Australian has many talented composers of Choral Music, these ANCA members would be happy to hear from you about what works they have written or if you are looking for someone to commission a work
For more information on composers of Australian choral music please go to the Australian Music Centrehttps://www.australianmusiccentre.com.au/
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Dan Bennett is a musician, conductor, arranger and composer based in Canberra, Australia.
When not running choir rehearsals, Dan teaches music privately - specializing in music theory, arranging, voice, guitar and piano. Dan also offers coaching for other conductors as well as coaching ensembles.
Dan is an active arranger and composer of music - with experience in a broad range of styles including contestable Barbershop arrangements, SATB choral acapella and more.
Dan also hosts of podcast Interviews with Choir Leaders, and is active in promoting community music-making.
Most recently, Dan has become a qualified Singing Judge with the Australasian Guild of Barbershop Judges.
Learn about Dan's podcast, arrangements, learning tracks and more at danbennettmusic.com
| Vicky Jacobs |
Vicky Jacobs has developed a reputation for her ability to get anyone singing at their best - from Australia's top music theatre stars to the most nervous new singers.
Vicky has been Associate Musical Director on some of this country's biggest musicals including ‘ Hairspray’, ‘Moulin Rouge’, ‘Come From Away’, ‘Beautiful: The Carole King Musical’, ‘Jersey Boys’, ‘Grease’ and ‘Singin’ in the Rain'. Vicky was Musical Director for Elegies' for Clovelly Fox and ‘The Heartbreak Choir’ for Melbourne Theatre Company for which she received a Green Room Award nomination.
As well as music theatre, Vicky loves working with choirs. Vicky is the founder and director of Glee Club, Melbourne's original singalong choir. Glee Club hosts regular singalong events around Victoria and Tasmania and also runs weekly choirs, online singing sessions and workshops. In 2023 Vicky traveled to San Fransisco to work with Bobby McFerrin using his circle songs approach and is loving incorporating some of these ideas into her choir rehearsals.
Vicky writes and arranges choral music which you can find at www.sheetmusicplus.com and The Australian Music Vault Choir Project. Vicky Jacobs (Glee Club) sheet music - ArrangeMe Pro | Sheet Music Plus
Judith Clingan AM
Judith Clingan AM was born in Sydney in 1945. She studied voice, recorder, bassoon and composition in Sydney and Canberra and music education and conducting at the Kodaly Institute in Hungary.She has been composing, mostly for choirs, since she was a teenager. As she has also spent her life teaching and directing choral and music theatre groups, many of her compositions have been written for these specific groups (Canberra Children’s Choir 1967 - 1979; Gaudeamus 1983 - 1993; Lady’s Mantle women’s choir 1991 - 1993; Voicebox Youth Opera 1994 - 2002; Imagine Music Theatre 1994 - present; the Variables - vocal octet - 1997 - 2009; Wayfarers choir for young people and adults 1997 - present).
Her compositions include operas and music theatre works for young people and adults, masses, cantatas, plays for young people of various ages with songs and incidental instrumental music, difficult unaccompanied SATB pieces for advanced adult vocal ensembles, and many original pieces and arrangements for SSA and SAB choir. suitable for school and community choirs. Judith has been commissioned by many performing ensembles - she still accepts commissions. judithclingan@me.com; judithclingan.net.au; 0410 617 427.
