World Premiere Of Ground Breaking New Massed Choral Work Addresses Climate Change And Commemorates Earth Day

The World Premiere of the first movement, 'The Protest' from ECOTORIO was launched today, April 22nd, 2021, to commemorate Earth Day.

ECOTORIO is a ground breaking massed choral work that addresses many of the climate change disasters that have been occurring around the world. Commissioned by Play It Forward, ECOTORIO was conceived by Jonathon Welch AM, our award-winning Founding Artistic Director, and composed in collaboration with Dave Newington, former International Tour Conductor of the global singing sensations 'The TEN Tenors'.

'The Protest' virtual music video is a dynamic and dramatic choral work, featuring singers from Australia, the USA, UK and Canada, drawing on many diverse voices to reflect climate change concerns and themes. It is an exciting call to action.

Jonathon Welch AM and Dave Newington, the composers, elaborate: "It was very symbolic and important for us to launch 'The Protest' on Earth Day, as a virtual music video. Earth Day aims to diversify, educate and activate the environmental movement worldwide and 'The Protest' achieves this through the universal language of music.

We also wanted this first movement to set the tone for ECOTORIO as a whole - modern, conspicuous, accessible to sing and great to listen to and watch.

We have been thrilled that singers from across the world have come forward to take part in 'The Protest' as an online project. We are very proud of the virtual video produced, which is the result of their passion and hard work learning the piece and recording themselves singing it."

'The Protest' is the first of several movements to be recorded and released virtually over the next 18 months. The movements will be woven together into a virtual music video. The first live performance of ECOTORIO will take place in Melbourne, Australia in 2022.

The Protest can be viewed at Play It Forward's website www.playitforward.org.au/ecotorio