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Halcyon

This is a stub entry only — it provides links to other resources by and about Halcyon held in our catalogue.

Random Audio Sample: Hermit of Green Light (countertenor with piano) by Ross Edwards, from the CD Earth jewels

Articles by and about Halcyon

28 Feb 2011 First Stones - a new composer development initiative by Halcyon by Jenny Duck-Chong

Since its inception in 1998, Halcyon has made a very significant contribution to the body of new work for voice created by established Australian composers. This year, the ensemble invites emerging composers from around Australia to take part in FIRST STONES, a new initiative to encourage the development of vocal writing skills. Successful applicants will take part in seminars and workshops in Sydney, with mentorship by Halcyon and composer Elliott Gyger. The project will culminate in November with a performance of the new works by Halcyon, as part of the New Music Network’s 2011 concert series. Deadline for FIRST STONES applications is 14 March.

29 Nov 2011 First Stones - from ideas to fruition by Elliott Gyger

Having participated in numerous composer development programs myself, it is a pleasure and a delight now to be able to pass on the favour to younger composers through taking on the role of teacher and mentor. Halcyon’s First Stones project has been particularly rewarding, as it’s the first program I’ve been in on from the beginning and helped to design...

8 Aug 2013 Kingfisher - songs for Halcyon by Alison Morgan

...rested and ready for a bold new challenge, we’ve asked 23 composers to write 23 new chamber songs for Halcyon. 'Kingfisher' ('halcyon' is the genus name for this dashing little bird) is already proving to be an immensely satisfying venture, though rehearsals are still three months away. The first songs have trickled in, each one a unique instalment in what promises to be the best birthday present ever!

23 Sep 2013 Halcyon: the binary star by Elliott Gyger

For The Pleiades at Midnight I happened upon a delightful metaphor for the ensemble as a whole. Halcyon (in its Latinised form, Alcyone) is the name of the brightest star in the Pleiades – not a single star, as it happens, but an eclipsing binary orbited by three smaller stars. My piece therefore places Alison and Jenny – as joint soloists and co-directors – at the centre, orbited by a constellation of three instrumentalists.

14 Nov 2017 Halcyon albums now from the AMC by Australian Music Centre

AMC is delighted to now stock albums by Halcyon - available titles include...

26 Nov 2018 Halcyon and the poetry of voices by Jenny Duck-Chong

For a relatively young ensemble, the now 20-year-old Halcyon has a powerful legacy in the numerous Australian works commissioned by the ensemble or dedicated to them. Some of this legacy has now taken the form of an oral history project - a growing series of videos where prominent Australian composers talk about their work, about composing for voice, and about setting words. These videos are being made available via Halcyon's Youtube channel, with more in the making.

Halcyon's next concert on 1 December concludes the ensemble's 20th birthday celebrations, with works by Gillian Whitehead, Rosalind Page, Sadie Harrison, Gordon Kerry and Ross Edwards, who is celebrating his 75th birthday later in December

Events featuring Halcyon

20 Oct 2023 NSW: The Dance of Life

12 Oct 2019 NSW: In Nature

31 Aug 2019 NSW: Extended Play

1 Dec 2018 NSW: Shining Shores

View all events featuring Halcyon

World premieres given by Halcyon

Flock of Angels, op. 110a : for voice and cello by Andrew Schultz— 25 Sep 20 (Summer Hill Church, Summer Hill, NSW)

Bamboo Flute (vocal music) by Larry Sitsky— 12 Oct 19 (Summer Hill Church, NSW)

Moondust (vocal music) by Elena Kats-Chernin— 12 Oct 19 (Summer Hill Church, NSW)

Kazoku (vocal music) by Cathy Milliken— 31 Aug 19 (City Recital Hall, NSW)

This kind of life : a culinary correspondence by Elliott Gyger— 21 Jul 18 (Music Workshop, Sydney Conservatorium of Music, NSW)

Three Malouf songs : for mezzo-soprano, violin, cello and piano by Gordon Kerry— 10 Sep 16 (St Bede's Anglican Church, NSW)