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Mark O'Leary .jpeg) Mark O'Leary OAM B.Mus.Ed M.Mus is one of Australia's most active choral conductors, widely respected for his work with Young Voices of Melbourne which he founded in 1990 following a Churchill Fellowship study tour of outstanding children's choirs around the world. With Young Voices Mark has produced twelve CD recordings, toured all states and territories of Australia and made nine international tours to Europe, South Africa, North America, Asia, Samoa and New Zealand. Young Voices has been successful in competition in Europe and Asia and is often heard on Australian radio and television. Exaudi youth choir became part of the YVM organization in 2013 and since then Mark has conducted the choir on tours to regional Victoria, Tasmania, the National Folk Festival in Canberra, the Northern Territory, Malaysia, Singapore, Scotland and Ireland, as well as in concerts in and around Melbourne. Exaudi produced its first CD with Mark O’Leary in 2018Mark is also Principal Guest Conductor of Gondwana Voices, Australia's national children's choir. He has worked regularly with Gondwana Voices since its first season in 1997, attending 17 National Choral Schools, as well as making three CDs and five international tours. His youtube recordings with Gondwana Voices have received many hundred of thousands of views. Mark has special interests in Kodaly teaching techniques, the development of excellence in children's choirs and Australian choral music. He presents many workshops each year on choral music education throughout Australia, and is an Honorary Life Member of the Kodaly Music Education Institute of Australia which provides courses, workshops and events for Australian music teachers. Mark publishes Australian choral music for young choirs in the Young Voices of Melbourne Choral Series and his arrangements are performed all around the world. Mark is the creator of the Sight Singing School books and website, which won the President’s Award at the 2014 Australian eLearning Industry Association Awards and has users from more than forty five countries. Mark is a regular guest conductor at choral festivals around Australia, and is in demand as a presenter on choral music education at workshops and conferences, both in Australia and abroad. In 2018 he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for services to education and choral music. Contact Mark at: markolearymusic.com Ray Mizzi  I am Ray Mizzi, regional to Sydney, on the N.S.W Central Coast. Australian Born, of Maltese parents from the 1950's, dad was a diesel mechanic. I am a pianist, singer improviser and have fond memories of hearing my mum singing grand opera as she washed the dishes, I could hear her as I walked up the street from school, and I loved it. She was inspiring to me, in her resilience, her clarity and her raw emotiveness in her voice. The war destroyed the Malta Opera House, and it was never rebuilt. Year later, as boy, I would be inspired and sang publicly where ever I could: in musicals, in church, in theatre, on the street, in various choirs, chorus and songs on radio. I composed way back, in fact that is all I ever did, as soon as I could play piano, which was very early. After school I took a while to find a way in the suburbs of Sydney, but it was hard in the 80's, in the 90's I went to uni and got in when I impressed Nigel Butterley with a Composition. I then met some amazing Australians, Michael Dudman, Robert Constable, Carmel Lutton and studied tenor with Gerald English.After my degree from Newcastle uni in 1995 I still had no direction in music and did not find new outlets, I just meandered, I tried again and again, but things got in the way, personal set backs and eventually mum passed away, and that seemed to be the end of me. But music kept calling from inside, in layers, in colours, in ways that seem to make complete sense of things. And so I am here, presenting the result of my journey this far to you in a set of compositions. I write songs, and scores for various media, but really love voice.. And while I know I am in the company of great people, I hope you will consider my work worthy merit. A full 5 min SATB normally takes around 1 week, and is tailored to your ranges and standards. It can be acapella or include full orchestra and I quickly orientate to a genre you require. I have varying rates depending on the requirement and offer a satisfaction guarantee + updates as the work is composed and full support. Parts are all simulated and all accompaniment is provided. No job is to big or too small. Call for a friendly talk, or Skype. Call 0414 487 386. Here is my score channel, with a play-list of choral works in Jazz, Classical, Musical Style, Gospel and in the style of music theatre: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNO6_C6busn6Q_xsu86GNdFNlh-bAcQTS Kathryn Sadler  KateSongs is the body of choral works from the pen of eminent master voice teacher and choral expert, Kate Sadler. Kate's many works appeal to a range of choirs, frequently featuring optional baritone parts for user friendly music in both the high school and community choir setting. Central is strong melody and lyrical poetry. Her songs range from uplifting anthems and joyful expressions of life and the power of music within it and by contrast, there are simple, but effective layered chants and songs with an unusual twist which move the audience to rapt attention. Above all, KateSongs are singable. She never writes a melody or harmony that she doesn't' love to sing herself. She prides her songs with having a unique and accessible Australian Voice, that expresses the vibrancy and honesty of the Australian spirit. KateSongs are available as licensed PDFs at very reasonable rates, attractive to both school and