On August 15th 2023, music enthusiasts are in for a treat as Bristol Cathedral opens its doors to the public, offering free entry to a captivating lunchtime recital. This event promises to be an exquisite fusion of French melodie, jazz, and Australian art song. As an added bonus, the program features 2 world premieres of never-before-heard compositions. Amidst the stunning ambiance of the cathedral, listeners will be enraptured by the mesmerising skills of Dominic Irving, a talented young pianist with a flourishing career. With his exceptional talent and passion, combined with Amelia’s artistry and soaring soprano tones, this recital is sure to be an unforgettable experience for all who attend.

Amelia will sing the role of ‘Peregrine’ as a soloist with the English Symphony Orchestra, performing world premiere ‘Mayflower on the Sea of Time’ by Philip Sawyers

Melbourne’s premiere a capella ensemble breathes life into 1000 years of vocal harmony by women composers. From contemporary Aboriginal Australian composer Deborah Cheetham’s arresting Tarimi Nulay to Hildegard von Bingen’s twelfth-century O virtus sapientiae, hear how women composers in the last millennium have harnessed the power and beauty of human voices in perfect harmony. This concert was originally scheduled for July 2020 as part of the Women in Music festival, but postponed due to COVID restrictions.

The Consort of Melbourne will feature the voices of Katherine Norman, Amelia Jones, Jenny George, Hannah Pietsch, Alex Gorbatov and Lucien Fischer. Directed by Steven Hodgson.

SAVE THE DATE - More details coming soon.

Directed and Presented by Homophonic! Artistic Director Miranda Hill.; performed by The Consort of Melbourne and the Homophonic! string quintet.

The Consort of Melbourne will feature the voices of Katherine Norman, Kirsty Biber, Amelia Jones, Timothy Reynolds, Ben Owen & Steven Hodgson.

Shakespeare describes how the morning light performs a “heavenly alchemy” on the landscape. He refers to the branch of metaphysics dealing with the transformation of base metals into gold. The voices of individual singers are like base metals, which, given the right circumstances, undergo a seemingly magical transformation into a choral sound of pure gold. Join us for an afternoon of extraordinary choral music

Moya Henderson In Paradisum (1996)
Claudio Merulo Missa Cara la Vita Mia
Samuel Barber Reincarnations Opus 16, Nos.1 to 3
Claudio Monteverdi Three Madrigals
Gordon Kerry Alchemy (first performance)
Felix Mendelsohn Lift thine eyes; Denn er hat seinen Engeln
Johann Sebastian Bach Komm, Jesu, komm

Angels of Paradise was the name given by Italian composer Giulio Caccini to Duke Alfonso II of Ferrara’s singing superstars Laura Peverara, Anna Guarini and Livia D’Arco. During the 1580s and 1590s the ‘Ladies of Ferrara’ were lauded for their musical imagination and vocal prowess.

They entertained the Ferrarese court with virtuosic performances of madrigals and solo airs and as their fame spread throughout Italy, invitations to attend these private entertainments became highly prized. Festivities would commence late into the evening and delight until dawn.

Court composer Luzzascho Luzzaschi published examples of their style of ornamentation in Madrigali per cantare et sonare a 1‐3 soprani. Whilst they were never recognised as composers themselves, the inventive flair of these skilled singers influenced respected composers like Luca Marenzio and helped change the relationship of women to music.
Auncient Hermony are joined by sopranos Katherine Norman and Amelia Jones in a dazzling performance in Primrose Potter Salon.

A story about mythological love and crisis.

About the artists

The Consort of Melbourne is a vocal ensemble that champions both historic and contemporary repertoire. They bring 1000 years of vocal harmony to life with an intimacy and verve that leaves audiences spellbound.

About the concert

Their performance in Elisabeth Murdoch Hall presents the Australian premiere of a ground-breaking new piece by award-winning composer Wally Gunn and librettist Maria Zajkowski.

I heart Artemis is a concert-length reimagining of Greek mythology told through a series of scenes and tableaus rendered in glorious six-part vocal harmony. Athena and Artemis meet, fall in love, and live a brief eternity of passion; but their paradise can’t last. On earth, men wage war, indulge their lusts, and exploit the land. Athena and Artemis watch in horror as the world falls apart and must unite to defend what cannot defend itself.

I heart Artemis is a story about a mythological love and a very real crisis, which asks the most pressing questions about humanity’s future.

ANÚNA was founded in 1987 by Michael McGlynn, Composer and Artistic Director. Ireland has no indigenous history of choral music, and he created Anúna with the intent of developing a uniquely Irish form of ensemble singing that wove convincing connections between the ancient singing traditions of this country and the literature of his homeland. The group are recognised all over the world as the definitive voice of choral music from Ireland. Today Anúna is regarded as one of the finest vocal groups in the world appearing on stages including Radio City in New York, the NCPA in Beijing and the Royal Albert Hall. They created the vocal sound of Riverdance which they were part of from 1994-96.

ANÚNA have appeared on film and video game soundtracks, released 21 albums/DVDs and been signed to Decca, Polygram, E1, Universal among others.

ANÚNA have released eighteen albums since 1991 and have been featured artists on three Grammy Award winning albums. Invocation won a National Entertainment Award for classical music in 1994, while Deep Dead Blue was nominated for a Classical Brit Award in 1999. Celtic Origins (2007), also an award-winning PBS show and DVD, became the number one selling CD on the US World Music Charts while the album Christmas Memories reached the Hot 100 of the Billboard Album Chart in 2011.

They have been signed to some of the world’s major record labels including Decca, Gimell, Universal Classics, Polygram, E1 and Philips.