Un poilu Australien (duos: mezzo-soprano, bass with chamber ensemble) by Elliott Gyger— 7 Nov 15 (Ku-Ring-Gai Town Hall, NSW)

Triptych (war letters) : for soprano, mezzo-soprano, bass, viola, percussion, piano by Diana Blom— 7 Nov 15 (Ku-Ring-Gai Town Hall, NSW)

Letter from the trenches : for mezzo-soprano, viola, percussion and piano by Larry Sitsky— 7 Nov 15 (Ku-Ring-Gai Town Hall, NSW)

'Dearest mother...' : soprano with ensemble by Nicole Murphy— 7 Nov 15 (Ku-Ring-Gai Town Hall, NSW)

A Feast of lanterns II : Seven songs from Chinese poetry by Larry Sitsky— 4 Sep 15 (Music Workshop, Sydney Conservatorium of Music, NSW)

Mitithi by David Kotlowy— 2 Sep 14 (ABC Studio 520, SA)

giving voice : for mezzo-soprano and ensemble (or piano) by Elliott Gyger— 12 Jul 14 (St Bede's Anglican Church, NSW)

Lovely How Lives : vocal duo by Moya Henderson— 9 May 14 (Recital Hall East, NSW)

Round the bay : mezzo-soprano voice with chamber ensemble by Jane Stanley— 29 Mar 14 (Music Workshop, NSW)

Aquila's wing (duos: soprano, mezzo-soprano) by Rosà Lind Page— 29 Mar 14 (Music Workshop, NSW)

All about Anna : for soprano, mezzo-soprano, flute and vibraphone by Graham Hair— 29 Mar 14 (Music Workshop, NSW)

The mystic blue : mezzo-soprano voice with chamber ensemble by Dan Walker— 29 Mar 14 (Music Workshop, NSW)

See, the prismatic colors glisten : for soprano, mezzo-soprano, clarinet, cello and percussion by John Peterson— 15 Mar 14 (Music Workshop,Sydney Conservatorium of Music, NSW)

Turbulent passions calm (duos: soprano, mezzo-soprano with chamber ensemble) by Raffæle Marcellino— 15 Mar 14 (Music Workshop, Sydney Concervatorium of Music, NSW)

I lost a world the other day : for mezzo-soprano and cello by Moya Henderson— 15 Mar 14 (Music Workshop, Sydney Concervatorium of Music, NSW)

A King's Manifesto : for soprano, percussion and violoncello by Nicholas Vines— 15 Mar 14 (Music Workshop, Sydney Concervatorium of Music, NSW)

Opalescence : for soprano, mezzo, vibraphone and cello by Stuart Greenbaum— 15 Mar 14 (Music Workshop, Sydney Concervatorium of Music, NSW)

Sea-blue bird : for soprano, mezzo-soprano, flute, cello and vibraphone by Kevin March— 15 Mar 14 (Music Workshop, Sydney Concervatorium of Music, NSW)

Follow me through the shadow : for two female voices and cello by Katy Abbott— 15 Mar 14 (Music Workshop, Sydney Concervatorium of Music, NSW)

Sometimes snow fell, sometimes darkness... : for soprano and mezzo voices, with alto flute by Stephen Adams— 23 Oct 13 (Sculpture Terrace, Museum of Contemporary Art, NSW)

Lake moonrise, op. 94 : for mezzo-soprano, clarinet in A, vibraphone and cello by Andrew Schultz— 23 Oct 13 (Sculpture Terrace, Museum of Contemporary Art, NSW)

The Pleiades at midnight : for two singers and three players by Elliott Gyger— 23 Oct 13 (Sculpture Terrace, Museum of Contemporary Art, NSW)

Music (La musique) (duos: soprano, mezzo-soprano with chamber ensemble) by Gordon Kerry— 23 Oct 13 (Sculpture Terrace, Museum of Contemporary Art, NSW)

