Sydney Opera House (June 2009)

This is a story about 15 ladies and 2 men from the Esk Community Choir who sang at the Sydney Opera House. It is not fiction, though the experience was the stuff dreams are made of.
The story began when Alexis received, via email, an invitation for the choir to sing Mozart's Requiem as part of the Festival of World Voices in 2009 at the Sydney Opera House. Seventeen choir members, unwilling to pull the shade down on this opportunity, answered the call.




Armed with the musical score, a couple of home grown tapes, purchased CD's and very little knowledge of what was to come, they dedicated spare moments during the following weeks and months to mastering this very challenging Requiem Mass in D Minor by Mozart.

The little that WAS known was that the Internationally high regarded American clinician, lecturer and Director of Choral Studies at Atlanta's Emory University, Dr Eric Nelson, was to be the conductor for the festival, travelling to Sydney to perform the work along with a number of choirs from the USA.

A great leader is said to be someone who takes genuine joy in the successes of those under him and from the moment Dr Nelson began the rehearsal with "OK, let's sing the Requiem: they knew they were in the presence of, not only a great leader and teacher, but also a musical genius and hearts soared along with their voices.

From the wandering tones of 'Intoitus' through the intricacies of 'Kyrie', the rhythmic vitality of 'Dies Irae', the mournful pulsing of 'Lacrimose', the fire passion and pathos of 'Rex Tremendae' and 'Confutatis' to the final dramatic notes of 'Lux Eterna', the ladies and gentlemen from Esk were born aloft on a sea of musical excellence. So too were the other choirs, anchored by the incomparable voices of the Centenary College Choir from Louisiana, and others from Georgia and Charleston as well as sixty 'angelic' boy sopranos, altos, tenors and basses from Sydney's Knox Grammar School who were called to the fray with only one months notice. The sum total of 160 voices filled and thrilled both the Concert Hall at the Sydney Opera House and an almost capacity audience.

True testament to the determination and dedication to practice by the Esk contingent were the comments and compliments expressed by more than a few members of the visiting choirs regarding the 'excellent preparation by this community choir'.

The story could not continue without the telling of the four highly credentialed soloists, highlighted by the amazing voice of Tim Chung, a countertenor, who sung alto, nor the accompaniment of a wonderful orchestra comprising young graduates from the Conservatorium alongside accomplished professional musicians.

This story does not have an ending because once there are no more words to tell, our music will continue to take over. People who make music together will always share that bond... for as long as the music lasts.

Sue Walker

Members who participated in Mozart's Requim

Elaine Brown

Joan Burke

Kym Clemence

Suzanne Clemence

Brian Crichton

Marina Crichton

Alexis FitzGerald

Mary FitzGerald

Maree Hammond

Dorothea Moyle

Noela Niemeyer

Jessica Pitman

Ellise Pope

Leon Toms

Sue Walker

Kathie Watts