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The Song Company

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

Random Audio Sample: Words of wisdom : song cycle for vocal sextet by Katy Abbott, from the CD domestic sublime

Articles by and about The Song Company

16 Jul 2009 MODART and 25 years of The Song Company by Rhiannon Cook

The Song Company is a rare species: a small, full-time music ensemble. Remarkably, it has managed to survive, in Australia, for 25 years. And even more remarkable is that its success is founded on the exploration of unfamiliar musical territories.

29 Oct 2007 A Compendium of Cage: Whales, Mushrooms and Hymns by Melissa Lesnie

A daylong exploration of John Cage’s unique sound aesthetic makes for a revelatory concert-going experience. The shared vision of Ensemble Offspring and Song Company has yielded an imaginative project, marking the 15 th anniversary of the composer’s death and celebrating the impact of his philosophies on subsequent generations of musicians and artists...

8 Oct 2014 The Song Company's 30 years by Australian Music Centre

The Song Company celebrates its 30th anniversary this Thursday with a concert featuring a composite mass in which each movement is written by a different composer: Graeme Koehne, Ross Edwards, Dan Walker, Stephen Cronin, and Gerard Brophy. The individual components of the mass will be interspersed by brief words from various past participants in The Song Company’s 30-year-history.

27 Oct 2015 Setting Leunig: 'A simple song like a tiny bell' by Drew Crawford

As their last hurrah for 2015 - and the final project for outgoing Artistic Director Roland Peelman after 25 years - The Song Company’s All-Leunig Song Almanac is a typically ambitious undertaking: 12 brand new songs, one for each month of the year and each from a different composer, setting texts by one of Australia’s most popular observers of life, Michael Leunig. 

29 Oct 2019 The Song Company: Nineteen to the Dozen by Margaret Koulaouzos

The Song Company's Nineteen to the Dozen program premiered on Tuesday 22 October in Sydney, and this exciting mix of early music and the brand-new is currently touring nationally. The brief to 19 participating composers was: no title, no words, and no explicit program note - i.e. to do without the usual handles for a composer of vocal or choral music. Each composer created a miniature soundworld from scratch, as a contract to 'old' works in the same program. For this article, The Song Company's Margaret Koulaouzos has compiled thoughts by seven of participating composers.

Works commissioned by The Song Company

Carmina Pu! by Stephen Cronin

Ekstasis, op. 43 by Andrew Schultz

Pirrki-pirrki by Rosà Lind Page

Purgatorio, Paradiso by Michael Whiticker

Simon of Cyrene carries the cross for Christ by Stephen Cronin

Burrow by Michael Smetanin and Alison Croggon

Funereal rites by Vincent Plush

War and peace by Colin Bright

Upon the dark water by Stuart Greenbaum

Gethsemane by Gerard Brophy

Revelations of Divine Love by Anne Boyd

Songs with a few words by Andrée Greenwell

Gone with the waltz by Elena Kats-Chernin

Via dolorosa I : salvationi animae Pontii Pilati by Raffæle Marcellino

Fish tale by Raffæle Marcellino

Data est lux by Andrew Schultz

The rage within by Matthew Hindson

Monkeys cry by Caroline Szeto

Song of songs, op. 67 by Barry Hill and Andrew Schultz

11th Station by Michael Whiticker

Pink edges by Gerard Brophy

Eat and be eaten by Jennifer Fowler

Paradise unseen by Nigel Butterley

A Vision: Jesus reassures his mother by Anne Boyd

Shoal by Damien Ricketson

The City, the River, the Elm, the Stone by Haydn Reeder

Sacred kingfisher psalms by Ross Edwards

Lacrimae Rerum by David Young

To keep things reasonable by David Young

Australian aphorisms by Andrew Ford

A short service by Stephen Adams

Love is always born by Lyle Chan

Ein' Feste Burg by Brett McKern

De Profundis by Paul Stanhope

Little George by Jennifer Fowler

da-bi-du by Matthew Hindson

Out of the Deep by Andrew Batt-Rawden

‘Cross Country by Elizabeth Sheppard

Kaouwi Two Children Cooee by Elizabeth Sheppard

A Mind's Requiem by Zinia Chan

Fire-featuring heaven by Jack Symonds

World premieres given by The Song Company

Paradise unseen : SATBarB choir by Nigel Butterley— (Australian Centre for Photography, Sydney.)

