WORLD O WORLD to be Presented by Sydney Ensemble VOX

Sydney Philharmonia Choirs will celebrate 25 years of its young-adult ensemble VOX with World O World, a special anniversary concert presented in Bathurst on Saturday 14 November and Sydney's White Bay Power Station on Saturday 21 November.

Founded in 2001, VOX has earned critical acclaim for its fresh, expressive performances. To mark the milestone, conductor Elizabeth Scott, celebrating her own 20-year association with the ensemble, has curated a program that revisits the choir's origins and highlights their distinctive artistic identity.

As a highlight of the program, VOX will perform Jacob Collier's World O World, a striking hymn by the Grammy Award-winning British composer, arranger and vocalist whose genre-defying approach has made him one of the most influential musical voices of his generation.

The anniversary celebration also comes full circle with the return of Australian composer Dan Walker, commissioned to write Archangelo for VOX's inaugural performance in 2001. Twenty-five years later, Walker has created a brand-new work, Persephone as a Whistling Moth, continuing a longstanding commitment to nurturing Australian composition and emerging artistic voices.

Spanning new music from SPC Emerging Composers Courtney Cousins and Callum O'Reilly, alongside works by Australian composers Alice Chance, Aija Draguns and Ben van Tienan, and luminous choral masterworks by Arvo Pärt, Ēriks Ešenvalds, Eric Whitacre and Pärt Uusberg, the program showcases the rich, contemporary choral sound for which VOX has become renowned.

Elizabeth Scott said: “I am immensely proud of the talented singers of VOX and the passion, dedication and artistry they bring to every performance. These are the voices of tomorrow, reminding us of the unique power and joy of singing together and ensuring that choral music continues to thrive for generations to come.”