Latest News

Queensland in Song Concert Series

Queensland In Song - Website Banner ( 6)

That's a wrap for our Queensland in Song Concert Series 2022. Voices of Birralee celebrated everything Queensland on Sunday 5 and Friday 10 June 2022. Concert 1 featured our signature choirs, Resonance of Birralee, Birralee Blokes and Brisbane Birralee Voices and celebrated Queensland composers Joseph Twist, Astrid Jorgensen, Peter Ingram, Will Brown, Jo Davie and Powderfinger. New music was premiered, a very special piece by Charulatha Mani which incorporated Indian Carnatic music and inspired by the Brisbane River.

At the second concert, Queensland schools paid tribute to all things Queensland. The Birralee Singers where joined by choirs from Ascot State School, Eagle Junction State School, Genesis Christian College, Indooroopilly State School, St Laurence's College, The Gap State School and Wilston State School.

As part of concert 2, Queensland composers were again featured - music from Katherine Ruhle, Tim Sherlock and Stuart Gillard was enjoyed by all with the rousing finale of 300 voices onstage for the world premiere of Ally Dunk's piece This Holiday Jam! Emerging composer, Abigail Lui's piece Sandcastles was also premiered.

L-R: composer Abigail Lui, Artistic Director Paul Holley & composer Ally Dunk

Absolutely Everybody - Queensland Music Festival

The 2021 QMF community singing event was held as a recording session rather than a concert performance in 2021. Vanessa Amorosi's song Absolutely Everybody was chosen and people from around the state and country were able to record their voices and be added to those who were lucky enough to be at the Riverstage on the recording day. 21 members of Resonance of Birralee formed the core choir for the video recording. Having been involved in the You're the Voice (2017) and Help Is On It's Way (2019) projects we were very pleased to be invited to contribute again in 2021. Enjoy the clip!

Queensland Music Festival Launch - June 2021

On Tuesday 8th June, 20 of our Resonance Y choristers performed at the launch of Queensland Music Festival and the Queensland Music Trails. The event was held in the Heritage Room at Blackbird Bar & Restaurant with the iconic Story Bridge as the backdrop. The choristers were conducted by Artistic Director Paul Holley OAM.

As well as this event, Voices of birralee was the core choir for the QMF community sing recording Absolutely Everybody! conducted by Dr Jonathan Welch AM.

They also recorded for the City Symphony project which will be launched in early August. We'll keep you all posted on that event.

Thank you QMF for inviting us to be a part of the festivities!

210608 QMF Blackbird Function - Mitch Lowe Photo- 44

Mitch Lowe

Culture of Peace Concert

VOB 1892 Photo: Tony Forbes

The Culture of Peace concert on Sunday 30 May was a wonderful celebration of music and cultures of the world. Each ensemble from Piccolos to Resonance presented a polished and well-chosen program of pieces that included music inspired by people who were brave, who challenged the norm, who were considerate of others. Songs of welcome, encouragement and faith, and songs borne out of sorrow and despair when hope and peace seemed remote. Songs that spoke of the beauty of our planet and how we should be looking after it. Through all of these songs the audience was challenged to do more to make this world a more peaceful and unified one.

It was a delight to have Katie Noonan as our guest artist and she welcomed her husband Zac Hurren, Resonance of Birralee member Jo Davie and the Birralee Singers to join her for her set.

The concert concluded with the world premiere performance of Zac Hurren’s What May Be that brought together nearly 300 singers with soloist Katie Noonan.

The concert also gave the chance to honour retiring Artistic Director and Founder of Voices of Birralee Julie Christiansen OAM. It was wonderful for the Birralee family to be able to acknowledge this woman of vision and passion.

It was indeed so exciting to have all of our Birralee choristers join together again on stage for the first time since 2018 and to celebrate the power of singing in community.

New Commission What May Be - Zac Hurren

Watch this interview with Zac Hurren the composer of the piece that will be premiered at our Culture of Peace concert on Sunday 30 May where he speaks of his inspiration for the piece.