Brandenburg Choir's Celtic-Inspired Christmas to Feature Guest Sololist Maximilian Riebl, Dec 2013

Noël! Noël! - A Celtic-inspired Christmas concert with the BRANDENBURG CHOIR and AUSTRALIAN BRANDENBURG ORCHESTRA will feature guest soloist, countertenor MAXIMILIAN RIEBL.

"I love devising the program for our Noël! Noël! Christmas concerts," says Paul Dyer AO, Brandenburg Artistic Director. "It is like pouring my soul into making a mixed tape for someone special and then putting on stage. I source the most beautiful, joyous and uplifting music I can find from the Renaissance right through to recent times - and then put the Brandenburg stamp on it."

Noël! Noël! is the Brandenburg's annual Christmas concert. In its 15th year, the series has become a festive tradition for thousands of people each year, with performances in concert halls in Sydney and Melbourne, and churches in Sydney and Wollongong. It has also resulted in two best-selling CDs, with A Brandenburg Christmas even hitting the ARIA Chart for pop albums in 2011.

"Each Noël! Noël! has a unique flavour and in 2013 I've found most of my inspiration in Celtic music," says Paul Dyer, "from stunningly beautiful hymns of the 16th century, a Welsh lullaby, Irish melodies and Scottish Ayres, and concluding with an epic song by Secret Garden.

"In Noël! Noël! we blend the ancient with the modern, in our arrangements and also instrumentally. Where else would you find a cornetto, an instrument that dates back to Medieval times, performed alongside a modern saxophone?

"And this year we have a remarkable young singer from the ranks of the Brandenburg Choir who has emerged as a performer well and truly ready to take centre stage."

Currently singing in the Belvoir St production of Hamlet (alongside actors Robin Nevin and Toby Schmitz), Maximilian Riebl is a 22 year-old performer with music in his genes. His grandfather was a composer of advertising jingles, his uncle is a viola player with a major European career and his brother is Felix Riebl, the lead singer of the group The Cat Empire.

Born in Melbourne, Max spent some of his childhood living in Vienna where his musical gift was recognized. He politely declined an offer to be principal boy soprano with the Vienna Boys Choir but did take up offers of opera roles, including Cupid in the Vienna Chamber Opera's production of Blow's Venus and Adonis.

Max first sang on the Brandenburg stage as part of the Melbourne Grammar School Chapel Choir when he was in Year 12. Excited about the promise this young artist showed, Paul Dyer invited him to join the Brandenburg Choir. Now in his seventh Brandenburg season, Paul believes the moment has come for Max to step forth as soloist: "Max's time has come to shine. Physically, Max is a powerful young man - he even held the Australian junior bench press record in 2010 - but his voice is angelic and pure. With this beautiful sound comes great musicality and presence. Maximilan Riebl is a star on the rise."

2 MELBOURNE CONCERTS

Sat 7 Dec MELBOURNE Melbourne Recital Centre 5pm & 7pm

Bookings: Melbourne Recital Centre Box Office (03) 9699 3333 or book online at www.melbournerecital.com.au Ticket prices: From $55 / Under 30 from $30 booking fees may apply

3 SYDNEY CITY CONCERTS

Sat 14 Dec Wed 18 Dec

Bookings:

SYDNEY City Recital Hall, Angel Place 5pm & 7pm SYDNEY City Recital Hall, Angel Place 7pm

City Recital Hall Box Office (02) 8256 2222 or book online at www.cityrecitalhall.com Ticket prices: From $40 / Under 30 from $42 booking fees may apply

5 SYDNEY + 1 WOLLONGONG CHURCH CONCERTS

Mon 9 Dec - St Patrick's Cathedral
Tue 10 Dec - St Peter's Anglican Church
Wed 11 Dec - St Francis Xavier's Cathedral
Fri 13 Dec - St Stephen's Anglican Church
Mon 16 Dec - St Francis of Assisi
Tue 17 Dec - St Francis of Assisi

Brandenburg Box Office (02) 9328 7581 or book online at www.brandenburg.com.au. All church concerts are General Admission.

Wollongong - Adult $58 / Under 30 $34 booking fees may apply
Parramatta, Newtown - Adult $68 / Under 30 $45 booking fees may apply
Paddington, Cremorne - Adult $78 / Under 30 $60 booking fees may apply