Workshops

We have some great workshops and information sessions planned and non registered participants are welcome to join us by purchasing tickets to individual workshops.

Buy Workshop Tickets

Squiggle and Dot - increasing your confidence in reading music 
Lachlan Snow
Mon 20 Feb 11:45am - 1:15pm

  • Think you can't read music? It's very likely you are and just don't know it! 

    In a low stakes and playful workshop, together we'll take it back to the basics of pitch and rhythm to then relate it back to what we see on the page. Get excited to work that musicianship muscle!

    Lachlan's ethos for community music is that striving for musical excellence should be uplifting, energising and entertaining for all those involved both on and off the stage.

    He holds opera performance and music teaching degrees from the University of Queensland and has worked with a range of community both instrumental and vocal ensembles from wind bands and orchestras to handbells, mandolins and massed and chamber choirs. Lachlan is humbled to give back through music to his community as Canberra Qwire's Music Director and is also currently the conductor of the Barbarian Orchestra in Newcastle. Lachlan has witnessed the power of the arts to create stronger communities, especially through celebrating the human voice!

Wanna Sing a Showtune? Belting is Beautiful
Margi de Ferranti & Darren Mapes
Mon 20 Feb & Tue 21 Feb 11:45am - 1:15pm

  • What is Belting? Why is it so closely associated with singing in musical theatre and why do we all need just a little bit of twang in our lives? In this workshop, join veterans of the musical theatre stage, Margi de Ferranti and Darren Mapes as they share their knowledge that has made them two of the most sought-after experts in singing for musical theatre in Australia. 

    Margi and Darren will introduce you to a world where belting is beautiful and you can access your inner chorus ensemble member as we break down the mystique of belting safely and why twang is an important element in singing for a musical theatre production. To welcome our International guests Margi and Darren will work on some belting technique through repertoire, using an exert of a song from Australian musical! 

    Margi and Darren will have you singing across the footlights and penetrating what we in the theatre call ‘The Fourth Wall’ as you reach out to your audience with your voice. 

    Margi de Ferranti has enjoyed a flourishing career in the entertainment industry since 1986. She has appeared in Les Miserables (1987 and 1996), Aspects of Love (as Guilietta), The Buddy Holly Story (as Maria Elena Holly), Grease! (as Rizzo), Sunday in the Park with George (as Dot), Fame The Musical (as Miss Bell, Mo award Nomination) and Mamma Mia (National Tour as Donna) in 2003 /4. 1986 was a big year in which Margi also won the Inaugural Grace Bros Contemporary Singing Competition, awarded the prize at Sydney Town hall by none other than Billy Joel! Ten years later, she was the Inaugural Winner of the Sydney Cabaret Convention in 1997, creating and performing many shows from Sydney to New York. Today, Margi focuses her time teaching up and coming stars and industry professionals at major performing arts schools such as NIDA, The Actor’s Centre (ACA), The Sydney Conservatorium of Music, MacDonald College of Performing Arts and Brent St Studios. Margi has also been a regular adjudicator with the City of Sydney Eisteddfod for the last ten years and has become one of the most recommended singing teachers in Sydney today. Choosing to never stay out of reach with her craft, Margi performs occasionally, recent credits include ‘Carrie the Musical’ playing Margaret White, Dr Charlotte in ‘Falsettos’ at the Eternity Playhouse and ‘Ruthless’ for which she was nominated for best supporting actress at The Sydney Theatre Critics Awards (2015). In 2018, Margi made her Hayes Theatre debut as Abuela Claudia in the highly anticipated “In The Heights”, which re-emerged for a week at The Sydney Opera House Concert Hall in January 2019. For her work in this sold out show, Margi received the 2019 Glugs award for Most Outstanding supporting actress in a musical. In October 2019 Margi returned to the Cabaret stage after 10 years with her show ‘Mum loves Dionne’ at Claire’s Kitchen, for which she received the 2020 Glugs Award for most outstanding Cabaret.

    Darren Mapes is a graduate from Southern Cross University - BA (Contemporary Music). He is an experienced actor, singer and musician who has over 20 years of professional experience in the performing arts. His versatility as a performer has made him one of Australia’s most sought-after vocal coaches. Darren has coached many music theatre performers, band singers and recording artists. Some successful clients have been the cast of Jagged Little Pill, Mary Poppins, Frozen, Hamilton, Shrek, Charlie & the Chocolate Factory, Chicago, School of Rock, We Will Rock You, Jersey Boys, The Bodyguard, Guys & Dolls, Wicked, Mamma Mia, Cats, Catch Me if You Can, Matilda, Les Miserables, Strictly Ballroom, The Lion King, Fiddler on the Roof, The Boy From Oz, Dirty Dancing, and many more.

