After 3 years, Sydney Philharmonia Choirs’ much-loved ‘big sing’ returns to the Sydney Opera House over the June long weekend, 2023.
And ‘big sings’ don’t come much bigger than this!
This year ChorusOz takes on the biggest of them all: Mahler’s monumental Symphony No.8 – Symphony of a Thousand. So they are looking for – literally – 1000 singers and 100 young people (12-17) to join the choir and sing alongside the 8 world-class soloists and brilliant musicians of Sydney Youth Orchestras in the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall.
Over two days of the June long weekend, members of ChorusOz will be rehearsing the work in the Concert Hall and then will perform it on Sunday evening.
Previous participants have called it a “life-changing” experience and singers from the UK, Ireland, Germany and NZ are already signing up.
Mahler’s Eighth Symphony was the first choral symphony to make the voices completely integral to the music – the singing almost never stops.
“I have just completed my Eighth – it is my greatest work to date. And so unusual in content and form that one cannot describe it in a letter. Imagine the whole universe beginning to sing and resound. These are no longer human voices, but coursing planets and suns.”
Gustav Mahler, from a letter to conductor Willem Mengelberg
How do I sign up?
Absolutely everyone is welcome to join the choir! No auditions – singers of any ability are welcome.
There’s no audition or vocal assessment, however, the ability to follow a music score will be an advantage. You will also need a basic understanding of music and musical terms. It is expected that you will use the score, text and teaching tracks provided as part of your registration to prepare yourself before the weekend.
