Voices of Birralee

Powerful and emotive choral music will unite the community in commemoration when Voices

of Birralee presents Poppies & Poems at Concert Hall QPAC on Sunday 2 September.

The concert, presented in association with Queensland Performing Arts Centre, and proudly supported by the Queensland Government through its Queensland Anzac Centenary grants program, will celebrate the beautiful poetry from the First World War and pieces written thereafter, which have helped frame Australia and the world’s remembrance.

Voices of Birralee Founder and Artistic Director Julie Christiansen OAM said singing was a

unique way to keep the Anzac memory alive as many of the organisation’s members continue to discover connections of relatives who served in WW1.

Read more here, and for more information, including how to purchase tickets or add your ancestor to the Birralee Roll of Honour, click here. 

One hundred years on, Brisbane youth choral organisation, Voices of Birralee will honour those who fought in the Battle of Hamel, a 93-minute all-arms battle near Amiens, France, remembered as a turning point of the First World War.

On 4 July 2018, 15 choristers will sing as part of the centenary service at The Australian Corps Memorial, Le Hamel, remembering the Anzacs and allies who served in the strategic battle led by Australian Corps Commander Lieutenant General John Monash. 

The choir, conducted by Voices of Birralee’s Founder and Artistic Director Julie Christiansen OAM, with assistant conductor Brendan Murtagh and accompanists Jenni Flemming and Gwyn Roberts, are fulfilling a five-year commitment to the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) to provide choral services to WW1 commemorations on the Western Front until 2019.

Read more here.

Brisbane’s Voices of Birralee choristers will this April perform at the Anzac Day Dawn Service at the Australian National Memorial, France, which also marks the centenary of the Battle of Villers-Bretonneux.

This extraordinary opportunity, provided by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, has encouraged the 30 young choristers, aged 18 – 28 to delve into their family histories.

In doing so, many choristers have discovered ancestors who were a part of the remarkable efforts of defending the German offensive on Villers-Bretonneux, leading up to 25 April 1918.

Read more here. Discover more about the tour and the choristers here. 

Thirty-one Voices of Birralee choristers, aged from 16 – 18, are preparing to sing at two of Australia’s most significant commemorative events, the Anzac Day services on the Western Front, in France.

The trip in April 2017, which marks the third year of Voices of Birralee’s commitment to the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA), will feature choristers from 19 schools across Brisbane and one from Toowoomba, singing at the Anzac Day Dawn Service at the Australian National Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, and later that day at the 100^th anniversary service at The ‘Digger’ Memorial, Bullecourt, alongside the Australian Army Band.  

Read more here. 

Voices of Birralee will next year present Voices from the Trenches, a choral festival uniting the Brisbane, Toowoomba and wider communities in commemorating the World War One soldiers who paid the ultimate sacrifice in the Somme, France.

The festival, with three concerts between March and July, is proudly supported by the Queensland Government, from which the non-profit choral organisation was a recipient of a Queensland Anzac Centenary grant.

The festival will involve local school and community choirs performing in a concert in Brisbane (March) and Toowoomba (May), with the festival theming the finale of the 2017 Pemulwuy! National Male Voice Festival at QPAC, Brisbane (2 July).  

As part of the project, Voices of Birralee will commission two original commemorative choral pieces, and has launched a crowdfunding platform via Pozible to raise $4,000. You can donate or make a pledge here. 

Read more about the project here. 

VOICES of Birralee’s highly anticipated Birralee Celebrates 2016 concert, will feature all ensembles on Sunday 6 November, while welcoming special guest, Birralee alumna and The Voice AU grand finalist, Ellen Reed.

The non-profit choral organisation, based in Bardon, will hold its end of year concert at St Peter's Lutheran College’s Performing Arts Centre, Indooroopilly.

Ellen, who sang with Voices of Birralee for seven years said she was very excited to be invited to take part in the concert.  

Read more here, with tickets available here.  

VOICES of Birralee will send its signature children’s choir, Brisbane Birralee Voices (BBV) to

regional New South Wales

this month en route to the Bellingen Music Festival.

The choir, with around 50 choristers, aged from 12 – 17, will perform at community concerts in Murwillumbah, Mullumbimby and Hastings Point, with two performances at the festival from 20 – 24 September (concert details included on the next page).

AFTER six fun and exciting weeks of rehearsal, Brisbane’s newest adult community choir, Birralee Recycled, will have

 its debut performance at concert, The Young & The Recycled on Sunday 11 September.

The 61-voice-ensemble which is part of the Bardon-based Voices of Birralee, will perform at All Hallows’ School, joined by youth choirs Brisbane Birralee Voices and the Birralee Blokes.

The event will also act as a sendoff for Brisbane Birralee Voices as the choir prepares for its New South Wales tour for the Belligen Music Festival in late September.

Birralee Recycled’s conductor Mr Peter Ingram, who is also Brisbane Grammar School’s Head of Music and conductor of the Grammarphone’s, said the choristers had been enjoying the experience immensely since their first rehearsal on 1 August.   

Tickets here, and read more here. 

Bardon-based, Voices of Birralee will in August venture into new territory, launching an ‘older-give-it-a-go’ community choir, Birralee Recycled.

