With his ‘Requiem’ described as pure gold, the composer’s final act of creation, written in the face of death itself, transcends fear and despair to affirm the power of life and hope.
Vicki said it was one of the greatest works ever written for choir, bursting with passion, drama and immense tenderness – a transformative experience both to sing and to hear.
“As an alto singer, you don’t often get to perform tunes but this is very tuneful, emotive and really satisfying to sing,” the music teacher said.
“It’s about death, so is kind of sombre but passionate with a whole rollercoaster of emotions thrown in.
“This work is normally performed by a huge choir but being performed by a chamber choir in an intimate setting means the audience can still enjoy how big it is but with much more clarity; it’s definitely well worth seeing.”
Keeping company with Mozart in this concert are J.S. Bach and contemporary Australian composer Iain Grandage.
Conductor Sam Allchurch said: “The opportunity to hear Mozart’s beloved ‘Requiem’ in a chamber setting will allow audiences really to get inside the music, hearing the different lines interweaving.
“Grandage’s ‘Why do we exist’ forms the perfect bridge between ‘Requiem’ and Bach’s ‘Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied’ (Sing unto the Lord a new song).”
The first concert of the choir’s mouthwatering 2024 season, Mozart’s ‘Requiem’ is on offer on Sunday, April 28, from 3pm in City Recital Hall, Angel Place, Sydney.
Tickets: $50-$95 (concession $30-$85): sydneychamberchoir.org/mozartsrequiem
Enjoy ‘greatest works ever written for choir’
SYDNEY Chamber Choir is set to perform one of the most celebrated and profound works for choir, Mozart’s sublime and life-affirming ‘Requiem’, which stars Belmore chorister Vicki Kourkoumelis.