community choirs.Purchase KateSongs at www.katesadler.com.au/store.html Mark Puddy  Mark has worked in music education for many years and is in demand as a writer and arranger of choral works. He is regularly commissioned to write works for schools and community choirs around Australia. Mark is the resident arranger and composer for the Australian Girls Choir and this organisation regularly performs his works for children ranging from 5 to 18 years of age. He has published many choral pieces and his works are performed regularly in Australia and overseas, often appearing in eisteddfodau and other choral competitions as set pieces or as recommended works. Mark conducts and tutors with The Australian Girls Choir and is a regular conducting tutor at ACCET (Australian Choral Conductors’ Education and Training), teaching conducting to choral directors from around Australia. Previously Mark taught classroom music whilst working with the AGC and has been Associate Head of Music at Firbank Grammar School and Wesley College’s Elsternwick Campus in Melbourne. He was on the staff of Marryatville High School’s Special Interest Music Centre in SA. Mark regularly tours home and abroad with the Australian Girls Choir, often as an accompanist. This, combined with his instrumental experience as a trumpeter in the Australian Youth Orchestra, South Australian Youth Orchestra and various ensembles has been invaluable when it comes to working with and writing for ensembles. Contact Mark at : https://www.markpuddy.com/ Glyn Lehmann  Glyn’s work as a composer includes many commissions for both the WA Massed Choir Festival and the SA Primary Schools’ Festival of Music. His music can be heard on ABC Television programs such as Behind The News, and in theatre productions for Windmill, Patch and State Theatre Company of SA.Glyn began his musical life as a French horn player in orchestras and jazz big bands. Later, as a keyboardist, his band Seven Stories produced two critically acclaimed albums and supported Midnight Oil, INXS and Ireland’s Hothouse Flowers, amongst many others. He even performed twice at Womadelaide in a Celtic group playing the piano accordion! Using the experience gained from his diverse musical background and a passion for the craft of songwriting, Glyn established the SongLibrary website in 2012. The aim was to provide easily accessible, high quality works for children to perform and professional resources for teachers and choir trainers. The SongLibrary contains a growing list of Glyn’s commissioned works and other original songs written specifically for children aged 5 to 13 to perform. Songs for children’s choir available from songlibrary.net Glyn Lehmann 'humbled' to have song Everyone Belongs featured in Jo Cox memorial Sherelle Eyles .jpg)
Sherelle Eyles composes children’s choral pieces that have been performed by children’s choirs across Australia, several of which are published in Mark O’Leary’s Young Voices of Melbourne Choral Series. Her choral songs have been sung at Out of the Box Festival, Brisbane 2012; The State Choral Festival of Victoria, 2011; The Next Generation Sings Festival, Gold Coast 2012; Young Voices Choral Festival 2013; Choral Fanfare 2013, ANCA Treble Voices Singing Through Life Festival 2014; Qld Youth Music Awards 2014; the Qld Young Conservatorium State Honours Ensemble Programme 2013; and have won first prize in the Under 12s Championships at the National Choral Eisteddfod, Canberra 2012. Further performances include Junior Gondwana (Sydney Children’s Choir) at the Summer Music Camps, January 2013 and theSuzuki Foundation Graduation Concert at Sydney Opera House, 2014; chosen set choral pieces of the National Choral Eisteddfod, Canberra, 2013 and Western Australia Massed Choirs Festival 2014 involving over 4000 children, Singfest Qld with 2,000 primary school children and the Primary Proms at Sydney Town Hall 2015 involving 2,000 children. She has been commissioned by Brisbane Grammar School Chamber Choir for the Pemulwuy Male Voice Festival 2014. Her song ‘Gecko’, was a finalist in the Queensland Music Awards 2013 – Children’s Song Category. Sherelle’s choral music includes simple unison with piano accompaniment, SA and SSA treble repertoire. She composes for children’s voices of all ages, and has had works performed all over Australia, in Asia and the USA.Sherelle is an Australian Music Examinations Board examiner. She has been a piano and theory teacher and choral accompanist at Brisbane Girls’ Grammar School and All Hallows’ School since 1997. Sherelle is the composer representative of the Australian National Choral Association, Choralfest, 2017. For more information go to www.sherelleeyles.com Scott Buchanan .jpg) Scott Buchanan is a composer, lyricist, musician and teacher and has been writing choral music, songs and musicals for more than thirty years. He has a passion for writing engaging and uplifting works for performers both young and old. He was commissioned to write a children’s opera for Victoria State Opera Schools’ Company in 1992. This piece The Moon Chariot was performed to approximately 70,000 students and was the first VSO Schools’ Company piece to be selected to take part in an International Children’s Theatre Festival. Other commissions have been the massed song for the biennial Music Festival of the Independent Primary School Heads Association (Victoria - 2012, 2014 and 2016). The National Breast Cancer Foundation of Australia commissioned a piece, The Day Will Come for a research project called Register 4. This was launched in 2010. That song featured at major NBCF functions in capital cities around Australia for several years. It’s now been picked up by Worldwide Cancer Research and will be performed by renowned operatic contralto Deborah Humble at Australia House in London in April 2016.
