Australian Vocal Ensemble – a national first acapella quartet
Introducing AVÉ – Australian Vocal Ensemble – a national acapella quartet that will celebrate old and new Australian stories and is headed by Katie Noonan.
AVÉ sees Katie joined by three internationally renowned artists in Mezzo-Soprano Fiona Campbell (Perth), Tenor Andrew Goodwin (Sydney) and Baritone David Greco (Sydney).
“There is nothing like AVÉ in Australia. We plan on being an elite chamber ensemble of international excellence, but one that is warm and welcoming to all. We will champion new Australian works on every tour, engage with our First Nations Communities at every concert and engage with local communities at every concert,” said Katie, who said creating AVÉ had been a dream of hers for years.
“I want to illustrate Queensland’s creative leadership by establishing Australia’s only, professional classical vocal quartet. I believe it is vital to use the human voice to tell the stories of our time and place, and to encourage our audiences to use their voice,” said Katie.
“Some of the greatest internationally lauded classical voices in the world come from Queensland including singers like Gladys Moncrief OBE, Donald Smith OBE, Margreta Elkins AM and the Queensland Conservatorium’s Lisa Gasteen AO. I want to celebrate that extraordinary tradition and make our mark on the national and international stage, alongside three extraordinary fellow artists.”
Katie has proven herself one of Australia’s most hardworking, versatile and prolific artists, spanning diverse genres, leading from the front as an artistic director, from the stage as an acclaimed performer and from behind the scenes, nurturing fellow performers and programmers. She has performed for royalty, national and international leaders, and blazed a trail for young women artists.
She said AVÉ’s repertoire, like the Australian culture, would be a unique blend of the old and the new.
“The old will be represented in the glorious spiritual music of the late Renaissance and the early Baroque – the golden age of vocal polyphonic writing, while the new will be the modern music of the 20th and 21st Century, with a particular focus on new Australian music.”
She said every performance will feature new Australian works and engagement with our First Nations People.
“We aim to create an unparalleled music experience for audience members – a chance to explore new Australian composers, a chance for audiences to find their own voice and a chance to hear Indigenous songs of their own country alongside late Renaissance and Baroque masterpieces and brand new works.
“Yes, we are dreaming big – starting a new arts organisation in the middle of a global pandemic, but as Uncle Kev Carmody so eloquently said, from little things, big things grow, and we have big and bold dreams.”
These dreams include employing singers, commissioning 10+ Australian composers per year, working with some 250 vocal students and 450 community singers each year, mentoring an emerging quartet, performing to 3500 regional audience members across Queensland and to a national metropolitan audience of more than 5000 each year. It will be a full schedule.
Already she has commissioned works from Richard Tognetti, Iain Grandage, Stephen Leek, David Hirschfelder, Connor D’Netto, Thomas Green, Alice Humphries, Zac Hurren, Anne Cawrse, Jessica Wells and Robert Davidson and the proof is in the numbers – 50% are Queensland composers, 30% are female and 100% are Australian.
AVÉ’s debut album release is planned for August this year, AVÉ will tour nationally in September, and on Saturday April 10 at the Queensland Conservatorium Theatre, AVÉ will perform their inaugural launch concert with the Welcome to Country performed by Yuggera, Turrbal, Nunukul, Gorenpul, Yugembir songman Shannon Ruska and Wakka Wakka musician David Williams.
AVÉ - Australian Vocal Ensemble – launch concert
April 10, 2021 – 6.30pm for 7pm concert, Queensland Conservatorium Theatre at 140 Grey St, South Brisbane.
Tickets via qtix.com.au - $60/50/40 on sale now
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