Choral Conducting 101
Michelle Leonard OAM
Mon 20 Feb 11:45am - 1:15pm

  • Join Michelle Leonard to uncover some of the industry secrets to unlocking a truly lovely sound from your choir. Enjoy looking at body language, basic hand guestures and your overall tones and approach to your choir – you will come away feeling inspired to try some of the tricks yourself!

    Bring your sense of humour – a choral work we may use, something to take notes on and with, and a real belief in the power of positive thought!Michelle Leonard is the Founder, Artistic Director & Conductor of Moorambilla Voices.

    Michelle is widely sought after as a choral clinician on Australian repertoire & appears regularly as a guest speaker, adjudicator & workshop facilitator. Michelle was awarded the Order of Australia Medal for Services to the Community & Performing Arts in 2017, 2018 the Sydney University Alumni of the year award for services to the Arts & in 2019 was named in the Financial Reviews top 100 most influential women.

    Michelle is a leader in her field as a choral educator and director of excellence, especially working with young voices and community ensembles leading to performance outcomes of extraordinary quality and energy. In 2021 Michelle led the rehearsal nationally for the ABC Classic choir. Michelle is the founder, passion, directer and visionary behind Moorambilla Voices. Moorambilla Voices empowers children and young people to think big and dream wide as they participate in its exceptional yearly choral programs incorporating Taiko drumming, dance and visual art. It offers regional and remote children the opportunity to connect with artists of the highest calibre and to co-create outstanding works that celebrate the landscape and culture of remote Australia sharing their creative selves in an environment that celebrates capacity. Like our rivers in flood – their creative capacity is powerful, breathtaking and immense. Moorambilla makes a difference to rural and remote young people who have ability, talent and passion by providing them with opportunities to engage with their creative selves through choirs, music-making and other artforms in an environment that seeks to stretch and empower them beyond their wildest dreams, achieve the unexpected and develops the skills of the leaders of tomorrow.

Rounds, Short Songs and Warmups
Jane Coker
Tue 21 Feb 11:45am - 1:15pm

  • Anyone is welcome to this worksop where Jane will put you at ease, make you laugh and gently trick even the most timid into having a sing where the motto is "If it doesn't work it doesn't matter!" Her Alexander Technique-inspired warm-ups will easily coax your voice into singing the best of the funny, easy, beautiful and universal short songs and rounds she has collected over 40 years. Instant harmony will have you tingling from head to toe and not a music sheet in sight. Aural teaching is Jane's speciality so choir leaders come along and learn some techniques. 

    Jane Coker has a lifetime of experience of getting people to make music together, often as a means to support peace and social justice activism. In the early 1980's she experienced Frankie Armstrong's approach to freeing up the natural voice and aural learning. She has been leading community music ever since, becoming a relentless initiator of fun and energetic singing groups and street bands, including Queer Quoir from South Gippsland. She is great at enabling people who are looking for more singing confidence and has a mammoth collection of short songs and rounds of all kinds, perfect for fun singing sessions and the back of the bus. Her easy, inclusive leadership style (“If it doesn’t work it doesn’t matter!”) belies her skill and decades of experience. Since 2002 Jane has devised and led music facilitation workshops for Community Music Victoria. As well as being a vocalist, Jane plays saxophones, clarinet, mandolin, guitar and ukulele. Originally from the UK she has lived in Australia since 1999. She qualified as a teacher of the Alexander Technique in 2010.

Arranging for Queer Choirs
Elliot Rentoul
Wed 22 Feb 11:45am - 1:15pm

  • Have you ever wanted to know how to arrange a song you love for your choir? Learn about LGBTIAQ+ choirs’ history of subverting tradition and queerly re-interpreting the classics. We’ll talk harmony, text, and texture, and engage in a collaborative arranging process.

    Come as you are- your experience/lack thereof will shape the workshop experience. A basic understanding of music reading is helpful but not compulsory.

    Elliot Rentoul is a Brisbane-based composer, music educator and choral specialist, who is passionate about inclusive music education that sparks curiosity and fosters community. Elliot’s exploration of the intersection(s) of choral music and activism led to them joining the Brisbane Pride Choir in 2017 and being appointed Musical Director in late 2018. Elliot was also appointed Musical Director of the Brisbane Combined Unions Choir in 2020 and is a member of the Brisbane Chamber Choir.

