With Gondwana Choirs nominated for the 2018 Art Music Awards for Songs of My Country, Artistic Director Lyn Williams OAM, tells the story of a joy-filled collaboration that brought together two quite different cultures.
For Williams, the project reflected the ideals of Gondwana Choirs; it introduced audiences to music by living Australian composers and traditional songs from the Torres Strait; commissioning new work; international collaborations; and performing to the high standards set by Lyn Williams. The support of organisations such as the Austrian National Tourist Office and Rio Tinto (principal partners of our Indigenous program) and individual donors enabled this project which reached 6000 audience members in five cities in four countries.
When the Australian Director of the Austrian National Tourist Office, Astrid Mulholland-Licht, planted the seed for a ground-breaking collaboration between the Vienna Boys Choir and the Gondwana Indigenous Children’s Choir, it was clear that this project could provide remarkable opportunities to all those involved. I immediately sensed the potential of juxtaposing the Vienna Boys Choir, whose choral heritage dates back several hundred years, with the Gondwana Indigenous Children’s Choir who represent a culture tens of thousands of years old. Together with the Sydney Children’s Choir, this unique project showcased a remarkable trilogy of choirs.
There were many stages to this project. The Cairns Gondwana Indigenous Children’s Choir was selected to be the core choir for this endeavour and I will never forget the moment I announced to the choir that we would be travelling to Europe to sing with the Vienna Boys Choir. A moment of awestruck silence was followed by intense googling: Vienna Boys Choir, Vienna, Austria, boys, passports, winter coats … Their world was about to change.
The Vienna Project was GICC’s first major international tour and we were able to include two other important stops beforehand: starting off in Frankfurt with a residency at the European School, then to Maribor in Slovenia for a collaboration with the renowned girls’ choir Carmina Slovenica followed by a wonderful week in Vienna that culminated in two performances at the MuTh, the home of the Vienna Boys Choir. The Vienna Boys Choir were wonderful hosts and we will long remember our visits to the Palais Augarten where we not only shared music through rehearsals but meals, games and many laughs.
A new commissioned work? We are Gondwana and of course a new work was always going to be a centrepiece of this collaboration. Gimuy Walubara Yidinji Elder, Gudju Gudju shared with us the story of Boori Guman, the first fire, and the three warriors tasked with bringing fire back for the community: just perfect for our three choirs to sing. Owen Elsley’s work is colourful, joyful and optimistic and the story has also been captured in a book illustrated by members of the choir.
In Australia, the performances of Songs of My Country explored cultural heritage expressed through song. The Gondwana Choirs performed all-Australian programs including texts in four indigenous languages. The Vienna Boys’ Choir performed works of Austria and neighbouring countries. It is clear that culture, history and language have a profound impact on the unique sound of each ensemble, yet they can come together as one gathering around Boori Guman (One Fire).
Thanks to Gerald Wirth, the staff and choristers of the Vienna Boys’ Choir for being such enthusiastic collaborators in this exploration of song and culture.
I would like to thank Astrid Mulholland-Licht for her inspired idea and the Austrian National Tourist Office for their partnership throughout the entire venture. Thanks also to our loyal donors and corporate partners – especially Rio Tinto, Principal Partner of GICC and the major partners for this project, Metal Manufacturers Limited and Accor Hotels.
Moving three choirs around the country to present two major concerts was a considerable undertaking. Thank you to the enormously dedicated and talented administrative and artistic teams and General Manager Bernie Heard, who led this project with such tenacity and passion.
And of course there are singers, hundreds of them, who bring us joy and optimism.
SONGS OF MY COUNTRY SYDNEY
Tuesday 10 October, 2017, 7pm
Sydney Opera House Concert Hall
Oliver Stech, Conductor & Pianist, Vienna Boys Choir
Lyn Williams, Conductor, Gondwana Choirs
Sam Allchurch, Associate Conductor, Sydney Children’s Choir Sally Whitwell, Lauren Hannay, Jem Harding, Pianists
The Australian segment of this collaboration began on 7 October with the arrival in Sydney of Gondwana Indigenous Children’s Choir from Cairns and the Vienna Boys’ Choir. Joint rehearsals with the Sydney Children’s Choir began at the Conservatorium High School where the full sound world of the new work for all three choirs, Boori Guman, was heard for the first time. Final rehearsals took place at UNSW on 9 October where the choirs were joined by the two Gondwana Indigenous Children’s Choir ensembles from Western and Inner-Sydney.
Concert day began with media calls on the steps of the Opera House and sound checks onstage throughout the afternoon. The sold-out concert featured 225 choristers from Sydney Children’s Choir, 40 choristers from the combined Gondwana Indigenous Children’s Choir and 23 from the Vienna Boys’ Choir – truly a magnificent spectacle and a wonderful experience for the young performers.
Songs of My Country explored cultural heritage expressed through song. The Gondwana Choirs (Sydney Children’s Choir and Gondwana Indigenous Children’s Choir) performed an all Australian program including texts in four indigenous languages. The Vienna boys performed works of Austria and neighbouring countries. It was clear from the performances that culture, history and language have a profound impact on the unique sound of each ensemble yet they came together as one gathering around Boori Guman (One Fire).
CAIRNS
Friday 13 October, 2017, 7pm
Cairns Convention Centre
Oliver Stech, Conductor & Pianist, Vienna Boys Choir
Lyn Williams, Conductor, Gondwana Choirs
Chris Burcin, Conductor, Cairns Songfest Choir
Sally Whitwell, Lauren Hannay, Pianists
Cairns GICC and the Vienna Boys Choir flew to Cairns on Wednesday 11 October and 40 choristers from Sydney Children’s Choir joined them the following day. The first afternoon in Cairns was one of great cultural significance for the two choirs as it was spent at Crystal Cascades with Gudju Gudju of the Gimuy Walibara Yidinji, the traditional owners of Cairns (Gimuy). Later in the afternoon, the group left for Copperlode Dam (Place of Many Sparks) where the Rainbow Serpent can still be seen today in the form of a rainbow.
In the preceding week, Cairns-based conductor Chris Burcin began rehearsals with over 200 local choristers who formed the Cairns Songfest Choir especially for this performance in Cairns. On Thursday afternoon, all four choirs joined together to rehearse Boori Guman and the combined repertoire.
The large space of the Convention Centre was filled to capacity and the local audience was able to experience a high calibre of choral music in addition to seeing their own Cairns Gondwana Indigenous Children’s Choir performing in such distinguished company.
First published in Gondwana Choirs Annual Report 2017