Scott along with his writing partner Debbie Nicholls has written six full-length musicals for young people - Fantasy, Vox Vulture and the Knitting Shop, The Rooster Who Couldn’t Crow, Happily Ever After, Inspiritor and Closed Doors, a piece which was commissioned by Methodist Ladies College for their Year 12 production in 2006. These music theatre pieces have been performed widely in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and have also been toured to South East Asia. Scott’s music and lyrics range from simple unison songs with piano accompaniment to SATB choral pieces to fully orchestrated pieces for the theatre. Scott has been a director of music in Primary Schools for the last 23 years and a music specialist for more than 30 years. He is a highly respected classroom music teacher and choral director holding positions at schools such as Wesley College, International School – Ho Chi Minh City, Methodist Ladies College, St Catherines School and Brighton Grammar School. For more information go to www.syncorswing.com.au or contact Scott by email at imscottb62@icloud.com David Slater 
David Slater is an Australian composer, conductor and music educator who lives and works in Europe, based in Vienna. When in Australia he resides on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. He has won major awards for composition, conducting and service to music, including the Symphony Australia Prize, the National Award of the Orchestras of Australia Network and Australia Day awards. He has published articles on music and music education and represents Australia on the Honorary Board of the World Choir Council. Mr Slater is an experienced conductor with an extensive repertoire spanning the Baroque to the present day. After studying conducting in Germany, on return to Australia he was mentored by the Chief Conductor of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Stuart Challender. He founded and directed numerous orchestras, choirs and ensembles, and has conducted on 4 continents. His regular schedule includes engagements in Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Italy and Slovakia, with notable events in Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Sweden and Russia. He is a regular guest at international music festivals, where he sits on international juries, conducts masterclasses and gives lectures. His ability to connect with performers of all ages and skill levels makes him much sought-after as a workshop conductor, where he strives to help ensembles delve into the composer’s intention for each work, and discover new approaches to interpretation of the score. After completing studies in Sydney with legendary Australian composers Peter Sculthorpe and Ross Edwards he took up scholarships to study in Germany with Helmut Lachenmann and Brian Ferneyhough. His work ranges from the concert hall to TV, film and advertising, and includes solo, chamber, choral and orchestral music. He receives regular commissions and his work is performed throughout the world. You can see all his compositions in this List of Works. A number of David’s works were composed specifically for the NSW HSC examinations in Music Performance and are suitable for a range of examinations across Australia. These include pieces for Flute, Clarinet, Bassoon, Trombone, Harp, Violin, Viola, Cello and Double Bass. Contact us for PDF scores and for advice on the performance of these works. In recent years he has been appointed as Artistic Director of a number of significant events in various European countries. David invites you to discover some of these Special Projects and join him in 2023 and beyond. Tour Europe with your choir or orchestra, perform major works with other groups in some of Europe’s greatest places, or participate in some fantastic international Youth Music Festivals or Choral Festivals. You can also see David’s Latest News about raising funds for international COVID vaccination efforts and for refugees from the war in Ukraine. Margaret Brandman .jpg) In a career of over 45 years, composer/pianist Margaret Brandman has composed a variety of music ranging from orchestral, chamber and choral works, to instrumental solos, and works for solo voice with piano accompaniment.
Her output includes three internationally acclaimed albums produced by PARMA recordings USA: SENSATIONS featuring her celebrated works for orchestral and chamber ensembles recorded by the Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra in the Czech Republic, the compilation album ABRAZO recorded in Cuba, which includes her Warm Winds in Havana suite for saxophone quartet and percussion, and COSMIC WHEEL OF THE ZODIAC, a song cycle for the twelve signs of the Zodiac, with lyrics by Astrologer and poet, Benita Rainer,set as both solo songs and for SATB choir. These works are regularly programmed on ABC Classic FM and have featured many times on international radio programs, including Classic Discoveries (USA) and Music of our Mothers (USA). Margaret also performs many of her original works including the piano solo ‘Autumn Rhapsody’, which is included on SENSATIONS, her ensemble works for piano with woodwind or strings, and her many songs for voice and piano including ‘Lady of Grace’, ‘Songs of Love and Desire’ a song cycle with lyrics by Désirée Regina, and Australian themed songs in her ‘From the Mountains to the Sea’ collection. The premiere performance of the solo settings of Cosmic Wheel of the Zodiac, by Baritone Martin Cooke of the Bavarian State Opera Company, in association with Margaret on piano, took place in Sydney, Australia on the 3rd of September 2016. Margaret