    In 2017, Elliot was awarded First Class for their Honours research project “Queering the Chorus: A Case Study of the Brisbane Pride Choir”, which was a pilot study on the LGBTIAQ+ choral movement in Australia. Elliot has also explored LGBTIAQ+ themes in their compositional output, including original compositions and arrangements such as Marriage Equality (2016), Love (2017), Mark This Day (2019/2022), My Bonny Lass She Smileth (Thomas Morley, arr. Rentoul 2019) and Black is the Colour of my True Love’s Hair (arr. 2022).

Mongolian Throat Singing - An Introduction
Bukhchuluun Ganburged (Bukhu)
Wed 22 Feb 11.45 - 1.15

  • Bukhchuluun Ganburged (Bukhu) is a master student of the Music and Dance Conservatory of Ulaanbaatar. Bukhu performs the folk musics of Mongolia, while exploring the aural dimensions of sounds generated by traditional instruments and harmonic overtone vocal techniques. His music brings a contemporary take on the tradition of Mongolian bards of the middle ages and those of ancient times, acting as a national memory bank by working mythologies, historic figures and events into traditional verse form. Based in Sydney, Australia since 2009. Bukhu was granted most prestigious Distinguished Talent Visa by the Australian government as an internationally recognised artist with exceptional and outstanding contributions to the arts.

    A cultural ambassador of his country. Bukhu combines virtuosic Morin Khuur (Horse Head Fiddle) and Khuumii (Harmonic Overtone Throat Singing) skills to transmit the harmony of Mongolian Shamanic culture through time and space. He embodies the spirit of reinterpreted narratives through verse which is key to the enchanting powers of folk traditions, combined with influences from contemporary music woven into the fabric of these arrangements.

    An accomplished composer of contemporary music in his own right, Bukhu’s songs incorporate elements of genres as diverse as Overtone Throat Singing, Harmonic Chant, Folk, Classical, looping and more recently Electronic.

Advanced Choral Conducting
Brett Weymark OAM
Tue 21 Feb & Wed 22 Feb 11:45am - 1:15pm

  • Brett Weymark is one of Australia’s foremost choral conductors. Since 2003 Brett Weymark has conducted the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs throughout Australia and internationally. He has also conducted the Sydney, Adelaide, Queensland, West Australian and Tasmanian symphony orchestras, Orchestra of the Antipodes, Sydney Youth Orchestra, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Hong Kong Philharmonic and productions for WAAPA, Pacific Opera and OzOpera. He has performed with Opera Australia, Pinchgut Opera, Australian Chamber Orchestra, The Song Company and Musica Viva. Recent highlight performances include Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd (West Australian Opera), Paul Stanhope and Steve Hawke’s Jandamarra (SSO), Michael Tippett’s A Child Of Our Time (Adelaide Festival) and Carousel (State Opera South Australia).

    In 2001, Brett was awarded an Australian Centenary Medal. In 2021, he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for services to the performing arts through music.

    Brett is passionate about singing and the role that music plays in both the individual’s wellbeing and the overall health and vitality of a community’s culture. Music can transform lives and should be accessible to all.

Song Circle Improvising
Kristina Frazer & Robert Maxwell-Jones
Tue 21 Feb 11:45am - 1:15pm

  • Combining their love of improvisation, groove, voice, language and harmony, Kristina and Rob lead circle-singing as a way to let participants enter a playful and musical space.

    They often start with a funky bass riff. Or an interesting rhythm! They might find a few words or sounds that lead to some playful musical characters. This is not something you can do on your own. Like any band, different instruments combine to make something bigger than the individual. As always, the most important skill you will develop is listening and finding space.

    Kristina and Robert both come from a background studying and playing jazz in Sydney since the mid 1980s.

    Rob is highly regarded as the funkiest of bass singers in the country and known for his work with the African American gospel music group Heavenly Light Quartet. Combining their love of improvisation, groove, voice, language and harmony they lead circle singing as a way to let participants enter a playful and musical space.

    Kristina Frazer (vocalist in Blue Mountains based Honey Hive, The BlackHeathens and The FIR Trio) has been lighting up stages with her brilliant voice, blazing personality and her fiery tresses for over 15 years. Her captivating vocals embody the rich emotional tapestry of Jazz. From deeply soulful vulnerability that gets under your skin, to a voice that can turn on a dime with a growling sassiness that demands your attention. She is both wise-cracking dame and consummate performer, who lives inside the songs she sings, evoking every emotional shade to bring their stories to life. Kristina Frazer is the quintessential jazz singer.

