Halcyon’s First Stones Workshops Mentor Composers For Voice

Halcyon is delighted to launch First Stones 2021, an intensive opportunity to discover more about the voice and its capabilities.

Coming up over two weekends in July and presented in collaboration with the Australian Music Centre, the workshops are designed to lay foundations, deepen understanding and help produce better and more confident composers for the voice. We each have a natural voice. But the capabilities of a trained voice are often not fully understood or utilised by composers, and few opportunities exist to work with skilled experienced solo singers.

Held over two weekends in July (10-11 and 24-25), First Stones is an exciting opportunity for
emerging Australian composers to hone their skills with Australia’s pre-eminent vocal
chamber music ensemble and composer-mentor Elliott Gyger.

A leading exponent of new vocal music, for more than twenty years Halcyon has presented stunning performances of vocal chamber music from around the world, focusing on Australian works. Based in Sydney, Halcyon is a chameleonic ensemble of varying size and instrumentation, with a line-up drawn together for each project by artistic director, mezzo- soprano Jenny Duck-Chong. Founded by singers Alison Morgan and Jenny Duck-Chong, Halcyon has championed and commissioned contemporary vocal chamber music since 1988, forging international relationships with composers, music centres and institutions for more than two decades, as well as mentoring the next generation of composers and performers through workshops, seminars, masterclasses an impressive discography and private teaching. 

STAGE 1 July 10-11 For emerging composers, singers and teachers
Designed primarily for emerging Australian composers who want to hone their vocal writing skills but will also be of benefit to singers and teachers who want to learn more about contemporary writing for the voice and broaden their repertoire.
STAGE 2 July 24-25 For emerging composers (selected participants only)
Successful applicants will complete two short works for voice/s and cello in preparation for
this weekend. During the weekend they will have the opportunity to workshop and develop
these pieces with Halcyon’s artistic director mezzo-soprano Jenny Duck-Chong, bass-
baritone Andrew O’Connor, cellist James Larsen and composer-mentor Elliott Gyger.
APPLICATIONS FOR STAGE 2 close on June 18
For all the details go to: https://www.halcyon.org.au/firststones2021