The youth choral organisation, which for more than 20 years has provided young people exceptional singing and development opportunities, is encouraging people to sign up to the new ensemble, no matter whether they have lots, little, or no public singing experience.

Artistic Director and Founder Julie Christiansen OAM said Birralee Recycled, which will begin rehearsing Monday 1 August, was created with Birralee’s alumni and parents in mind, as well as for anyone in the community interested in producing beautiful music, no matter their background.

Read more here and sign up here, with the FAQs, here. 

TEN years ago Resonance of Birralee was created to encourage choristers who had grown up singing in Voices of Birralee’s younger ensembles, or school choirs, to pursue what they loved.

In June, 2016, the choir will celebrate exceeding this goal, to also provide once in a lifetime opportunities to choristers, with the ensemble of more than 85 young adults, continuing to inspire communities across the world.

The ensemble will celebrate this milestone on Sunday, 5 June with a concert, Sante at the Joigny Theatre, Stuartholme School.

The afternoon, will reflect on the ensemble’s growth, which began in 2006, led by Voices of Birralee’s Associate Director Paul Holley OAM, and Artistic Director and Founder Julie Christiansen OAM. 

Read more here, and purchase tickets here. 

THIS Anzac Day when you tune into the Dawn Service at Villers-Bretonneux, France, broadcast the world over, you will hear Brisbane’s Voices of Birralee Anzac Day Choir paying homage to World War One’s fallen, through what they do best – singing.

The ensemble from the Bardon-based organisation, conducted by Paul Holley OAM, will perform alongside the Royal Australian Air Force Band at the Anzac Day Dawn Service at The Australian National Memorial and later in the day at the Australian Service at the ‘Digger’ Memorial, Bullecourt. 

Selected following a national competitive tender process in 2014, Voices of Birralee Artistic Director and Founder Julie Christiansen OAM said singing at sites of such enormous significance to Australia and Australians was a humbling and memorable experience.  

Read more here and purchase tickets to the choir's Dedication Service and Concert (11am, Sunday 3 April) here. 

BARDON-BASED choral organisation Voices of Birralee has opened its third round of applications, encouraging keen Brisbane singers to claim their place.

Voices of Birralee Artistic Director and Founder Julie Christiansen OAM encouraged those considering signing up to get in quick to make the most of the rehearsals beginning in early February.

“We have limited places available in our young training choirs, Birralee Piccolos, Birralee Kids and Birralee Singers, and we invite parents to think about how their children could benefit from singing with us this year,” she said. 

Read more here, or visit our sign up page. 

BARDON-based choral organisation, Voices of Birralee is in December bringing its singing families together to sing at QPAC’s annual Spirit of Christmas concerts from 18-19 December.

As part of QPAC’s 30^th anniversary celebrations the concerts will feature the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, the Brisbane Birralee Voices and a 250 voices Spirit of Christmas Choir, made up of the QPAC Choir, Brisbane Chorale and Voices of Birralee. 

Some of the Voices of Birralee families singing will include Anne O'Regan, a music teacher at The Gap State School who lives in Ferny Hills. She will sing with her two adult children, Daniel and Bridie, while Gap resident, Julie West will sing with her daughter, Jemma.

Read more here and tickets for the Spirit of Christmas concerts at QPAC’s Concert Hall are available from qpac.com.au or call 136 246.

IT HAS been an exciting and eventful 20 years since the Bardon-based choral organisation, Voices of Birralee began and this will all be celebrated when the choir performs an anniversary concert on 1 November.

Artistic Director and Founder Julie Christiansen OAM said the concert featuring Elena Kats-Chernin’s masterpiece The Gardens Symphony (written for the Queensland Music Festival) was an event not to be missed, with tickets on sale now.

The concert, proudly sponsored by Brisbane City Council, will celebrate Voices of Birralee’s rich history and the people who have been an integral part of the journey.  

The concert will feature 400 singers from five to 35 years old, involving each of Voices of Birralee’s ensembles – the Birralee Piccolos, Birralee Kids, Birralee Singers, Brisbane Birralee Voices, Birralee Blokes and Resonance of Birralee, with past members to make a special appearance, performing their favourite songs from their time with the choir.  

Read more here and tickets are $43.80 and can be purchased here. 

SPRING is in the air with Brisbane-based choral organisation Voices of Birralee bringing together community choirs for

 its Sounds of Spring concert on Saturday 5 September.

The concert will involve 200 singers from ensembles across Brisbane including the Gap’s men and women’s choir, Serenata Singers, Spring Hill chamber choir Choral Connection, the Corinda-based St Aidan’s Community Choir, with Bardon State School for a wonderful evening of spring-themed choral music. 

The concert will also feature Voices of Birralee’s Bardon-based ensembles, the Birralee Blokes and Birralee Singers on the eve of their tours to the Bunbury Men of Song Festival and The Meeting Place Tour of Tasmania.

Read more here, with tickets on sale here.  

BRISBANE choral organisation, Voices of Birralee will further connect with wartime heritage through its

 ensemble, Resonance of Birralee’s upcoming concert, The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace.

