Voices of Birralee is a community-based non-profit organisation founded in 1995 by Artistic Director Julie Christiansen OAM. It now comprises ten ensembles, which have attained a remarkable level of professionalism and are highly acclaimed by national and international audiences. This is demonstrated by the Birralee Blokes' current title of ABC Classic FM Australian Choir of the Year. The organisation caters for approximately 350 young people aged between 5 and 30 years and employs thirteen casual staff and in excess of twenty-five volunteers.

Aims:

Personal & Musical Integrity

Appreciation and acceptance of diversity

Celebration of Australian composers

Strengthening of the skills, knowledge and practice of singing in Australian metropolitan and regional communities.

Showcasing Australia’s unique cultural identity internationally

Organisational Objective:

The pursuit of artistic excellence in a nurturing and joyful environment.

Artistic and personal development through self-discovery and self-expression.

Programming which recognises the richness of cultural diversity and its relevance to music styles and music appreciation.

The development of responsible members of society.

In addition to attaining a high artistic standard, Birralee's mission is to prioritise performances at events which have relevance to young people. This focus on community awareness and humanitarian causes contributes to the development of responsible young members of society. The nine Birralee ensembles maintain a busy schedule of performances which demonstrate support of organisations such as World Vision, Anglicare, CareFlight, The Abused Child Trust, Bravehearts, and the Wesley Mission. They have recorded seven CDs in addition to two ABC Classic FM Releases.

Repertoire selections from each of the ensembles embrace diversity of culture and tradition and cover an extensive range of musical genres. In fulfilling its mandate to celebrate the composers of Australia, Birralee engages, promotes and records works by Australian artists such as Paul Jarman, Harley Mead, Sarah Hopkins, Stephen Leek, Joseph Twist, Dan Walker and Timothy Sexton.

In 2007 Birralee showcased Queensland’s unique cultural identity at two international festivals.
The first in Cornwall, United Kingdom, at the 3rd International Male Voice Festival in April and the second in Seoul, Korea, at the 3rd World Vision International Children’s Choir Festival in July.

In 2008, Resonance of Birralee successfully represented Australia at the World Choir Olympics in Graz, Austria, winning Gold and Silver medals in their categories.

2009 will see the Q150 Songbridge Tour to North Queensland (Birralee Voices and Birralee Blokes), participation in the Ipswich Tattoo and hosting the World Vision International Children's Choir, among other things.

Participation in these festivals not only promotes Queensland’s rich culture internationally but also serves to heighten the role which Birralee plays in strengthening the skills, knowledge and practice of singing in Australian metropolitan and regional communities.