Vespers for Mother Earth - 40th Anniversary Gala

Join us in celebrating The Song Company's 40th Anniversary with a musical event like no other—the world premiere of "Vespers for Mother Earth", an astonishing composition by beloved composer Ross Edwards.

 Joining them on stage in this historic performance at the prestigious City Recital Hall is an eclectic array of instrumental forces, including the groundbreaking Ensemble Offspring, Genevieve Lang (harp), Julian Smiles (cello), Lu Liu (pipa) and Lindsay Dugan (shakuhachi).

Inspired by Monteverdi's masterpiece "Vespero della Beata Vergine", Edwards ingeniously weaves symbols of day and night into a profound contemplation on the pressing ecological crisis of our time. It symbolises both a farewell to humanity's destructive dominance and the dawn of a new era — a rekindling of the sacred feminine principle, embodied by the night. In an eagerly anticipated moment, long-term Artistic Director of The Song Company Roland Peelman returns to direct after a nine-year absence. His masterful guidance ensures this performance will be a true testament to our 40-year journey of excellence.

The program's first half is a celebration of our rich history of collaborations with luminaries of Australian music, including Peter Sculthorpe, Elena Kats-Chernin, Nigel Butterly and Katy Abbott. We also look to the future, showcasing the next generation of composers, including Alice Chance and Sonya Hollowell, and a captivating new work by Angus Davison.

• Program

  First Half

  Peter Sculthorpe, arr. David Matthews

  The Stars Turn (1970)

  Martin Wesley-Smith

  Who Stopped the Rain? (1990)

  Stuart Greenbaum

  A Cicada in the Blackbird's Beak, from Upon the Dark Water (1991)

  Raffaele Marcellino

  Memory, from Fish Tale (1995)

  Elena Kats-Chernin

  Mater (2000)

  Nigel Butterly

  Nightfall, from Paradise Unseen (2001)

  Andrew Ford

  At Night on the Beach; Sleep; Hear the Bird of Day, from Australian Aphorisms (2012/13)

  Katy Abbott

  Flying (2015)

  Alice Chance

  Untitled (2019)

  Sonya Holowell

  Become Like Children (2022)

  Angus Davison

  Lime Song (2024)

  Second Half

  Ross Edwards

  Vespers for Mother Earth

• Artists

  The Song Company

  Susannah Lawergren

  Soprano

  Amy Moore

  Soprano

  Jessica O'Donoghue

  Mezzo Soprano

  Hannah Fraser

  Mezzo Soprano

  Timothy Reynolds

  Tenor

  Louis Hurley

  Tenor

  Hayden Barrington

  Baritone

  Andrew O'Connor

  Bass

  Roland Peelman

  Guest Director

  Ensemble Offspring & Guest Instrumentalists

  Lamorna Nightingale

  Flute

  James Nightingale

  Alto Saxophone

  Fletcher Cox

  Trumpet

  Nigel Crocker

  Trombone

  Claire Edwardes

  Percussion

  Bree van Reyk

  Percussion

  Matthew Doyle

  Didgeridoo

  Lindsay Dugan

  Shakuhachi

  Lu Liu

  Pipa

  Genevieve Lang

  Harp

  Julian Smiles

  Cello