Beatboxing For Beginners
Connor Malanos
Wed 22 Feb 11:45am - 1:15pm

  • Beatboxing for beginners is a friendly introduction to beatboxing, where we'll develop core drumkit sounds, explore vocal synthesiser sounds, bass frequencies, and combining them into beats. We'll also dip our toes into sound effects, as a storytelling device!

    As a practiing musician, I find beatboxing the perfect tool to quickly communicate complex musical ideas. It is an accessible way of demonstrating and performing a wide variety of sounds and the incredible diversity of textures, means that beatboxing can fit into any musical style.

    Connor is a graduate of the Sydney Conservatorium, receiving a Bachelor of Music (Music Education) in 2019, majoring in viola performance. Adventuring from his classical roots, Connor’s current passion is beatboxing and for the last decade he has beatboxed every day, learning new sounds and refining his craft.

    Connor has taken his beatboxing everywhere; on the street, in the recital hall, in a cappella groups, in music theatre productions, in festivals, in collaboration with other artists, and in beatbox battles as ‘Mr C.’

    In the 2021 Australian Beatboxing Championship his performance ‘golden years’ ranked first in the opening round of the competition.

    Witnessing incredible engagement with beatboxing in the classroom since 2016, Connor has passionately advocated for a new understanding of beatboxing and it’s many benefits.

    His 2018 documentary entitled ‘beatbox education’ was awarded by MusicEdNet with a place presenting all around Australia with the DAYTiME 2019 conference series. In 2020, Connor beatboxed his way around New Zealand before returning to Sydney to deliver an online workshop series with Gondwana Choirs.

    To date, Connor has delivered over 100 beatbox workshops since 2014, to primary, secondary, and tertiary students, as well as teacher Professional Development at several conferences.

Warmups & Vocal Exercises
Jonathan Welch AM
Wed 22 Feb 11:45am - 1:15pm

  • Multi award winning singer, conductor, teacher, composer, director and recording artist, Jonathon Welch is one of Australia’s most unique and diverse artists with a career spanning four decades.

    Jonathon has performed around the World alongside many of the finest singers, directors and conductors including Baz Lurhmann, John Farnham, Jimmy Barnes, KD Lang, Grace Bumbry, Frederica Von Stade and Dame Joan Sutherland in some of the world’s great Concert Halls and Opera Houses including Carnegie Hall, New York, Royal Albert Hall, London and Sydney Opera House.

    In 2007, Jonathon’s work creating choirs for the homeless and disadvantaged in Australia was the subject of the internationally acclaimed ARIA, Logie and Helpmann award winning TV documentary ‘Choir of Hard Knocks’, also creating the ‘Jailbirds’ documentary in the Victorian Women’s Prisons in 2009, and was a Judge on the highly successful ‘Battle of the Choirs’ TV series for Channel 7.

    Jonathon has been recognised for his outstanding commitment to the music industry, youth music education and his work with marginalised and homeless communities with the Victorian and Australian of the Year Local Hero 2008, ANZAC of the Year 2009, an Honorary Doctorate, an Order of Australia in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2009 and an Honorary Fellow of the Australian Council of Educational Leaders.

    In 2009 Jonathon created and launched ‘Social Inclusion Week’ making Australia the only country in the world to celebrate Social Inclusion nationally, and in September 2012 launched his vision for the future of arts, cultural and well-being programs for those experiencing homelessness and disadvantage with the ‘School of Hard Knocks’ and 'Play It Forward' - inclusive arts programs for all Australians.

    Jonathon was appointed Music Director of Sydney Gay & Lesbian Choir in 1998, a role he continued in until 2003.

Songs of the Eora
Matthew Doyle
Tue 21 Feb 11:45am - 1:15pm

  • A fascinating and essential introduction to the Eora (First Nations) people of Sydney and their stories, music, songs and cultural practices. Come and learn a song in the Eora Language.

    Matthew Doyle is a professional musician (Didgeridoo player, singer, and composer) dancer, choreographer and teacher. He is descendant of the Muruwari Aboriginal nation from northwest NSW and is also of Irish heritage.

    Matthew formed his own company Wuruniri Music & Dance which is made up of a group of professional musicians and dancers presenting traditional and contemporary performances. Matthew has composed original music for TV and Video documentaries.

