Brisbane Birralee Voices
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Brisbane Birralee Voices is a world-renowned children’s community choir organization that has performed at many venues around the world. Brisbane Birralee Voices is one of the only community based choirs in Brisbane, Australia and it gives young people from the age of 5-26+ the opportunity to participate in an internationally-regarded community choir.
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[edit] About
Brisbane Birralee Voices has 3 main conductors Paul Holley, Julie Christiansen and Petrina Lewis, also the choir's Principal Accompanist Justine Favell, Accompanist Kylie Los and Student Accompanist Sarah McDonald .
Julie Christiansen is the organisation's director. She has been a conductor for over 25 years and chose to start Brisbane Birralee Voices to allow gifted singers in Southeast Queensland to perform to their full potential. The organisation contains 6 choirs. Each member is placed in a choir according to age and skill after an audition. These are the Brisbane Birralee Voices, The Birralee Blokes, The Birralee Singers, The Birralee Juniors, The Birralee Piccolos and Resonance of Brisbane.
Brisbane Birralee Voices, with director Julie Christiansen, is the organization's most highly renowned vocal group. This choir tours annually. In 2005 they performed at PICCFEST and in 2006 they participated in Songs of Sanctuary (Karl Jenkins) in Melbourne during the Commenwealth Games.
The Birralee Blokes, directed by Paul Holley, is the choir for men or boys whose voices have changed and allows young men to continue singing through this change. The Birralee Blokes also won the ABC Choir of the Year 2006.
The choir was founded in 1990, despite the numerous opportunities that were already available for young people to sing in a supportive environment. She took the daring step of starting a choir and 11 years later it has grown to approximately 500 members from around Queensland.
The choirs rehearse once a week.
The organisation has released 5 CDs. CAN YOU HEAR ME?, WITHIN REACH!, COME TO THE MUSIC, A Live Anniversary Concert (2005) and a Blokes only CD, WALLS COME TUMBLIN' DOWN.
The Choirs sing a limited variety of Australian and International repertoire.
Entry to the choirs is auditioned.
[edit] Performances
The choirs has performed at events such as World Vision International Children’s Choir Festival 2004–Korea. At this event the choir was shown on free-to-air television once a day for a seven day period. At this event the choir was invited, along with choirs from around the world, to represent Australia and the South Pacific.
In 2005 the choir was invited to perform at the Pacific International Children’s Choir, or Piccfest, being the guest choir.
Some of the other venues the choir has performed at are Cathedral of St Stephen’s Concert Series, hosting the Dresden Philharmonic Kinderchor, An Evening with President Clinton, Australian of the Year Awards, World of Children’s Choirs International Festival - Vancouver, Brisbane City Council Carols in King George Square, Brisbane Lord Mayor's Christmas Carols.
[edit] Awards
The Birralee Blokes won the ABC Classic FM Choir of the Year award in 2006.
[edit] Motto
Empowering young people through vibrant artistic singing!
[edit] Tours
The Choirs has toured to many locations including United States of America, Canada, Singapore, Korea, Tasmania, New Zealand and England.