To my excellent Lucasia, on our friendship : for soprano, mezzo-soprano, bass clarinet and vibraphone by Andrew Ford— 23 Oct 13 (Sculpture Terrace, Museum of Contemporary Art, NSW)

The Tranquil mind (duos: soprano, mezzo-soprano with chamber ensemble) by Ross Edwards— 23 Oct 13 (Sculpture Terrace, Museum of Contemporary Art, NSW)

All One Water (duos: soprano, mezzo-soprano with chamber ensemble) by Gillian Whitehead— 23 Oct 13 (Sculpture Terrace, Museum of Contemporary Art, NSW)

My love in her attire : soprano with ensemble by Paul Stanhope— 23 Oct 13 (Sculpture Terrace, Museum of Contemporary Art, NSW)

A Strange kind of paradise (quartets: 2 sopranos, 2 mezzo-sopranos with harp) by Raffæle Marcellino— 7 Sep 13 (The Atrium (NIDA Parade Theatres), NSW)

Akurra: Lives in a New World by Roger Dean— 24 Nov 12 (Music Workshop, NSW)

Book of Changes III by Jon Drummond— 24 Nov 12 (Music Workshop, NSW)

By the Water : installation by Katia Beaugeais— 27 Oct 12 (Cabarita Park, NSW)

A gift of paper : for soprano, mezzo-soprano, cello and double bass by Andrew Schultz— 18 Sep 11 (Verbrugghen Hall, Sydney Conservatorium of Music)

I am writing in this book, op. 88 : for soprano, mezzo-soprano, cello, double bass, percussion, harp and piano by Andrew Schultz— 18 Sep 11 (Verbrugghen Hall, Sydney Conservatorium of Music)

Yigdal by Graham Hair— 7 Sep 10 (Llewellyn Hall, ACT)

Wimmera song cycle (duos: soprano, mezzo-soprano with chamber ensemble) by Ruth Lee Martin— 7 Sep 10 (Llewellyn Hall, ACT)

Petit testament (duos: soprano, mezzo-soprano with piano) by Elliott Gyger— 7 Sep 10 (Llewellyn Hall, ACT)

A Strange kind of paradise (quartets: 2 sopranos, 2 mezzo-sopranos with harp) by Raffæle Marcellino— 26 Mar 10 (Carriageworks, NSW)

Willow songs : six poems of Anne Stevenson by Andrew Ford— 26 Sep 09 (Trackdown Scoring Stage, Sydney)

Petit testament (duos: soprano, mezzo-soprano with piano) by Elliott Gyger— 1 Sep 09 (The Mint, Sydney)

Songs of stone and silence : for voices, clarinet, piano and violoncello by Michael Atherton— 11 Apr 08 (Aurora Festival, Sydney, 2008)

Ophélie (trios: soprano, mezzo-soprano, baritone with chamber ensemble) by Kevin March— 6 Oct 07 (Sydney Conservatorium of Music)

No ordinary traveller : for mezzo-soprano and mixed trio by Katy Abbott— 27 Sep 06 (Trackdown Scoring Stage and Studios, Sydney)

From the hungry waiting country : for four voices (SSAA) and harp by Elliott Gyger— 7 May 06 ( St Bartholomew's Church, Prospect, NSW)

Hrafnsöngvar : a tone poem on seven texts by Hrafn Andrés Hardarson by Rosà Lind Page— Oct 05 ('Tone Birds' concert, Music Workshop, Sydney Conservatorium of Music)

King Ludwig's swans : for four women's voices and harp by Dan Walker— 17 Jul 04 (Sydney Conservatorium of Music)

Stephanos (duos: soprano, mezzo-soprano with chamber ensemble) by Sharon Calcraft— Oct 02 (St Andrew's Cathedral, Sydney)

Damp leaves and conversation (duos: soprano, mezzo-soprano with chamber ensemble) by Andrew Robbie— 2002 (St Andrew's Cathedral, Sydney)

Analysis & Media

- Article: Birthday bash of note for Butterley

- Video: Andrew Ford on Composition I - In conversation with...

