Many voices make a big impact at the Festival of Choral Music

NSW Department of Education

The Sydney Opera House will host thousands of students from across NSW public schools during the annual Festival of Choral Music.

The Festival is held over four nights and will see more than 120 public schools come together to form the ultimate state-wide choir.

With pieces ranging from the choral classics to modern musical hits, the repertoire includes original work from a variety of renowned Australian composers including Paul Jarman, Ian Jefferson and Tim Minchin.

A range of instrumental ensembles made up of public school students will accompany the choir, including the NSW Public Schools Festival Orchestra and Stage Band.

The Department of Education’s Director of Arts, Sports and Initiatives, Jordi Austin, said the Festival of Choral Music is a highlight for so many school students, giving them an unforgettable opportunity to perform in Australia’s premier concert hall.

“Students travel from the North Coast, Central West to the Snowy Mountains and everywhere in between to be part of the festival, and it’s incredibly exciting to bring together so much talent into one space”.

“Each student is able to make so many incredible memories, and challenge themselves as musicians as they perform a wide variety of pieces in the challenging repertoire”.

“It’s a spectacular display of talent from our NSW public schools, and an excellent reflection of the determination of students to develop their skills, and the commitment of teachers to provide quality music education,” Ms Austin said.

The Festival of Choral Music is an annual concert series for NSW public school students coordinated by the Department of Education’s Arts Unit, providing a unique opportunity for students and their teachers to celebrate and enhance their music education in a world-class performing experience.

The Arts Unit each year directly delivers programs and events to 64,000 students and 8,600 teachers, with almost 600,000 additional students benefiting from its teaching and learning resources.

  • The Festival of Choral Music’s final two performances will be held at the Sydney Opera House on Monday, 18 September and Tuesday, 19 September 2023.

/Public Release.