Fire-featuring heaven : for vocal sextet and electronics by Jack Symonds— 9 Jun 23 (The Neilson, Pier 2/3 Sydney)

Psalm 11 : SSAATTBB choir by Clare Maclean— 29 Feb 20 (St Peter's Cathedral (North Adelaide), SA)

Psalm 12 (vocal music) by Cathy Milliken— 29 Feb 20 (St Peter's Cathedral (North Adelaide), SA)

da-bi-du (quintets: soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, bass) by Matthew Hindson— 22 Oct 19 (Sydney Opera House, Utzon Room, NSW)

De spiritu sancto : SATB choir by Ross Edwards— 30 Oct 18 (Yellow House Gallery, NSW)

A Mind's Requiem : vocal quartet by Zinia Chan— 2018 (Gondwana National Choral School)

Eight songs for massed voices and electronics (mixed choir with accompaniment) by Alice Chance— 1 Oct 17 (St James' Church (King Street), NSW)

Fiat Lux : The Light Cycle, eight songs for massed voices and electronics by Alice Chance— 1 Oct 17 (St James Church, Sydney)

Ein' Feste Burg : SATB choir with chamber ensemble by Brett McKern— 10 Jun 17 (Yellow House Gallery, NSW)

De Profundis : for SSATBarB voices and chamber organ by Paul Stanhope— 10 Jun 17 (Yellow House Gallery, NSW)

Saviour of the Heathens : after a Chorale hymn tune by Matthew Hindson— 10 Jun 17 (Yellow House Gallery, NSW)

From Hell To Heaven : Callan Park by Andrew Howes— 23 Oct 16 (Sydney)

Sonnet 76 : vocal sextet by Ruth McCall— 18 Jun 16 (Blackheath Uniting Church, NSW)

The walk : Cries of Melbourne by Caerwen Martin— 19 May 16 (Melbourne Recital Centre)

One Day, Five Silences : for SSATBB choir by Tim Dargaville— 19 May 16 (Salon, Melbourne Recital Centre, Southbank, VIC)

The Duck : for mixed voices by Ruth McCall— 1 Nov 15 (City Recital Hall, Angel Place, Sydney)

Love is always born : from Voices and Instruments by Lyle Chan— 31 Oct 15 (Blackheath Uniting Church, NSW)

When the heart is cut or cracked or broken : 'July' from the Song Company's All-Leunig Musical Almanac by Drew Crawford— 31 Oct 15 (Blackheath Uniting Church, NSW)

Flying : 'June' from the 'All Leunig Almanac' by Katy Abbott— 31 Oct 15 (Blackheath Uniting Church, NSW)

Song : vocal sextet by Kate Moore— 31 Oct 15 (Blackheath Uniting Church, NSW)

Tomatoes : vocal ensemble by Kate Neal— 31 Oct 15 (Blackheath Uniting Church, NSW)

No sooner : for vocal sextet by James Wade— 31 Oct 15 (Blackheath Uniting Church, NSW)

God be with the Mother : for SSATB A capella by Alice Chance— 31 Oct 15 (Blackheath Uniting Church, NSW)

Inner Man : vocal ensemble by Lachlan Skipworth— 31 Oct 15 (Blackheath Uniting Church, NSW)

Let it all unravel : vocal ensemble by Robert Davidson— 31 Oct 15 (Blackheath Uniting Church, NSW)

Ahhh Summer! The Municipal Pool : vocal ensemble by Mark Viggiani— 31 Oct 15 (Blackheath Uniting Church, NSW)

Song of the Virtues (sextets: soprano, mezzo-soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, bass) by Andrew Batt-Rawden— 1 Dec 13

Australian aphorisms : for six voices by Andrew Ford— 17 May 13 (Albert Hall, Canberra, ACT)

The Third Station of the Cross : for clarinet in Bb, double bass & percussion by Caroline Szeto— 2013 (Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney)

In praise of sandstone : for voices, piano (4 hands) and percussion (6 players) by Elliott Gyger— 22 Mar 12 (New Hall, Sydney Grammar School)

Hear the bird of day : from Australian Aphorisms by Andrew Ford— 26 Feb 12 (Hunter Baillie Memorial Presbyterian Church, Sydney)

Skye boat song lament (sextets: 2 sopranos, alto, tenor, baritone, bass - with chamber ensemble) by Ruth McCall— 2012 (Ship to Shore concert series)

/iu/ : for 6 unaccompanied voices by Annie Hsieh— 1 Oct 11 (Cockatoo Island, NSW)

The Writer's Hand (trios: 2 sopranos, mezzo-soprano) by Tristan Coelho— 1 Oct 11 (MODART 2011, Cockatoo Island, Sydney Harbour)

