Around this time, the various ensembles of Gondwana Choirs would be busily rehearsing for concerts and tours, working hard to delight and inspire their audiences. Our singers come from all across the country: some of them work together regularly in Sydney and Cairns, while others sing with us seasonally, as part of our annual Festival of Summer Voices and on international tours. When  social distancing and isolation became a reality in Australia and choral singing in its usual forms became temporarily impossible, Gondwana reinvented itself online. After almost 20 years of singing under and working with her, I have learnt that new ideas are never in short supply for Lyn Williams, Gondwana’s Artistic Director and Founder. Together with our dedicated and courageous staff, we set about creating Gondwana Online, a web-based interactive learning environment which enables choristers to explore new musical territory.

Sally Whitwell will be offering a class on writing for choirs. Photograph courtesy of Gondwana Choirs

We gathered the best artists we could find – most well-known to us, but some new – who could open singers’ ears and minds to new possibilities. In the space of a normal choir rehearsal,...