2019 - RCV's inaugural year
Handel's MESSIAH - TUESDAY 17 DECEMBER 2019
ST PATRICK'S CATHEDRAL, Parramatta
In a fitting and splendid end to our inaugural year,
River City Voices joined forces with choristers from the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs and the Sydney Philharmonia Orchestra to bring Handel's enduring and magnificent Messiah to a sold-out western Sydney audience.
Our fabulous soloists were soprano Susannah Lawergren, mezzo-soprano Alexandra Mathew, tenor Damien Noyce and heldenbaritone Warwick Fyfe.
We were very pleased to again have in attendance NSW State Member for Parramatta Dr Geoff Lee and NSW State Member for Granville Ms Julia Finn.
Special thanks to:
Brett Weymark and the whole team at Sydney Philharmonia Choirs, our visionary foundation partner Condon Advisory Group and the great team at St Pat's!
River City Voices was also invited to perform alongside Sydney Philharmonia Choirs for its performances of Messiah in the Concert Hall at the Sydney Opera House providing an incredible first year experience!
Read Limelight Magazine and Sydney Morning Herald reviews of these performances under the expert baton of Brett Weymark.
In 2020, RCV's planned May performance of Lauridsen's Lux Aeterna was cancelled due to COVID. Instead, RCV launched its RCoVid At Home program with a virtual concert. You can engage with the recording via RCV's YouTube channel. Enjoy!
Photo Credit: Sarah Adams
ABC SING OUT SYDNEY - SUNDAY 10 NOVEMBER 2019
City Recital Hall, Sydney
River City Voices applied for and was selected to be one of 13 featured choirs for this event.
Check out the video (left) and watch River City Voices perform Australian composer Lisa Young's Other Plans!
Hosted by popular ABC Local presenters Robbie Buck and Wendy Harmer, the Hall and radio audience also heard 600 choral singers (21 community choirs) come together for the premiere performance of Christine Anu's beautiful Kulba Yaday in the Kawaw Ya language from the North Western Island of the Torres Strait.
An incredible experience for our choristers!
Photo Credit: ABC Radio Sydney, Georgia Moloney
Amazing singers. Engaging conductor
Kingdom Hearts was awesome!
Beautiful sound
CUMBERLAND GETS ANIME-TED! - SUNDAY 18 AUGUST 2019
SYDNEY CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL, Auburn Botanic Gardens
This festival project was conceived in March 2018 and realised through the support of the NSW Government through Create NSW and staff from Cumberland Council and is in effect, how River City Voices exists!
Outdoor gigs can be tricky beasts for choirs that benefit from naturally or purpose built acoustic spaces. It was therefore hugely gratifying and exciting to see our hard work come together on such a beautiful day with an overwhelmingly appreciative audience. Putting their bento boxes on hold, the enthusiastic crowd was in awe of the power of Taikoz, went selfie crazy with our Cosplay performers (Jenna, Roxanne and Alix) and joined our singers in a rousing final rendition of Astro Boy conducted by a budding youngster plucked from the crowd!
Huge thanks to Dr Paul Smith from UNE, Parramatta who arranged the extraordinary pieces from Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy, Princess Mononoke and Astro Boy especially for River City Voices and this project. We hope to have more opportunities to perform it!
CARMINA BURANA "COME & SING" - 4/5 MAY 2019
EDITH ANGEL HALL, Our Lady of Mercy College, Parramatta
River City Voices inaugural performance and the Parramatta premiere of Carl Orff's enduring and popular choral classic. This community participatory and collaborative choral event was held on the 4th and 5th May at Our Lady of Mercy College, Parramatta.
Under the inspiring baton of Dr Sarah Penicka-Smith, 100 performers, students, professional soloists (Ayse Goknur Shanal, Simon Lobelson and Warren Fisher)
singers and musicians from across western Sydney and beyond, came together to rehearse, learn, bond, and experience the thrill of performing a large scale choral work.
The "Come & Sing" philosophy is to provide an opportunity for singers who can't attend regular weekly rehearsals, the chance to learn music in their own time and
then rehearse over an intensive, challenging and fun weekend. Here's what some participants and audience had to say...
Your organisation was excellent. We knew what was happening and what to expect. That such a disparate group came together in two days and produced such an outcome was remarkable.
I didn't really know what to expect. To try it out and be involved in something different, this goal was absolutely met. Things I had vague ideas about, gaining improved singing ability, being challenged, gaining further performance experience, being around very talented musical people, were also met. And just getting to spend the weekend singing with others. It was a great weekend.
I was very impressed with your performance of Carmina Burana - music I have heard and
seen performed a number of times by professional bodies and your choir was as good as the best and better than the rest. I also fully support your aim of being a distinctive voice for western Sydney by reflecting the region's diversity of talent. Bravo.
Photo Credit: Grant Leslie
RIVER CITY VOICES OFFICIAL LAUNCH
7 December 2018, Riverside Theatres, Parramatta
To celebrate the arrival of our new western Sydney arts organisation, River City Voices hosted a fun and inspiring pre-Christmas launch party.
We were very pleased to have in attendance Director of Riverside Theatres and RCV Advisory Committee Member
Robert Love AM who also acted as impromptu MC! NSW State Member for Parramatta Dr Geoff Lee and NSW State Member for Granville Ms Julia Finn both gave supportive and heartfelt speeches.
We are grateful to the evening's contributors:
Riverside Theatres, Seth & Inara Molinari, urban brewery Young Henrys and western Sydney carol ensemble
Photo Credits: Grant Leslie
