The Song Company ‘Burden Of Truth’ Tour

The Song Company is touring to Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne performing Gavin Bryars’ Jesus’ Blood Never Failed Me Yet, recomposed for its 50th anniversary.

In its most ambitious project for a number of years, the Burden of Truth tour will present two premières, written for 32 and 25 individual vocal lines respectively, notable also for the choral partners collaborating with them in each city.

A national vocal ensemble, The Song Company, is never be ordinary or predictable, performing music that is sublime and moving, from the baroque to music whose ink is still wet, presented in new and unexpected ways.

Fifty years ago, English composer Gavin Bryars was struck by a tape loop of an unknown homeless person singing a fragment of a hymn tune. He added harmonies and instruments and created Jesus’ Blood Never Failed Me Yet – a hypnotic work that has gained a cult following around the world.

For its very first 2021 MainStage tour, The Song Company presents Burden of Truth, which features the first performances of Bryars’ iconic work in his new spectacular 32-part choral version.

In 2020, Antony Pitts took a road journey from Uluru, northwards to Kakadu and the coast. This journey inspired the creation of a new 25-part choral motet, Transiens, based on the glorious music of the Eton Choirbook. Join The Song Company with  partner ensembles in Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra for the world première performances of these two mesmerising and transcendental multi-voice works.
The program: Gavin Bryars Jesus’ Blood Never Failed Me Yet/ Antony Pitts after Robert Wylkynson Transiens
The performers:
Sopranos: Amy Moore, Bonnie de la Hunty, Chloe Lankshear, Roberta Diamond
Altos: Alexandria Siegers, Hannah Fraser, Janine Harris, Jessica O’Donoghue, Stephanie Dillon
Tenors: Christopher Watson, Dan Walker, Ethan Taylor, Koen van Stade
Basses: Edward Elias, Hayden Barrington, Lincoln Law, Lucien Fischer, Thomas Flint
Antony Pitts, Director
PARTNER ENSEMBLES
Choir of Trinity College Melbourne/ Students from the Sydney Conservatorium High School/ Members of Sydney Philharmonia VOX/ The Oriana Chorale, Canberra/ The SongCo Chorale
TOUR DATES
Melbourne
21 May, 7:30pm (St Michael’s Uniting Church) &
22 May, 3pm (Trinity College Chapel)
Sydney
28 May, 7pm (The Cellblock Theatre)
29 May, 3pm (The Cellblock Theatre)
Canberra:
10 June, 7pm (Albert Hall)