Sydney Philharmonia Choirs ChorusOz 2024, The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace

Sydney Philharmonia Choirs is thrilled to present the 17th iteration of its world-famous ChorusOz program, founded by Artistic Director, Brett Weymark, in 2006.

An instant success, attracting 800+ participants each year from across Australia and around the planet for nearly two decades, ChorusOz gives absolutely anyone the opportunity to perform on the mainstage in the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall, making it worthy of the world’s most inspirational bucket-lists.

In a world where division and absolute notions of right and wrong hold our attention with often devastating consequences, Sir Karl Jenkins’ The Armed Man – A Mass for Peace seems a timely work to perform. Is peace possible? It might be if more of us come together as one and sing in harmony. Brett Weymark Sydney Philharmonia Choirs is thrilled to present the 17th iteration of its world-famous ChorusOz program, founded by Artistic Director, Brett Weymark, in 2006.

So yes, it’s way up there with bungee jumping over the Zambezi, with many novice singers performing for the very first time in their lives to a packed audience at Australia’s most iconic concert venue. Not to mention sharing the stage with a star-studded line up of soloists, including in 2024, 5 x ARIA Award winning artist, Katie Noonan.

This year, the program has reached a new record with 1,000 singers travelling from every state and territory in Australia – as well as New Zealand, Japan and the USA, for a weekend of music-making with some of Australia’s finest soloists and musicians.

The centrepiece of ChorusOz 2024 is Welsh composer Sir Karl Jenkins’ acclaimed The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace; renowned as a resounding cry for understanding and compassion. Commissioned by Britain’s Royal Armouries Museum in 1999, the first performance of the work at London’s Royal Albert Hall, on 25 April 2000,was dedicated to victims of the Kosovo crisis.

One of the most popular choral works of our time, as relevant today as at its premiere almost a quarter of a century ago, this powerful presentation of The Armed Man by hundreds of singers from across Australia and around the globe, is sure to raise the roof with its call for universal harmony.

For this June 9 concert, Weymark has paired Jenkins sacred text with two other choral hymns, recognised for their inspiring visions of hope and freedom: Hubert Parry’s Jerusalem and Jean Sibelius’s Finlandia.

For the first time in its 17-year history, Weymark has also commissioned a new Australian work to be premiered on the ChorusOz stage from singer songwriter extraordinaire Katie Noonan and Andrew O’Connor – whose “textured, fine-wine bass baritone” (ArtsHub) was a highlight of the Choir’s recent Easter performance of Faure’s Requiem.

Katie, Andrew, Fiona Campbell and Louis Hurley – all members of the brilliant Australian Vocal Ensemble (AVÉ) – will join the ChorusOz choir and Sydney Philharmonia Orchestra on stage for one unmissable performance only, Sydney Opera House Concert Hall, Sunday June 9, 5pm.

The ChorusOz weekend is led by the inimitable Brett Weymark, who will also star on the podium for the
performance.

Brett Weymark:

The world has unfortunately always been at war with itself. In planning this year’s program I felt it timely to bring together music from different countries and different times to explore diverse voices on the themes of peace and hope, and consider the questions generations of poets and composers have been trying to answer.

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Season Details

Venue: Sydney Opera House Concert Hall
Date: 09 June 2024

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