Calling Sydney’s Choral Singers For A Unique 24-Hour Choral Event
Julian Day, artist, composer and broadcaster is inviting Sydney’s choral to singers to take part in a unique open choral work this weekend.
The event is linked with the Powerhouse Museum’s exhibition This Is A Voice and runs over the 2nd and 3rd of September at Observatory Hill with its stunning views overlooking Sydney Harbour, offering a rare chance to experience this incredible location in a physically transformative way.
The experience is inspired by the meditative processes of Pauline Oliveros, (1932 – 2016) American ‘sonic explorer’, whose philosophy was “Listen to everything all the time and remind yourself when you are not listening.”
Says Julian, “Essentially, we’ll sustain a wordless ambient chorus across an entire day as a social meditation that brings together Sydney’s diverse community. It is an open participatory work in which singers receive simple instructions and then simply join the ongoing choir within the bandstand. The instructions are basically forms of vocal warm ups – open vowel sounds, breath-length notes in different registers, synchronising pitches, etc – which coalesce instantly into a piece. The approach has been mastered through about half a dozen vocal works I’ve created over the past five years which have all worked superbly with minimal preparation.”
The organisers say that rehearsing will help, but if this is not possible then simply arrive on the weekend. Singers can stay for as little or as long as they like although booking a 1-2 hour slot is recommended. It’s a chance to practice your vocal skills and blend with a new ensemble in a stunning locale.
Singers are advised to email Anne-Louise Dadak in advance to suggest what time they will be able to participate in order to manage numbers.
Click here for more information.
