Resonance :: Sally Greenaway

Resonance

Music of Sally Greenaway

Commissioned by The Resonants

Resonance is a profound and alluring work by Australian composer Sally Greenaway and lyricist Kirsten Duncan.

Featuring the exquisite voices of Canberra's Luminescence Chamber Singers conducted by Roland Peelman AM, the piece envelops us in the resounding beauty of the human voice.

The text and music explores the timeless, transformative and unifying power of song, of self-discovery and connection with others:

"My poem describes the individual emotional journey, the physiological process and the broader societal impacts of discovering group singing" says lyricist Kirsten Duncan. "It becomes something magical, a unified whole, a beautiful creation."

"I watched my original poem transform into a beautiful piece of music. Sally told me that this was one of the best pieces she had ever written."

Choral music has a unique power to touch something very deep inside us - whether it's classical music, church music or folk music. Millions of people around the globe sing in amateur and community choirs, even continuing to sing together during the pandemic by linking up online. This extraordinary sense of community - of belonging, of being greater than the sum of your parts - that you experience when you join in song with other people has proven benefits to our physical and mental wellbeing.

This philosophy goes to the heart of choral ensemble The Resonants, directed by Helen Swan, who commissioned Resonance in 2015 to celebrate their 25th anniversary and contribute a locally-produced choral piece for the wider repertoire for talented choirs around the globe.