Registrations Now Open!
Now in its 12th year, Play It Forward presents Australia's most exciting Singers Festival for all school & community choirs and individual singers. Melbourne International Singers Festival has an even bigger and more diverse program over this King’s Birthday long weekend, June 9 – 12, 2023.
THE YEAR OF 'HOME, HEALING & HOPE'
The world has been through many challenges over the past 3 years. MISF 2023 is excited to reflect and explore the theme of 'Home, Healing & Hope’ as we look to a brighter future through voice and song for the first time in 2023.
GUEST CONDUCTORS & ARTISTS ANNOUNCED
MISF 2023 is excited to announce an extraordinary lineup of Australia’s finest conductors, musicians and artists!
PAUL JARMAN
One of Australia’s finest choral composers and conductors will lead the MASSED FESTIVAL CHOIR and take individual choral workshops and also High School choral workshops (Fri June 9, 2023).
DR NELA TRIFKOVIC
World leading exponent in Bosnian and Sephardic Jewish music will lead our WOMEN’S FESTIVAL CHOIR.
JONATHON WELCH AM
Multi award winning conductor of Choir of Hard Knocks, and founding artistic director of Play It Forward will lead our MEN’S FESTIVAL CHOIR.
ADAM PRZEWLOCKI
Award winning conductor and accompanist will conduct our inaugural PRIDE FESTIVAL CHOIR.
LUKE STEVENSON
Award winning performer, composer and conductor will take A CAPELLA workshops.
FABULOUS GUEST ARTISTS
A Capella jazz sensations THE VELVETONES will open MISF 2023
on Friday June 9, 2023 along with other amazing guest performers - to be announced!
THE BEST VALUE FESTIVAL IN AUSTRALIA!
- 4 Day MISF Pass $295 adult
- 4 Day MISF Pass $255 conc/U18
4 DAY MISF PASS includes - entry to all MISF workshops, masterclasses, concerts, choruses & performances over the Festival weekend (with the exception of Special MISF events).
- 1 Day MISF Pass (Sat or Sun) $95 adult
- 1 Day MISF Pass (Sat or Sun) $75 conc/U18
1 DAY MISF PASS includes - access to a full day of rehearsals, workshops and concert tickets (either to attend or perform with your choir)
NB: Register as a choir/singing group of 10 or more and receive complimentary registration for your Music Director & Accompanist.
Location
Fri 9 June, 2023
Werner Brodbeck Hall - 156 Collins St Melbourne
Sat 10 - Mon 12 June, 2023
The Edge, Federation Square, cnr Swanston & Flinders Streets, Melbourne
Enquiries: 0439 244 429 or misf@playitforward.org.au
Click here to download flyer
CLICK HERE FOR MISF PROGRAM OUTLINE
Please note: Melbourne International Singers Festival
Programming may be subject to change without notice.
We can’t wait to see you in June for this unique celebration of the voice and singing!
Proceeds from the Melbourne International Singers Festival support Play It Forward, providing a unique range of tailored inclusive arts programs, events and projects for all Australians.
IN SUPPORT OF:
About Our Festival
Conductors & Performers
Jonathon Welch AM
Artistic Director
Jonathon Welch AM is a multi award winning singer, conductor, teacher, songwriter and recording artist with a career spanning over thirty years. Making his debut with Dame Joan Sutherland at the Sydney Opera House in the ‘Merry Widow’ 1988 Jonathon has over sixty stage roles to his credit and has performed extensively in Opera, musicals, G&S and in concert alongside many of the world’s greatest singers, directors and conductors including kd Lang, Baz Luhrmann, and Richard Bonynge to name a few.
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 and was a Judge on the highly successful ‘Battle of the Choirs’ TV series for Channel 7.
Jonathon has been recognised for his outstanding thirty year commitment to the music industry, youth music education and his work with marginalised and homeless communities with the Australian of the Year Local Hero 2008, ANZAC of the Year 2009, an Honourary Doctorate and an Order of Australia in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2009 and an Honourary 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 wellbeing programs and training for those experiencing homelessness and disadvantage with the ‘School of Hard Knocks’ and 'Play It Forward' in 2018.
Nela Trifkovic
Nela is a Bosnian-Australian artist whose multi-faceted practice includes the disciplines of music, theatre, performance and installation art. She moved to Australia during the Yugoslav war in 1990s and trained at WAAPA and VCA, where she completed her Doctorate in 2013.
A recipient of several grants and scholarships, Nela has performed and conducted research in Australia, Asia, Europe and USA.
In the realm of folk music, Bosnian Sevdah and Sephardic Jewish songs are Nela's greatest passion. They have been an integral part of her life and upbringing. These musical genres have inspired the formation of the ensemble Saray Iluminado, allowing Nela to gather a curious bunch of like-minded musical travellers and pursue life away from home by finding a home in song.
Adam Przewlocki
One of Australia’s leading show choir directors, Adam founded the first of his choirs, the Divine Divas of Sunbury in 2007. He has enjoyed an illustrious career as concert pianist, chamber musician and accompanist. He has performed as recitalist throughout Australia, USA, Europe, Taiwan, Korea, China, Japan and New Zealand. Adam was Musical Director, pianist and vocalist with renowned cabaret group ‘Pot-Pourri’ for 10 years, undertaking more than 15 overseas concert tours with the 5-piece group. Adam’s dedication and service to the Hume community has been acknowledged through being named ‘Hume Citizen of the Year’ in 2009, as well as being a National Finalist in the 2009 Herald Sun ‘Pride of Australia’ medal for services to the community. During Adam’s competitive career, he amassed over 200 prizes in Eisteddfods throughout Australia, including the City of Sydney Eisteddfod Piano Scholarship. He was also a finalist in the Stravinsky International Piano Competition for Young Artists in Illinois, USA in 1990 and 4th prizewinner in the Ettlingen International Competition for Young Pianists in Germany, 1991. Adam is also a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth Study Grant and is a Churchill Fellow. He also studied on full scholarship at London’s Royal Academy of Music from 1992-1996. He has performed in master classes conducted by Andras Schiff, John Lill, Peter Donahue, Alfred Brendel, Pascal Roge and Imogen Cooper.