Celebrating 50 years of choral excellence at their gala in the City Recital Hall, Sydney Chamber Choir, under the masterful direction of Sam Allchurch, continues to soar to ever greater heights, honouring a rich past, embracing contemporary voices, and boldly shaping the future. Their performances open all ears to the transformative power of music, creating space for reflection, connection, and a sense of something greater than ourselves. Love and connection lit the way before the evening transitioned to illuminate the resilience and quiet radiance found in remembrance.
Celebrating new and diverse voices, Act One honoured both the artists and their artistry. Five bite-sized moments of beauty emerged from newly commissioned works, created especially for Sydney Chamber Choir by Australian composers. Each was tasked with interpreting the theme of love uniquely, marking the ensemble’s milestone as part of a national initiative.
Nardi Simpson’s Dharriwaa, Narran Lakes Dreaming blended spoken word and song in Yuwaalaraay language. Performed barefoot, it evoked a deep connection to Country and kinship, offering a moving tribute to the Dharriwaa wetlands and the cultural heart of the Yuwaalaraay people. It was a powerful and grounded opening, both intimate and expansive.
Anne Cawrse’s The Greatest of These, setting the well-known text from 1 Corinthians, was a gentle and heartfelt meditation on faith and love. It was refreshing to hear these familiar words sung, revealing deeper layers of their quiet intimacy and simplicity. Cawrse’s adaptation captured the universal truths of the passage with grace and sincerity, allowing the text to speak directly and movingly.
Former Musical Director of Sydney Chamber Choir, Paul Stanhope contributed We Might be Fifty, a whimsical and tender setting of Katherine Mansfield’s poem Camomile Tea. Sung with warmth and subtle intimacy, the Choir brought out the piece’s gentle humour and nostalgic charm. Rich in domestic detail and playful surrealism, the music explored love through the quiet rituals of everyday life, making it a fitting tribute to the Choir’s milestone.
Luke Byrne’s Song, setting Victor James Daley’s reflective poem, was a quiet and meditative highlight of the concert. The piece gently invites listeners to pause and reflect on what truly endures in life, with love celebrated as the “fadeless flower” that outlasts power, wealth, and fame. Sung with subtlety and calm, it allowed the music and words to breathe, opening a space where time and thought seemed to slow.
Meta Cohen’s Meteora was a celestial and elemental work filled with a sense of longing and suspended time. Its shimmering textures evoked the vastness of the sky and the yearning for someone far away, creating a haunting and otherworldly atmosphere, truly a captivating odyssey beyond the ordinary.
Act Two was dedicated to Paul Stanhope’s Requiem, an ethereal journey from sorrow to solace, sung into being and performed with rich instrumental accompaniment that added depth and colour to the choir’s potent delivery. The ensemble included Nicola Bell on oboe and cor anglais, Richard Shaw on clarinet, Andrew Barnes on bassoon, Euan Harvey on French horn, Emily Granger on harp, and Jess Ciampa on percussion. Under the direction of conductor Sam Allchurch, soloists Brooke Window (soprano) and Richard Butler (tenor) lent their expressive voices to this moving work.
Traditionally composed to honour the dead and comfort the living, a requiem creates a space to confront grief while seeking peace. Stanhope’s astonishing work achieved just that. Hearing it live was a profound experience: a solemn meditation on sorrow, remembrance, and hope. The texts, drawn from an array of evocative poems and liturgical hymns, were artfully woven with lush harmonies and deep emotional intensity. Together, they created a moving soundscape that invited reflection, offering both solace and spiritual renewal.
The Sydney Chamber Choir doesn’t just sing. They transcend technique, soul to soul, heart to heart, embodying the human voice at its most powerful and divine. Every note cuts straight to the core of what it means to be human. The evening was a brilliant tribute to their artistry, offering rare moments of calm and clarity in a chaotic world. Music not just heard, but deeply felt.
This world-class chamber choir, renowned for its exquisite precision and heartfelt expression, reminds us why live vocal music matters: it connects us, heals us, and lifts us beyond the everyday. Congratulations, Sydney Chamber Choir, on 50 remarkable years.
Playing at City Recital Hall, 2 Angel Place Sydney at July 5, 2025
Reviewed by Faith Jessel