You’re invited to SING! ChorusOz at the Sydney Opera House

Sydney Philharmonia Choirs is thrilled to announce the return of its world-famous ChorusOz program, taking place in Sydney, June 10 to 11, 2023. Founded in 2006 and presented every year until 2020,

ChorusOz draws singers of all abilities from across Australia and the globe together for a uniquely exhilarating weekend of music-making with some of Australia’s finest soloists and musicians, culminating in a performance of a major choral work in the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall.

After a three-year hiatus ChorusOz takes on one of the most majestic symphonies ever written, Mahler’s Symphony No.8 – Symphony of a Thousand: a monumental work that draws on hundreds of singers, a children’s choir, and an orchestra of 120. It’s an unforgettable piece of music, about which Mahler himself wrote, “Imagine the whole universe beginning to sing and resound. These are no longer human voices, but coursing planets and suns.

A highlight of the Choirs celebratory 2023 season, marking Brett Weymark OAM’s 20th year as Sydney Philharmonia Choirs’ Artistic and Music Director, ChorusOz – Mahler 8 is one of Weymark’s most audacious and exhilarating challenges to date, for which he is seeking to honour the work’s historical nickname – Symphony of A Thousand – with a matching force of choral voices: 1,000 adults, in addition to 100 singers aged 12–17.

Weymark:

For many of our participants, ChorusOz is their first introduction to choral singing. One of the great joys of presenting this program is to witness individuals with such different back grounds and life experiences come together and within just two days, form lifelong friendships, and present on stage as a unified force.

Unlike anything else I have come across, ChorusOz creates an incredible sense of community and camaraderie, reinforced by the great pleasure of being immersed in an extraordinary piece of music, and of contributing to something that is so incredibly powerful, ultimately creating an opportunity for everyone to shine.

In the words of Ray Vincent [a recent participant in Sydney Philharmonia’s Christmas season of Handel’s Messiah], Far beyond my expectations the performances were so moving that it took me almost a week to come back down to earth.

ChorusOz- Mahler 8 is set to take place over the June long weekend, but preparation starts now! Early registration is encouraged so that participants can take their time to learn and practise the work at their own pace, at home. Upon signing up they will have access to the music score, text, and teaching tracks, and will also order their ChorusOz t-shirt, ready to wear for the performance.

The weekend of music-making in June will led by led by Weymark and Sydney Philharmonia Choirs’ Associate Music Director Elizabeth Scott.

Whilst the full list of soloists is yet to be revealed, the Choirs are excited to announce that acclaimed Latvian soprano Maija Kovalevska will lead the cast – familiar to Opera Australia audiences as Mimi in La Boheme since 2015, and with recent glittering performances throughout Europe, the Met in New York and London’s Covent Garden.

ChorusOz – Mahler 8 will be presented in collaboration with the Sydney Youth Orchestra, and a major feature of the SYO’s 50th Anniversary celebrations in 2023.

Participation in ChorusOz – Mahler 8 costs $377 for adults and $211 for ages 12–17 years, including GST.

Sydney Philharmonia Choirs is supported by Create NSW.

Season Details

Venue: Sydney Opera House
Date: 10 -11 June 2023

For more information click HERE