Sydney
Sing Vaughan Williams’s monumental Sea Symphony in the iconic Sydney Opera House with the Sydney Philharmonia Orchestra, world-class Australian soloists, and Sydney Philharmonia’s Artistic and Music Director, Brett Weymark OAM.
Registration
Before you register please take a moment to read the important information on this page, and ensure you can commit to the full weekend in Sydney, Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 June 2025.
Registrations close on Monday 26 May 2025 unless sold out earlier.
We’d also recommend reading the Chorister Terms and Conditions here.
Multiple/other person registrations: If you would like to register multiple choristers (eg, yourself and your partner/friend), or register another person as a gift, please do not do this online. Please register by calling Sydney Philharmonia Choirs on (02) 8274 6200 (Mon-Fri 9.00am-5.00pm).
When you Register for ChorusOz, you will be directed to a page housed by the Sydney Opera House. Sydney Philharmonia Choirs is a Resident Company of the Sydney Opera House and we share a booking system. You will need to log in or register. Your ChorusOz registration will be received by Sydney Philharmonia Choirs.
As you proceed it will look like you are buying an ‘e-ticket’ to an event, but please be assured you are registering for ChorusOz:
- Do not select Best Seats +: select your voice type.
- The 7 June date you see refers to the first rehearsal date.
- You will not be charged a booking fee for registering for ChorusOz.
- Delivery options: Please select “receive via post”.
Once completed, you will receive a confirmation email from Sydney Opera House..
Music
You can use your own score or you can order a score from us for $55 including GST and postage. Postage cut off date is Monday 19 May 2025.
Any scores that are ordered after this date will need to be collected from our office or from the Opera House on Saturday 7 June 2025.
A Sea Symphony
British composer Ralph Vaughan Williams’s A Sea Symphony was the first of his nine symphonies, written over several years after the turn of the 20th century and first performed at the 1910 Leeds Festival. The ocean held a fascination and allure for many composers and artists around that time in Britain and Europe: think of Edward Elgar’s Sea Pictures (1899), Frank Bridge’s The Sea (1911) and Claude Debussy’s La mer (1905). The Empire was riding high, trading routes to exotic places were thriving and the sea was the passage to the exciting wider world beyond Britain. Look out to sea and inhale deeply: one’s romantic nostrils were filled with dashing heroism, revelling in nature’s elements, adventure, exploration, the new. It also stirred one’s inward seascape of emotions, sense of purpose, humility and mortality in the face of the boundless, deep unknown.
A Sea Symphony draws on the poetry of American Walt Whitman, from his Leaves of Grass anthology and has four movements:
- A Song for All Seas, All Ships
- On the Beach at Night Alone
- The Waves
- The Explorers
It takes about 70 minutes to perform, and the choir features prominently in all four movements alongside soprano and baritone soloists. It’s a moody work – from the opening bold exuberance (“Behold, the sea itself / And on its limitless, heaving breast, the ships…”) to melancholic broodiness – but it is a work that grips you and inspires from the opening to the end.
This performance of A Sea Symphony by Ralph Vaughan Williams is given by permission of Hal Leonard Australia Pty Ltd exclusive agent for Stainer and Bell.
Performance
Invite your family and friends along to see your performance at the Sydney Opera House.
Tickets to ChorusOz | A Sea Symphony will be available from Wednesday 20 November 2024. Once you have registered, you will be sent your special Chorister discount code which can be used when purchasing tickets to the performance. Seats will be very limited so we encourage you to book early!
Preparation
ChorusOz rehearsals will take place at Sydney Opera House on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 June 2025. The concert will take place on Sunday 8 June 2025 at 5.00pm.
Saturday 7 June 2025 – Sydney Opera House Concert Hall
8.00am: check in for Tenors and Basses
9.30am: check in for Altos
10.00am: check in for Sopranos
9.00am – 10:30am: Tenors and Basses sectional rehearsal
11.00am – 12:30pm: Sopranos and Altos sectional rehearsal
1.00pm – 4.00pm: SATB rehearsal (includes 20-minute break)
BYO lunch (light snacks and non-alcoholic beverages available for purchase from foyer bars all day).
Sunday 8 June 2025 – Sydney Opera House Concert Hall
8.00am: Concert Hall foyers open with coffee and tea available
9.00am – 12.00pm: rehearsal (includes 20-minute break)
1.00pm – 4.00pm: rehearsal
4.00pm: break and afternoon tea, coffee, and fruit provided
5.00pm – 6.30pm: performance in front of live audience
6.30pm – 7.30pm: post concert celebration
BYO lunch – tea and coffee provided all day (light snacks and non-alcoholic beverages available for purchase from foyer bars all day).
Preparing for the weekend
There’s no audition or vocal assessment, however, the ability to follow a music score will be an advantage. You will also need a basic understanding of music and musical terms. It is expected that you will use the score, text and teaching tracks provided as part of your registration to prepare yourself before the weekend.
T-shirts
Your fee includes a souvenir ChorusOz T-Shirt which all choristers will wear for the Sunday performance. If necessary, refer to the sizing chart below and select your size when registering.
Ladies’ size 6, 8 and 10 is equivalent to XS
Ladies’ 12 equivalent to S
Ladies’ 14 equivalent to M
Ladies’ 16 equivalent to L and so forth
Scores and music
Scores will be available for posting from October 2024.
Any orders received after Friday 13 December 2024 will be posted in the new year.
Teaching tracks will be provided to guide you through the music and assist with your preparation. These will also be available for download in 2024.
Voice parts
The vocal ranges for Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass are shown below.
If you are more comfortable singing the high notes in your part, please select part 1 (Soprano 1, Alto 1, Tenor 1, Bass 1).
If you are more comfortable singing the low notes in your part, please select part 2 (Soprano 2, Alto 2, Tenor 2, Bass 2).
Cost
$358 per adult – including GST – for which you will receive:
- Digital access to rehearsal tracks
- Souvenir ChorusOz T-shirt
- Souvenir ChorusOz program book
- All day tea and coffee on Sunday at Sydney Opera House
- All rehearsals on Saturday and Sunday led by Music Director and Conductor, Brett Weymark
- Your performance with full orchestra and soloists at the Sydney Opera House at 5.00pm on Sunday 8 June 2025.
Optional Extra: $55 including GST and postage – vocal score for Vaughan Williams’ A Sea Symphony.
Any general queries or registrations for others or multiple choristers, call us on (02) 8274 6200 (Monday-Friday 9.00am–5.00pm).