    Artist's he has and continues to work with include Bangarra Dance Theatre, Michael Atherton, Coloured Stone, Tony Lewis, Riley Lee, Synergy, Taikoz, Colin Offord and Dale Barlow. He has recorded 4 albums of his own and appears on many others.

Jazz Singing For Non-Jazz Singers
Naomi Crellin
Mon 20 Feb 11:45am - 1:15pm

  • Jazz singing is an intoxicating mix of freedom and stylistic convention. Singers transitioning to jazz can sometimes be uncomfortable with the amount of flexibility inherent in the style. This course will lead you through ways to jazz up your singing without becoming overwhelmed with freedom or new information. Learn some stylistic tricks of the trade, try your hand at improvisation, and immerse yourself in a new style to set your voice (and your mind) free. Covering a variety of practical and aural techniques, this session will give you a well-rounded introduction to jazz singing in an enjoyable, non-threatening environment.

    Naomi Crellin won the Young Australian Composer of the Year Award (1996) and Best Undergraduate Vocalist Award (2001) from the Elder Conservatorium of Music. Naomi has also studied classical, jazz and contemporary voice, conducting, piano and jazz ballet, and has taught piano, vocal, and choral students for many years. Educating vocalists of all ages and ability levels in the niche art of small group ensemble singing is her specialty and her passion.

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    After joining The Idea of North in early 2002, Naomi quickly became a significant contributor to the group’s repertoire through her writing and arranging and has also utilised her extensive choral training and experience in taking a major responsibility for managing the group’s musical affairs and educational activities. Naomi augments her Idea of North experience by adjudicating, writing, arranging, workshopping, masterclassing and consulting in all things vocal.

    When Covid came along and changed the world of harmony singing, Naomi used her time to study a Graduate Diploma of Counselling, and has begun working in the mental health field, combining her love of music and connection with her love of people and psychotherapy.

Jane Ramseyer Miller

Creating Welcoming Choirs for Transgender & Nonbinary Singers
Jane Ramseyer Miller
Wed 22 Feb 11:45am - 1:15pm

  • Choirs of every age are evolving to create safe and welcoming spaces for transgender and nonbinary singers. This workshop offers concrete tools to shape your chorus as a welcoming space for people of all genders and sexual orientations. Specific topics include section/voice placement, gender inclusive language, gender-expansive repertoire and programming tools, concert attire and touring, exploration of chorus names, and tools for internal training/education for singers and board members.

    The workshop includes presentation, Q&A, and demonstration of experiences encountered by conductors, teachers and LGBTQ+ singers. Handouts include choral repertoire that is gender-inclusive, and concrete steps for making your chorus a place of belonging for trans and nonbinary singers.

    Jane Ramseyer Miller (she/her) serves as Artistic Director for GALA Choruses and is in her 27th year as Artistic Director for One Voice Mixed Chorus, Minnesota's 125-voice LGBTA chorus. She holds a Masters of Music in Choral Conducting from the University of Minnesota and a BA in Psychology from the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada. However, she credits her best musical training to growing up in a Mennonite community surrounded by four-part a cappella singing.

    With GALA Choruses she has been instrumental in cultivating GALA’s New Harmony resources, addressing Equity, Access and Belonging. She holds Masters of Music in Choral Conducting from the University of Minnesota and a BA in Psychology from the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada. Ramseyer Miller especially enjoys creative community collaborations and has created choral music with the Indigenous People's Task Force, The Women's Cancer Resource Center, Shakopee Women's Correctional Facility, In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre, Kairos Dance Theatre, Mu Daiko Taiko, and Teens Rock the Mic, among others. Choral highlights include over 25 new commissioned works—including Bayard Rustin: The Man Behind the Dream—and One Voice’s 2022 ReMembering: Singing Water film.

    An award-winning conductor, she has received the GALA Choruses Legacy Award for her innovative programming and commitment to community outreach; the ACDA VocalEssence Award for Creative Programming; and the ACDA Minnesota Advocate for Choral Excellence (ACE) Award, and a 2018 Tofte Lake Artist Residency. Her compositions have been published by Earthsongs, Yelton Rhodes, and Pilgrim Press. In 2019, her composition Speak Out! premiered at Carnegie Hall as part of the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising.