On Sunday 30 August, the ensemble, conducted by Paul Holley, will bring this powerful and emotive piece to life, which was written by Welsh composer Karl Jenkins.  

The concert, held at the Gerhmann Theatre, Brisbane Girls Grammar School, will feature 80 choristers from across Brisbane, accompanied by a chamber ensemble.

Mr Holley said songs that reflect on times of war had always played a significant part of Voices of Birralee’s program and he looked forward to sharing The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace with the community. 

Read more here and you can buy tickets here for this emotive afternoon of music. 

BRISBANE choral organisation, Voices of Birralee will use a $10,000 State Library of Queensland grant to build a creative project to commemorate Queensland’s involvement in the First World War, showcased through wartime songs and local stories.

The grant is one of 10 awarded to community-based organisations to build digital memorials of Queensland’s experience of the First World War using social media platform Historypin. 

Historypin is a way for millions of people to come together to share glimpses of the past and build up the story of human history. The platform allows users to explore and contribute photos, video and audio.

Read more about this project and how you can be involved here. 

BRISBANE’S Voices of Birralee believes every child has a song in their heart and that’s why the choral organisation is giving children a very special chance to discover this in July.

Voices of Birralee is offering two ‘come and try’ lessons for children aged five to 13 years where they can discover the calibre of teachers and the fun and creative environment which enhances the learning process.

The organisation’s Artistic Director and Founder Julie Christiansen OAM said singing was a valuable activity for children and the lessons provided a wonderful balance to academic achievements and for goal setting.

“At Voices of Birralee we live by the philosophy that every child has a song in their heart and singing is as important and natural for a child to do as walking, talking and dancing,” she said.

“Experienced conductors nurture each member within the ensembles and classes commence from five years of age, in three training choir levels; The Birralee Piccolos, The Birralee Kids and The Birralee Singers.”

Children can trial classes held at both Voices of Birralee’s site at 57 Carwoola Street, Bardon and at Eagle Junction State School, Clayfield.

Visit www.birralee.org or contact contact@birralee.org or 3367 1001 for more information and to register.

-Ends –

Voices of Birralee, one of Australia’s foremost youth arts organisations, is a Brisbane-based non-profit child and youth choral organisation founded in 1995 by Artistic Director Julie Christiansen, OAM. It comprises nine ensembles, which have attained a remarkable level of professionalism and are highly acclaimed by national and international audiences. In 2014, Voices of Birralee was successful in a nationwide bid to provide choral services for Anzac Commemoration Services on the Western Front, France from 2015.

Maree Butterworth

Voices of Birralee

PR & Marketing Consultant

marketing@birralee.org

0402 083 060

Great performance this afternoon with these larrikins! The Birralee Blokes are warming up for Bunbury Men of Song.

Thank you to everyone who bought or sold tickets for our Easter Raffle! 

The winners are....

1. BBQ - Knobloch Family2. Big Ted - J.Staron
3. Bodyboard - Charlie Heron
4. iPad Mini - Marloes Dekker
5. Butterflies Original Painting - Will Nicol
6. Adult Easter Hamper - Tristan West
7. Child Easter Hamper - Jenny Haines
8. Blokes Easter Hamper #1 - Leo Barbieri
9. Blokes Easter Hamper #2 - Dale Norris
10. Gourmet Hamper #1 - Donna Bullock
11. Gourmet Hamper #2 - L. Thomson
12. Chocolate Easter Hamper - J. Curtis

Resonance of Birralee were delighted to collaborate with Norwegian choir KORiAUSTRALIA for the first concert of their Australian tour!

Carols in the City! Beautiful singing from the Birralee children! And such a treat to perform with so many brilliant artists! Katie Noonan, Karin Schaupp, William Barton, Amanda Harrison, Seven Sopranos- to name just a few! Well done Jenny Moon & team!

Click HERE to watch us perform 'Silent Night' with Karin Schaupp and Katie Noonan.

Birralee Blokes led the Carol singing at the Bardon Carols tonight. Saxon Rice MP and Cr Geraldine Knapp were there to bring Christmas messages to the crowd and the evening concluded with fireworks! Great community spirit from the Blokes! Well done boys, Paul, Justine & Kate!

Resonance of Birralee wowed the guests at the G20 Global Cafe Gala Dinner with Paul Holley's arrangement of You're the Voice! 

Big Congratulations to all of our wonderful choristers for their performances at our End of Year Concert at City Hall on the 2nd of November.  It was a fantastic concert and thoroughly enjoyed by all audience members!

Resonance of Birralee joined with Georgia Mae and a string orchestra to create a sensational performance at the 

Lord Mayor's Business Awards. 

Selected singers from our signature children's choir, Brisbane Birralee Voices, were delighted to sing the Australian National Anthem as well as other Australian repertoire at the Four Leaders VIP dinner.

Congratulations to members of the Birralee Singers who performed at the opening cermony of Cai Guo-Qiang's exhibition 'Falling Back to Earth' at Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art.  Our singers were honoured to perform alongside William Barton and his mother Aunty Delmae Barton, pictured here with the singers and artist Cai.