The Voyage : choir by Graeme Koehne— 19 May 11 (Australian War Memorial, ACT)

Sacred kingfisher psalms : for mixed choir by Ross Edwards— 22 May 10 (The Fitter's Workshop, Canberra International Music Festival)

Mass of the Dreaming : vocal ensemble by Ross Edwards— 2010 (Canberra International Music Festival)

Gethsemane : for 6 voices, narrator, soprano saxophone, percussion and electronica by Gerard Brophy— Mar 10 (City Recital Hall, Sydney)

aida : for vocal ensemble by Lachlan Skipworth— 18 Jul 09 (The Salon, Melbourne Recital Centre)

Pirrki-pirrki : bloodwood by Rosà Lind Page— 18 Feb 09 (Casula Powerhouse, NSW)

In God's Esperanto : for seven vocalists by Damien Ricketson— 19 Sep 08 (National Library of Australia, Canberra)

One word full of meaning (sextets: 2 sopranos, alto, tenor, baritone, bass - with percussion) by Brad Gill— Sep 07 (AMP Building, Sydney)

To keep things reasonable (trios: mezzo-soprano, tenor, bass with chamber ensemble) by David Young— Sep 07 (Carriageworks, Sydney)

A short service : in memory of John Cage by Stephen Adams— 26 Apr 07 ('Cage Uncaged', presented by the 2007 Totally Huge New Music Festival, The Art Gallery of Western Australia)

The last whale (sextets: 2 sopranos, alto, tenor, baritone, bass - with chamber ensemble) by Colin Bright— 26 Apr 07 (Totally Huge New Music Festival, Perth)

Wild flower, op. 71 : for six part choir by Andrew Schultz— 10 Mar 07 (performed as part of the Chronicles program, Campbelltown Arts Centre)

Waltzing Matilda : for 6-part a cappella mixed voices by Ruth McCall— 2007 (Australiana concert series)

One word full of meaning (sextets: 2 sopranos, alto, tenor, baritone, bass - with percussion) by Brad Gill— 17 Sep 05 (KPMG House, Sydney)

Song of songs, op. 67 : for 6 live solo voices, 12 recorded voices with pre-recorded percussion and prepared piano by Barry Hill and Andrew Schultz— May 04 (Sydney Opera House)

Ayo visto : after Johannes Cornago's 'Missa de la mapa mundi' by Natalie Williams— 25 Oct 03 (ModArt 2003 young composers project, Paddington, Sydney)

Shoal : six unaccompanied voices by Damien Ricketson— 14 Feb 03 (Loudmouth Festival, Newcastle, Australia.)

Little George : from "Eat and Be Eaten" by Jennifer Fowler— 6 Jun 01 (Uniting Church, Paddington, Sydney, NSW)

Eat and be eaten : vocal sextet by Jennifer Fowler— 6 Jun 01 (Uniting Church, Paddington, Sydney)

Mater : for six voices and percussion by Elena Kats-Chernin— Feb 00

Two Chinese folk songs : SATB choir by Julian Yu— 17 Jan 99 (ABC Centre, Sydney)

Monkeys cry (sextets: 2 sopranos, mezzo-soprano, tenor, baritone, bass with chamber ensemble) by Caroline Szeto— 28 Sep 97 (The Holme Building, (during Women's Music Festival), University of Sydney)

Lament for Dunblane (vocal quartet) by Jennifer Fowler— 20 Jun 97 (Access Contemporary Art Gallery, 36 Boronia St, Redfern, Sydney, NSW)

Gone with the waltz : vocal sextet by Elena Kats-Chernin— 20 Jun 97 (Performed in "M for Murder" at Access Contemporary Art Gallery, Sydney)

The sinking of the Rainbow Warrior : an opera in one act for 6 singers & 6 musicians by Colin Bright and Amanda Stewart— Jan 97 (Maritime Museum, Darling Harbour, Sydney)

Songs with a few words : eight pieces for 2 soprano, alto, 2 tenor, and bass voices by Andrée Greenwell— 10 Sep 96 (Sherman Galleries, Paddington, Sydney)

Doo (multiple choirs, unaccompanied) by Elena Kats-Chernin— 7 Aug 96 (Sydney Opera House)

Fish tale (sextets: 2 sopranos, mezzo-soprano, tenor, baritone, bass) by Raffæle Marcellino— 1995 (Eugene Goossens Hall, ABC Ultimo Centre, Sydney.)

