Season
Gondwana Voices joined forces with the Sydney Children's Choir and the Sydney Symphony in their annual Christmas concert series, Symphony of Angels, at the Sydney Opera House.
April
United States Tour
Gondwana Voices undertook a tour of the US, giving concerts and workshops with the Glen Ellyn Children's Chorus, Chicago; participating in 'Voices of Youth' with the Indianapolis Children's Choir, Hilbert Circle Theatre; and also taking part in concerts with the Indiana University Children's Choir in Bloomington, Youth Pro Musica in Boston and with the Eastman Bach Children's Choir in Rochester. The Choir also gave an Easter Sunday performance in St Matthew's Church in Bedford, New York.
January
January Season
A two week rehearsal season in Wollongong culminated in a concert performance in Sydney featuring six newly commissioned works.

 

2002
October
Choralfest 2002
Gondwana Voices toured South East Queensland as part of Choralfest 2002 and gave performances in Toowoomba, Noosa and Brisbane.
January
January Season & Recording
The Choir recorded their 'New Light New Hope' CD for release on ABC Classics.

 

2001
December
Christmas Season
Gondwana Voices joined forces with the Sydney Children's Choir and the Sydney Symphony in their annual Christmas concert series, Symphony of Angels, at the Sydney Opera House.
The Huntington Festival
The Choir travelled to Mudgee, NSW and performed with the Australian Chamber Orchestra at the prestigious Huntington Festival.
July
Parables, Lullabies and Secrets
Gondwana Voices performed Leunig's Parables, Lullabies and Secrets with Michael Leunig, Neil Finn and the Australian Chamber Orchestra.
January
Centennial Ceremony
On the 1st January 2001, 100 Gondwana Voices choristers gathered from all around Australia to perform at the celebration of Australia's Centenary of Federation in Sydney

2000
October
Choralfest 2000
Gondwana Voices was a guest choir at the Australian National Choral Association's conference in Melbourne.
August
Olympic Arts Festival
Gondwana Voices joined with the Sydney Symphony, Sydney Children's Choir, Melbourne Chorale, Canberra Choral Society and the City of Birmingham Symphony Chorus as part of the Olympic Arts Festival and performed Mahler's Symphony No. 8 at the SuperDome.
January
New Year's Day broadcast
The Choir performed Stephen Leek's A New Gondwana atop of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The performance was broadcast by ABC America and the European television networks to millions of viewers across the world.

January Season
Gondwana Voices performed Vivaldi's Gloria, in a version especially arranged by Lyn Williams for treble voices, with a thirteen piece chamber orchestra at St James Church, Sydney. Guest conductor: Mark O'Leary.

1999
December
Carols in the Domain
The Choir performed at this landmark Sydney event with the Sydney Children's Choir.
July
European and Hong Kong Tour
Gondwana Voices toured to Europe and Hong Kong and represented Australia as one of three children's choirs from around the world selected to perform in Songbridge 2000 at the prestigious 5 th World Symposium of Choral Music in Rotterdam.
January
Australia Day Spectacular
Gondwana Voices performed before an audience of 200,000 as part of the January season and joined the Sydney Children's Choir singing from the tall ship Young Endeavour as she sailed into Sydney Harbour. This season also featured a concert at St James Church, Sydney.

1998
October
Choralfest 1998
The Choir gave a guest performance at this prestigious national choral event in Sydney.
January
Recording season
Gondwana Voices recorded their first CD, 'Voices of Gondwana' in Sydney.

1997
Gondwana Voices was created by Lyn Williams.