Rebirth and Renewal: Reflections on Tough Lessons Learned Since 2020
John D Carrion
Tue 21 Feb 11:45am - 1:15pm

  • Needless to say, the COVID-19 pandemic was a watershed moment for the entire planet. Here in our safe spaces, we weathered the pandemic in critical and unique ways. This presentation will talk about the journey of the New York City Gay Men’s Chorus during that time and the ongoing rebuilding efforts taking place to rethink our future while honoring our past. This workshop intends to share our experiences as a way of igniting conversations, collaborations, and even potentially painful, but constructive reckonings. There will be time for sharing, discussion, and questions.

    John D Carrion is the Executive Director of Big Apple Performing Arts, home of the New York City Gay Men’s Chorus, the Tonewall a cappella group, and the Youth Pride Chorus. He started his role in October 2021 and has led the transition out of the COVID-19 pandemic while introducing diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging initiatives to revitalize the organization. Additionally, he orchestrated the NYCGMC’s participating in the 75th Annual Tony Awards in June 2022. He previously served on the board of the London Gay Men’s Chorus from 2011 to 2017 and as Chairman of that Board from 2013. During his tenure, he transformed the organization from a medium-scale operation into one of international merit. He led group to perform all around the UK, Dublin, Prague, Amsterdam, New York, and Chicago. He revitalized their fundraising portfolio to diversify their funding streams for sustained growth. John holds a Bachelor of Arts in metropolitan studies and a Master of Public Administration from New York University. He also holds a Master of Science in sociology, awarded with distinction, from the London School of Economics. He wrote his thesis on the London Gay Men’s Chorus.

How do we Foster Inclusion Within our Diverse Communities
Mel and Sarah Penicka-Smith
with John D Carrion and Jane Ramseyer Miller
Mon 20 Feb 11:45am - 1:15pm

  • Out & Loud & Proud welcomes two international esteemed choral directors - Jane Ramseyer Miller and John D Carrion - as they join Australia’s Sarah Penicka Smith and Mel Penicka Smith to share, contrast and discuss their experiences on this important topic. The panel will be moderated by Adam Majsay, Creative Director of OLP.

    With over 30 years' combined experience in the arts & entertainment industry, Melanie and Sarah Penicka-Smith have a passion for making art from unheard stories. Their current projects include developing a new one-woman chamber opera with composer Dr Eve Klein for soprano Yasmin Arkinstall, who lives with sensorimotor OCD. They are both committee members for the Global Alliance of Queer Choirs, and were formerly on the GALA External Relations Committee.

    The Penicka-Smiths met in the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Choir, where they collaborated to produce a range of performances including the first-ever opera staged by a queer choir. Alongside Director Sharna Galvin & singer Bernard Leon, the Penicka-Smiths also produced six operas for boutique chamber opera company Opera Prometheus, including the Sydney premiere of Hans Krasa’s children’s opera ‘Brundibar’.

    In 2016, they founded Pacific Pride Choir, a biennial touring choir contributing to the visibility & acceptance of LGBTQI+ people in countries where homosexuality is legalised, but not fully recognised. With the help of KIConcerts, PPC has run two tours, to Germany/Poland (2017), and Vietnam/Cambodia (2019).

Harmonising with Country- First Nations singing workshop
Nardi Simpson
Mon 20 Feb 11:45am - 1:15pm

  • Come and sing songs in harmony that will connect you with First Nations songs and stories.

    Nardi Simpson is a Yuwaalaraay storyteller and performer living in Sydney. Her early music training at the Eora Centre of Aboriginal Studies, Visual and Performing Arts in Redfern, Sydney saw her begin a career as a musician, songwriter and performer with vocal duo Stiff Gins, travelling both nationally and internationally for twenty-one years and releasing three albums during that time.

    Nardi's writing journey in 2014 participating in Indigenous Writers’ Mentorship Programs with Writing NSW and FATSIL Young Indigenous Writers Initiative. In 2016, as part of Liveworks Festival, Nardi co-wrote and performed in the theatre work ‘Spirit of Things: Sound of Objects.’

    In 2018, Nardi received the State Library of QLD’s Blak&Write Indigenous Fellowship and began refining what was to become her debut novel 'Song of the Crocodile'. In 2019 Nardi wrote and premiered her debut play ‘'Black Drop Effect,’ for the 2020 Sydney Festival. In early October 2020, 'Song of the Crocodile' was released with Hachette Australia.

    Nardi continues to perform with Stiff Gins, works with student ensembles and directs cross-cultural choir Barayagal at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and is currently undertaking a PhD with the ANU School of Music. Heavily involved in the making and sharing of culture in both her Sydney and Yuwaalaraay communities, Nardi lives in Sydney's Inner West with her partner and teenage son.