Revelations of Divine Love : for six solo voices SSATBB by Anne Boyd— 9 Sep 94 (St James Church, Sydney)

Ficta : for six voices a cappella (SSATBrB) by Elliott Gyger— 21 Aug 94 (St James Church, Sydney)

Burrow : opera by Alison Croggon and Michael Smetanin— 21 Feb 94 (Octagon Theatre)

Ave verum corpus : SATBarB choir by Paul Stanhope— Oct 93 (University of Wollongong.)

Bound for South Australia : for SSATBarB a cappella by Elliott Gyger— 27 Jun 93 (Sydney Opera House)

Station X (vocal sextets) by Vincent Plush— 9 Apr 93 (Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney)

Last station of the Cross : SATB choir by Brenton Broadstock— 9 Apr 93 (Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney)

4th station : Jesus meets His holy mother : Via crucis Australis (clarinet with vocal ensemble) by Ross Edwards— 9 Apr 93 (Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney)

Via dolorosa I : salvationi animae Pontii Pilati : Via crucis Australis by Raffæle Marcellino— 9 Apr 93 (Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney)

Omaggio alla Pietà (sextets: 2 sopranos, mezzo-soprano, 2 basses, double bass, percussion) by Mary Finsterer— 9 Apr 93 (Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney)

The second coming (trios: tenor, baritone, bass with chamber ensemble) by Elliott Gyger— 9 Apr 93 (Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney)

The Women of Jerusalem : vocal quartet with chamber ensemble by Stephen Adams— 9 Apr 93 (Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney)

Silk, Opus 47 : for 2 sopranos, vibraphone, bass clarinet, doublebass by Andrew Schultz— 9 Apr 93 (Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney)

Palindrome: St Veronica (trios: clarinet, percussion, bass guitar) by Andrew Ford— Apr 93 (Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney)

14 Stations of the Cross : Station IX: The third stumble : vocal ensemble by Edward Cowie— Apr 93 (Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney)

11th Station : (yet to be assigned) by Michael Whiticker— 1993 (Museum of Contemporary Art)

The City, the River, the Elm, the Stone : vocal sextet by Haydn Reeder— 1993 (Eugene Goossens Hall, ABC Centre, Ultimo, Sydney)

Hit List : for six voices by Andrew Schultz— 12 May 92 (Justice and Police Museum, Sounds Australian Awards ceremony)

On Sutherland's grave : for a cappella choir by Matthew Orlovich— 1992 (For 2MBS FM (Sydney) live broadcast from Studio C, during Oz Music Week 1992)

Dance mantra : for voices and drum by Ross Edwards— 1992 (Sydney)

Upon the dark water : for vocal sextet or six-part choir SSATBB by Stuart Greenbaum— 18 Jul 91 (Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House)

Ekstasis, op. 43 : for six solo voices by Andrew Schultz— 2 Nov 90 (Kincoppal School, Rose Bay, Sydney)

Cezanne : SATB choir by Michael Barkl— 12 Dec 84 (Old School, Sydney University)

Water, where are you going? : SATB choir by Michael Barkl— 12 Dec 84 (Old Darlington School, Sydney University)

Stony town : for SSATB a cappella or with piano accompaniment by Ross Fiddes— 1984 (Gunnedah and Tamworth, NSW)

Analysis & Media

- Video: Wild Flower, by Andrew Schultz

- Article: Untamed melodies at the frontiers of sound

- Review: Laughs from the Past (Bull Thrip)

- Article: Birthday bash of note for Butterley

- Document: Five Songs of Hildegarde von Bingen Song Company and Sydney Philharmonia Motet Choir 1984

- Review: Sykes on Sunday (Bull Thrip)

- Program note: There Came a Wind like a Bugle

- Program note: Man, The Skin Cancer of the Earth Michael Whiticker

- Review: The Song Company GreenConcert 18 July 1991

- Program note: Michael Whiticker Purgatario - Paradiso

- Program note: Michael Whiticker On Slanting Ground 1988

- Program note: Andrerw Ford The Laughter of Mermaids 1991

- Review: The Song Company Australian Made with Italian Glasss

- Review: The Song Company

- Review: Australian Made wirth Italian Glass 20 March 1992

- Program note: Ekstasis Andrew Schultz

- Review: Taking artistic licence - Song Company Modern Art Series September 18

- Review: Virgins and Nightingales The Song Company St James Church 29 May 1992

- Program note: Tomorrow

- Program note: Six Song Fragments

- Program note: Pictures of A Humument

- Program note: We women kone no thynge hele

- Program note: As Water bears Salt

- Program note: Carmina Pu!*

- Review: The Song Company 18 October 1992

- Program note: Requiem USA (1993)

