Festival of Voices 2022: 10-day winter singing festival returns to Hobart, Tasmania

Festival of Voices has only gone from strength to strength since it was first held back in 2005. And it’s believed this year could be its biggest yet. FULL GUIDE >>

Seventeen years ago, the organisers of Hobart’s inaugural Festival of Voices took a big risk.

They decided to hold a series of large-scale choral performances over three days in the middle of winter.

Little did they know, the first Festival of Voices would set the scene for a new tourism strategy designed to bring more visitors to the state during the colder months.

Festival director Peter Choraziak said the event had now grown into one that attracted 30,000 attendees at its pre-Covid peak.

“That small three-day event (in 2005) has now grown into a minimum 10-day event,” he said.

“For me, I think it’s great to see the emergence of all the other winter festivals around it – to the point now where we have a genuine winter festival season.”

Festival of Voices Director, Peter Choraziak at Hobart waterfront. Picture: Linda Higginson

Festival of Voices, kicking off on July 1 and running until July 10, taps into the communal nature of choral singing and the inherent joy in expressing oneself through song.

It will feature ticketed events spanning choral and contemporary performances, as well as workshops and a singers’ lounge. More than 100 pop-up performances, meanwhile, will take place across Hobart, New Norfolk, and Triabunna.

Cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic, the festival returned last year, operating at 50 per cent capacity.

This year, Mr Choraziak said Festival of Voices would be running at 70 per cent of its full strength.

“Most of our visitors are choir members,” he said. “That’s who we service and look after first and foremost.”

“Because they often turn into repeat visitors, they spread the word and they just love to come together and sing.

“During Covid, singing was evil, it was a superspreader. And (choristers) just couldn’t sing, they couldn’t even get together to rehearse.

“There’s a real desire to come back and regather. Which is what’s starting to happen now.”

Festival of Voices choral curator Joan Wright said this year’s choral program would bring some of the nation’s best choirs to Tasmania.

“People didn’t realise how much they missed that community singing or belonging to a choir (during Covid lockdowns),” Ms Wright said.

“Many of the youth choirs have struggled to keep their choirs because they haven’t been able to rehearse for two years. Having Festival of Voices like this has given them an incentive to get choirs back together.”

Anglican priest Christopher Waterhouse is chaplain of the arts at St David’s Cathedral – which will host several events for the festival – and said the space was the perfect setting for choral singing.

“(It’s) a venue that’s acoustically designed for precisely this reason,” he said.

“It’s a perfect place to sing.

“As you lift your voice, it kind of lifts up into the rafters of the cathedral and up to heaven. For us as Christians, we believe that we’re singing our praises to God.

“And so we give the very best of ourselves because we’re acknowledging the gift that’s been given to us.”

Reverend Waterhouse will be the compere for the Composers’ Room, which will see a panel of renowned Australian choral composers – David Drury, Michael Leighton Jones, John Rotar, Brooke Shelley, and Joe Twist – discuss the wonders and pitfalls of their profession.

Destination Southern Tasmania CEO Alex Heroys is pictured speaking to the media. Picture: MATT THOMPSON

Destination Southern Tasmania chief executive Alex Heroys said Festival of Voices brought hordes of visitors to the state and produced flow-on economic benefits in the regions.

While it may have been southern Tasmania’s first winter festival, it’s now one of nine, including Dark Mofo and the Huon Valley Mid Winter Festival.

“Visitors coming to these festivals … want something different,” Mr Heroys said. “They don’t want a fly and flop beach holiday.”

“They want something more immersive and much more of an experiential experience.”

10 FESTIVAL OF VOICES HIGHLIGHTS:

The Composers’ Room

Friday, July 8, 12.30pm, The Hedberg (Ian Potter Recital Hall)

Guided by compere Christopher Waterhouse, the audience will get an insight into the trials and tribulations of what it is like to be a choral composer in the 21st century, featuring an esteemed panel of composers and interlude performances from Queen’s Phoenix and Concordis Chamber

Night Train – A Grand Tour of Australian Contemporary Choral Music

Thursday, July 7, 7.30pm, Federation Concert Hall

For decades, Australia has produced an abundance of new choral work; pieces that inspire and challenge, uplift and excite, and shape who we are. Leading exponents of this repertoire, Gondwana Chorale and The Australian Voices, will present a kaleidoscopic program exploring the depth of Australian choral music.

Mozart Requiem Recomposed

Saturday, July 9, 7.30pm, Federation Concert Hall

Mozart’s iconic Requiem is revisited by contemporary Australian composer Gordon Hamilton.

Celestial Harmonies & A Voice from Heaven

Wednesday, July 6, 7.30pm, St David’s Cathedral, Hobart

Friday, July 8, 6.00pm, St David’s Cathedral, Hobart

This is a unique two concert package for passionate and dedicated choral music fans. Patrons will be provided with an individually allocated ticket to Celestial Harmonies on Wednesday evening which will also give them access to A Voice from Heaven on Friday evening.

A Cappella Showcase

Friday, July 8, 8.00pm, Federation Concert Hall

The naked human voice holds an awe-inspiring power that can transcend the mundane and ignite the senses. This Showcase will present a variety of styles from barbershop through to modern contemporary.

Gospel According to Marcia

Saturday, July 2, 7.30pm, Theatre Royal, Hobart

Celebrating the memories of her Boston childhood, Marcia Hines’ extraordinary voice will fill the Theatre Royal alongside a 12-member choir and live band.

Motown Under the Stars

Thursday, June 30, 7.00pm, Macquarie Point

A special Festival of Voices event featuring Marcia Hines and an all-star Tasmanian line-up selected to be part of a national television broadcast event. For the ABC’s 90th birthday celebration, the festival’s Motown Under the Stars event will be filmed for TV, honouring the legacy of the legendary Motown record label.

Lior

Thursday, July 7, 8:30pm, Hobart Town Hall

Known for his dynamic and moving performances, Lior’s ability to turn his hand to contemporary, classical, world and children’s music, proves him to be one of a rare group of artists to achieve success and critical acclaim, whilst maintaining independence and individuality in their craft.

Tasmania Songbook

Devonport performance: Wednesday, July 6, 8pm, Paranaple Arts Centre, Town Hall Theatre

Launceston performance: Thursday, July 7, 8pm, Tasmanian Country Club, Mount Pleasant Showroom

Hobart performance: Friday, July 8, 8pm, Theatre Royal

The Tasmanian Songbook celebrates the legacy of Tasmanian songs and the contemporary songwriters who continue to shape our history and music culture. The program is co-curated with the local music community and performed by some of Tasmania’s finest musicians and storytellers.

The Big Sing

Saturday, July 2, 5pm, Macquarie Point

Mac Point will come alive to the sounds of hundreds of voices by the light of the festival bonfire. Join a stellar line-up of local and national performers for the annual feel-good singalong.

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