- Video: Andrew Schultz on setting text: In conversation with...

- Video: Andrew Ford on Inspration - In conversation with...

- Video: Prelude and postscript, by Andrew Schultz

- Video: Lovely how lives, by Moya Henderson

- Video: La musique, by Gordon Kerry

- Video: I lost a world the other day, by Moya Henderson

- Video: Nga Haerenga, by Gillian Whitehead (Parts I - IV)

- Video: Elliott Gyger on composition - In conversation with...

- Video: Raffaele Marcellino on composition - In conversation with...

- Video: Lake moonrise - interview with composer Andrew Schultz

- Video: Round the bay - interview with composer Jane Stanley

- Video: To my excellent Lucasia - interview with composer Andrew Ford

- Video: Epithalamium, by Andrew Ford

- Video: I lost a world the other day, by Moya Henderson

- Video: Nga haerenga (Part V) by Gillian Whitehead

- Video: Nga Haerenga (Part VI) by Gillian Whitehead

- Video: Aster I, by Sadie Harrison

- Video: Three Haiku, by Julian Yu

- Video: Ross Edwards on composition I: In conversation with...

- Video: Elliott Gyger on Giving Voice: Working with text - In conversation with...

- Video: Elliott Gyger on Giving Voice: Ensembles - In Conversation With...

- Video: Raffaele Marcellino on being an Australian composer - In conversation with

- Video: Matthew Hindson on composition - In conversation with...

- Video: Ross Edwards on Maninya I and text setting - In conversation with...

- Video: Ross Edwards on writing for voice and early works

- Video: Ross Edwards on being an Australian composer

- Video: The tranquil mind, by Ross Edwards

- Video: Matthew Hindson on being an Australian composer - In conversation with...

- Video: Matthew Hindson on setting text - In conversation with...

- Video: Raffaele Marcellino on new music - In conversation with...

- Video: Raffaele Marcellino on A strange kind of paradise - In conversation with...

- Video: From the hungry waiting country (Part 1: Wet), by Elliott Gyger

- Video: From the hungry waiting country (Part 2: Dry), by Elliott Gyger

- Video: A strange kind of paradise (Movements I and II), by Raffaele Marcellino

- Video: Andrew Ford on Composition II - In conversation with...

- Video: Andrew Schultz On composition I: Creating the framework - In conversation with...

- Video: Matthew Hindson on recording "Insect Songs" - In conversation with...

- Video: Andrew Schultz on composition II: Finding your voice - In conversation with...

- Video: Katy Abbott on composition - In conversation with...

- Video: Katy Abbott on setting text - In conversation with...

- Video: Gordon Kerry on composition - In conversation with...

- Video: Gordon Kerry on setting text - In conversation with

- Video: Katy Abbott on Collaboration - In Conversation With...

- Video: Andrew Schultz on Recording - In Conversation With...

- Video: Elliott Gyger on Vocal Chamber Music - In Conversation With...

- Video: Katy Abbott on No Ordinary Traveller - In Conversation With...

- Video: Kevin March on Composition I: Finding Your Voice - In Conversation With...

- Video: Kevin March on Composition II - In conversation with...

- Video: Nicole Murphy on Composition - In Conversation With...

- Video: Andrew Ford on Writing for Voice - In Conversation With...

- Video: Andrew Ford on Setting Text - In Conversation With...

- Video: Katy Abbott on Recording - In Conversation With...

- Video: Nicole Murphy on Commissioning - In Conversation With...

- Video: Kevin March on Collaboration - In Conversation With...

- Video: Gordon Kerry on Writing for the Voice - In Conversation With...

- Video: Nicole Murphy on Writing for the Voice and Chamber music - In Conversation With...

- Video: Kevin March on Writing for the Voice - In Conversation With...

- Video: Ross Edwards on Composition II - In Conversation With...

- Video: Elliott Gyger on Setting Text - In Conversation With...