- Review: Lament for A The Song Company 21 March 1993

- Program note: In the shrubbery

- Program note: Flower Songs Ross Edwards

- Review: The Song Company: Music and the Environment 23 April 1993

- Program note: Bright and Black Blood

- Program note: Great Southern Spirits

- Review: The Song Company Haunted Lullabies

- Program note: The City, the River, the Elm, the Stone

- Program note: Silence

- Program note: Sleep

- Review: The Song Company Haunted Lullabies 2 October 1993

- Review: The Song Company Haunted Lullabies 2 October 1993

- Program note: Omaggio alla pieta: Mary Finsterer

- Program note: Adjacent Rooms Michael Smetanin

- Review: Spring International Festival of New Music 16 October 1993

- Review: The Burrow Michael Smetanin

- Program note: Where the Lilies Grow David Lumsdaine

- Program note: There came a Wind like a Bugle

- Review: War and Peace The Song Company 18 June 1994

- Review: War and Peace The Song Company 18 June 1994

- Review: War and Piece The Song Company 18 June 1994

- Program note: FICTA

- Review: The Song Company Ten Years 1984-1994 21 August 1994

- Review: The Song Company ten Years 1984-1994 21 August 1994

- Review: The Song Company ten years 1984 - 1994 21 August 1994

- Review: The Song Company Women and Music September 1994

- Review: Quito Matin Wesley Smith

- Review: Quito Martin Wesley Smith November 1994

- Review: Quito Martin Wesley-Smith November 1994

- Program note: Martin Wesley Smith 50th Birthday Concert

- Program note: Fish Tale

- Program note: Grand Theft David Chesworth

- Program note: Funereal Rites Vincent Plush

- Review: The Song Company Funereal Rites 26 August 1995

- Review: The Song Company Modern Art Series #1 10 September 1996

- Program note: Victor, a ballad Victor Field

- Program note: Gone with the Waltz

- Program note: Fast Talking: The Last Words of Dutch Schultz

- Program note: Lament for Dunblane Jennifer Fowler

- Program note: The Rage Within Matthew Hindson (b.1968)

- Program note: Murder is Hard Craig Allister Young (b.1967)

- Review: M for Murder The Song Company 20,21 June 1997

- Review: M for Murder The Song Company 20, 21 June 1997

- Program note: In Paradisum (1996)

- Program note: Revelations of Divine Love (1994)

- Program note: Data est Lux Andrew Schultz

- Program note: Desires: movements towards the divine (1997) Stephen Adams (b.1963)

- Program note: Quito for six singers and tape (1997)

- Review: Desire Divine The Song Company 28 July 1998

- Program note: Raindrop (1997)

- Program note: Music for Mature Audiences (1999)

- Program note: The Laughter of Mermaids (1990)

- Program note: Pink Edges (2000)

- Review: 11th Sydney Spring The Song Company 5 August 2000

- Review: 11th Sydney Spring Festival The Song Company 5 August 2000

- Program note: Paradisde Unseen

- Program note: Lacrimae Rerum

- Program note: Where Once Narcissus Died... for harp solo (1998)

- Review: The Song Company Modern Art Series Tears of Things 17 June 2001

- Program note: Shoal

- Program note: Southern Cross Chants

- Review: The Song Company Songs Signs and Stars 2 December 2004

- Review: The Song Company Songs, Signs and Stars

- Review: The Song Company Trans-Tasman Waves i February 2005

- Program note: The Song Company Icons

- Review: The Song Company Icons 9 March 2005

- Program note: The Santosha Project

- Program note: One word full of meaning...

- Program note: Lucifer; Aurora; cain and Abel

- Program note: Where Does Music Stop

- Program note: Love Themes

- Review: MODART05

- Review: From A to Z The Song Company 26 September 2006

- Program note: Matthew Shlomowitz Slow Flipping Harmony

- Program note: A Short Service 2007

- Program note: Michael Smetanin Due Pezzi Per Niente

- Review: The Song Company Cage Uncaged 15 September 2007

- Program note: Construction Alex Pozniak 2007

- Program note: click your username 2007

- Program note: UISCE Kate Moore 2007

- Program note: Epicene Women Claire Nash

- Program note: You In The Night Chris Williams

- Program note: The Humble-Bee Rebecca Harrison

- Program note: Boult to Marina Johanna Selleck

- Video: Gethemane - in rehearsal

- Video: The voyage, by Graeme Koehne

- Review: Australian Made with Italian Glass: The Song Company 20 March 1992

- Full Work [Audio]: Mind's Requiem