About Gondwana Chorale – Australia’s national youth choir

Australia’s national youth choir, Gondwana Chorale, was established in 2008. Its members come from throughout Australia and range in age from 17 – 26. They perform music that is close to their hearts: new Australian works which capture the mystery and grandeur of our land and display the cultural diversity of the Australian people. The work of the choir is a powerful expression of the determination of young Australians to work together to create extraordinary musical ensembles.

The sound of Gondwana Chorale is vibrant and energetic, indicative of their intensive rehearsal process and the joy of being together. The choir has performed nationally in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Tasmania. International tours have included New Zealand (2011) and UK and France (2013). In 2015 the choir formed the Gondwana Centenary Chorale with young singers from and Turkey, France and New Zealand to commemorate the centenary of the Gallipoli campaign, giving the world premiere of James Ledger’s War Music with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.

In 2017 Gondwana Chorale toured the USA for the first time, collaborating and performing with host choirs USC Chamber Singers, Redlands Chapel Singers, Stanford Chamber Chorale, Temple University Concert Choir and Boston City Singers. In 2019, the choir toured to England, presenting a recital in the Chapel of Trinity College Cambridge and to the Baltic States, collaborating with E Stuudio in Estonia, Koris Maska in Riga and Choras Ažuoliukas in Vilnius. In 2022, the choir appeared at Festival of Voices in Hobart to present a program of Australian works.

The choir is conducted by Paul Holley OAM, Artistic Director of Voices of Birralee (Queensland) and Carl Crossin OAM, Head Vocal, Choral and Conducting Studies at the Elder Conservatorium of Music (South Australia).

About Aotearoa NZ Academy Choir

Founded in 2017 as an extension of Choirs Aotearoa’s ‘Reserves’ initiative, the Aotearoa New Zealand Academy Choir traces its roots to the fostering of exceptional vocal talents narrowly missed by the NZ Secondary Students’ Choir or NZ Youth Choir. From its inception, the Reserves program united these singers, cultivating their vocal prowess and musicianship through dedicated training, and enriching their artistic journey with a diverse repertoire. In 2021 they sang alongside our other national choirs on a triumphant public presentation of Carmina Burana.

Drawing members from all corners of Aotearoa, this new ensemble offers participants opportunities for vocal and musical development. The singers are guided by accomplished conductors, vocal coaches, and specialists, the Academy Choir’s members also gain access to an array of online learning resources. The culmination of their journey is a year-end concert, showcasing the culmination of rigorous training, expertise, and artistry that aligns them with their fellow national choirs.

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