‘Eternity and Grace’ from the Leichhardt Expresso Chorus

The Leichhardt Espresso Chorus conducted by Michelle Leonard presents their concert Eternity and Grace this weekend, performing two world premieres of music by polymath Sally Whitwell and composer, arranger and singer Dan Walker.

Sally Whitwell’s Breath of Kindness is a suite of three songs, commissioned by the friends of the LEC to celebrate the pleasures of life-long friendships. The three songs are Twisting Up with text by Marie Tulip, Some Future Time with texts by Sappho and Dorothy McRae McMahon, and Breath of Kindness with text by Dinah Mulock Craik, May Sarton and Maya Angelou.

Sally has an intimate understanding of vocal writing having worked with the Sydney Children’s Choir and Gondawana Voices for a number of years as pianist and chorus master. As a solo pianist her first album Mad Rush – Solo Piano Music of Philip Glass won the 2011 ARIA Award for Best Classical Album. Her second album, cinematically inspired and called The Good, the Bad and the Awkward, centred around Yann Tiersen’s piano suite from the film Amélie was released recently and is already enjoying popular success and critical acclaim.

Were all the stars to disappear and die by Sydney musician Dan Walker is the second composer whose composition will be heard in public for the very first time this weekend. The piece is based on text by WH Auden from The More Loving One. Walker  has had works commissioned and performed by groups including the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, The Song Company, Gondwana Voices and the Queensland Youth Choir. In 2003, Walker was the Sydney  Children’s Choir composer in residence where he is currently Assistant Conductor. As a singer, he is a core member of Cantillation, Pinchgut Opera, and a guest  member of The Song Company and the Opera Australia chorus.

For this concert, the Leichhardt Espresso Chorus will sing with a chamber orchestra. The concert repertoire includes a number of other songs by contemporary Australian composers, including  Longing by Elena Kats-Chernin,  Invidia, Acedia and Superbia from Dan Walker’s Seven Deadly Sins Suite, Bundle of Joy by Melbourne composer Katie Abbot.

Tickets: $25/$22/Concession $15.

Available at the door, or book at www.espressochorus.com.au