Indigenous Songs Feature in Concert + World Premiere of Yandel’Ora
Young singers from seven Sydney schools will join with Campbelltown’s Gondwana Indigenous Children’s Choir and members of the Sydney Children’s Choir for 2018 Songfest which takes place at Campbelltown at Ambarvale High School on 4 September.
The children taking part will learn three songs in the Indigenous language of the area – Dharawal.
Leading the Campbelltown Songfest are highly respected choral conductors Elizabeth Vierboom and Amandine Petit of Gondwana Choirs – a globally acclaimed national youth arts organisation founded by Artistic Director Lyn Williams OAM, and comprised of choirs of various ages and voice types.
Vierboom will visit each of the schools and teach the concert repertoire which includes the two Dharawal language songs and one from the Torres Strait Islands.
Yandel’Ora, is one of the two Dharawal songs, and it will be performed for the first time at Campbelltown Songfest. Composed by Alice Chance, it is inspired by the dreaming story Yandel’Ora – the land of peace between peoples as told by Auntie Frances Bodkin.
“It is a privilege to present wonderful new repertoire and introduce the children to songs in the Dharawal language,” said Vierboom. “It gives them a chance to learn a little about their local culture through song,” she added.
Vierboom said that the children were keen to learn in the Dharawal language and perform in concert with the Gondwana Indigenous Choir and choristers from the Sydney Children’s Choir.
The western Sydney schools taking part in Songfest are Ambarvale Public and Ambarvale High, Claymore Public, Thomas Reddall High, Thomas Acre High and St Helen’s Park Primary. They will be joined by students from La Perouse Primary School – a region where Dharawal is also the traditional language.
The Gondwana Indigenous Children’s Choir is supported by its Principal Partner Rio Tinto, and the Western Sydney program is also supported by the Crown Resorts Foundation and Packer Family Foundation, through the Western Sydney Arts Initiative.
CAMPBELLTOWN SONGFEST CONCERT
Ambarvale High School Hall, Rosemeadow
Tuesday 4 September 6pm to 6.30pm
Free entry