was also in attendance at the European premiere performance of the ‘Cosmic Wheel of the Zodiac’ song cycle by the Prague Mixed Chamber Choir and soloists, held at the concert hall in the Czech Music Museum in Prague on the 14th of September 2017. The choir also recorded the works for the album. Coro Austral, directed by Margot McLaughlin is one of the Australian choirs which programs Margaret’s choral works. The choir will be performing her works at the Australian album launch concert on August 19th 2018, at the Eugene Goossens Hall in the ABC centre in Sydney. Choral scores for the ‘Cosmic Wheel of the Zodiac’ cycle, are available from the Australian Music Centre. The book of solo songs published by Jazzem Music (MMP 9100) is available from local music stores or via her website. For information on the album and to view the lyrics of the cycle please visit: www.navonarecords.com/catalog/nv6160 In addition to her many original compositions, Margaret has also published a large range of music education materials, which can all be viewed on her website. www.margaretbrandman.com Follow Margaret on www.facebook.com/margaretbrandmanmusic or www.twitter.com/margbrandmusic5 Natalya Vagner 
Composer, Pianist, Music Teacher. M.Mus (Composition), B.Mus (Piano), Dip. Education, Member of Melbourne Composers League since 2013. Natalya Vagner, originally from Kazakhstan, moved to Melbourne in 1998. She trained as a pianist, teacher and educator and completed her Masters in Composition at the University of Melbourne under Stuart Greenbaum and Julian Yu. Am Member of the Melbourne Composers League, Natalya dedicates her time to writing music for small chamber ensembles, string orchestra, mandolin orchestra, as well as art songs and choral works. Her works have been performed in Melbourne, Canberra, Manila (at the International Asian Composers League 33rd conference in 2015), Hanoi (at the International Asian Composers League 34th in 2016), in France (at the Music festival in the French Pyrenees in 2017) and in Russia (the International Music Festival in Kazan, in 2017). She likes to explore and experiment with different textures in sound and is interested in the power between music and nature; music and mind; music and spirituality. Natalya is also passionately committed to creating and offering musical opportunities to local communities. She leads several community music groups including children choir, adult choir and organisers annual local music festival in Port Melbourne. ‘Her compositions indicates the presence of influences ranging from Prokofiev and Debussy, Satie and Reich through Minimalist techniques to the sensibilities and chordings of the Jazz world.’ Natalya’s works capture a variety of ‘moods’ in a range of styles and has a clear and constant singularity of the individual style of her music. Contact: : natvag@iinet.net.au and my phone 0448 764 973 Compositions and Performances
Annie Kwok Annie is truly excited by children’s and youth choirs, always inspired by their spirit, possibility and sound. She was the 2011-12 Composer-in-Residence for Young Adelaide Voices, composing works for the 6 choirs under the whimsical title of “Heart, Connection + Identity,” and was delighted to work with the Sydney Children’s Choir as the 2014 Composer-in-Residence, basing all her compositions around the iconic Cockatoo Island. Annie is currently a classroom music teacher at Pulteney Grammar School in Adelaide, and looks forward to further compositional collaborations with Southport School in Brisbane, and SCEGGS Darlinghurst, Sydney. With plenty of colour, spots + stripes, of course! Visit littlecolourfulteacher.com for Annie's work. Dan Walker 
Composer, conductor and performer Dan Walker is one of Australia’s most in-demand choral specialists. His compositional output includes commissions for Gondwana Voices, Leichhardt Espresso Chorus, Voyces Youth Choir, the Birralee Blokes, the Nittany Valley Children’s Choir of Pennsylvania, and Halcyon. Dan’s choral music includes simple unison songs with piano accompaniment, two and three-part treble repertoire, right through to complex 8-part works for mixed voices. He writes for children’s voices, adult amateur choirs and professional ensembles, and has had his work performed all over the world. Dan is an also active arranger and regularly produces work for the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, the Australian Chamber Orchestra and record label ABC Classics. His work for television includes the iconic 2009 I Still Call Australia Home advertising campaign for Qantas. As a performer, Dan is a member of the Consort of Melbourne, St James Old Cathedral Singers, Sydney-based Cantillation, Pinchgut Opera and was a founding member of early music ensemble ‘The Parson’s Affayre’. He is a keenly sought-after conductor, often appearing as chorus-master for the Sydney Symphony, and is Artistic Director of Choristry and Habeas Chorus, the choir for the Melbourne legal community. |
Annie Kwok was awarded her Bachelor of Music (Piano Performance) from the Adelaide University Elder Conservatorium, and her Graduate Bachelor of Education in Secondary Arts from the University of South Australia. Annie has been on staff with the South Australian Public Primary School’s Music Festival [2000-2004], Young Adelaide Voices [1999-2012], and Brighton Secondary Special Interest Music School [2004-2013]. At the beginning of 2014, she accepted a teaching position at the Sydney Conservatorium High School.If you are abn ANCA member and a composer, you may like to share your work here. Please get in touch with the office via admin@anca.org.au.
