From The Antipodes To The Alps – Gondwana Indigenous Children’s Choir Shares Project With Vienna Boys Choir

Imagine the excitement on the plane as the singers of the Gondwana Indigenous Children’s Choir (GICC) take off to Vienna in May, on the first leg of Vienna – Cairns – Sydney, a two-stage collaboration between the two flagship children’s choirs of Austria and Australia.

In 2017, Austria’s legendary Vienna Boys Choir and Australia’s Cairns based GICC will take part in Vienna – Cairns – Sydney, that first sees the GICC travel to Europe in May, followed by the second stage when both the GICC and the Vienna Boys Choir arrive in Sydney to perform in a choral gala with singers from Gondwana Choirs at the Sydney Opera House. After this, GICC and the visitors from Vienna will travel to Cairns to perform.

No doubt the choristers will devise hijinks aplenty and much fun will be had. But underneath their youthful joie de vivre, these are nurtured and disciplined singers who project a strong professional ethos. They will throw their hearts and souls into this project that involves reciprocals visits, working and performing together, building not only on their cultures, but fostering understanding, tolerance and trans-hemispheric friendships. Amidst the rehearsals, there will be ample time for the GICC to explore the cities they’re visiting. And when the boys from Vienna arrive in Australia they too will have time to explore and spend time with local indigenous leaders.

The powerhouse of energy behind this collaboration is the Founder and Artistic Director of Gondwana Choirs, Lyn Williams OAM and the Director of the Austrian National Tourist Office in Australia, Astrid Mulholland-Licht. Amongst the repertoire will be a new commission by emerging Australian composer Owen Elsley in collaboration with Yidinji elder Gudju Gudju Fourmile.

First stop Frankfurt for workshops and performances with The European School; then to Maribor in Slovenia to perform with production house Carmina Slovenika. On to Vienna to rehearse with the Vienna Boys Choir and perform at the MuTh, their home venue. After this, the singers part company till October when the Vienna Boys Choir arrives in Sydney and the two choirs re-convene to work with the massed Gondwana Choirs’ ensembles culminating in a gala performance in the Concert Hall of the Sydney Opera House on Tuesday 10 October. Finally, on the last leg of this adventure, Vienna Boys Choir and the GICC travel to Cairns for a performance at Cairns Convention Centre, on Friday 13 October.

Importantly, the story of Vienna – Cairns – Sydney will be documented by BlinkTV. Proposals for local and international screening are currently being assessed.

Stay tuned for updates on this cutting-edge venture.

The GICC is offered at no cost to its participants. Private, public and corporate partners are being sought to assist with this project. If you would like to donate to Vienna – Cairns – Sydney, please click here.

Read our review of the Sydney Chidren’s Choir’s new album Hooray for Song!