Meridians
8 July 2023 | 2:30PM | Federation Concert Hall
Lines around the world
Experience a whole-body exploration of traditional tunes and cultural identity with German sextet Sjaella. Listen to stories of lost love, longing, strange spirits of nature, and daring adventures in this evocative exploration of folk songs from around the world.
This special concert marks the 30th anniversary of The Australian Voices with a world premiere composed by musical director John Rotar. Tasmanian favourites Allegri Ensemble and Hobart Chamber Orchestra (with guest conductor Gwyn Roberts) will present a variety of repertoire including works by Arvo Pärt, Tallis, and Górecki.
This unmissable concert combines the outstanding talents of musicians local to Tasmania, and from across Australia and Germany.
“There was clearly a special connection between conductor McGrath and the musicians, constantly evident in eagerness and warmth of expression allied to high technical standards” – Peter Donnelly on The Hobart Chamber Orchestra
“[…] They make highly subtle use of their crystal-clear singing for thoughtful and beautiful interpretations. Their voices are balanced in a way that allows them to become outstandingly interwoven. Their excellent singing technique indeed allows the musicians to use their voices as instruments […] These young women use their warm and charming rapport with the audience to show how fantastically well classical music can work in these fast-moving times.” – Osnabrücker Zeitung, on Sjaella

Receive up to a 15% discount if you select three or more concerts in the one transaction. Keep an eye on our social media channels for suggested itineraries. There is a diverse range of concerts for you to choose from to fill your calendar across the 10 days of the Festival.
3 concerts ~ 10% off
6 or more concerts ~ 15% off
Discounts are only applicable on performance tickets, and only apply to full price tickets. Tickets must be purchased in the same transaction. If you select a Concession ticket for a performance as part of a discount package, the lowest price will apply for that ticket. Workshops and seminars are not included in our Performance Packages.
Tickets
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Premium – $69
A Reserve – $59
B Reserve – $49
C Reserve – $39
Concession Tickets
Full time secondary and tertiary students, Pension concession card holders, Senior card holders, Companion card holders, Veteran Affairs, TPI and health care card holders, children under 12
Premium Concession – $62
A Reserve Concession – $52
B Reserve Concession – $42
C Reserve Concession – $32
*A Booking Fee of $3.00 applies, plus a 2.2% Basket Fee which will be calculated at check-out.
DURATION
2hrs including a short interval
Supported by


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Their shared roots reach back to an age when emotions can flow unhindered. They have strong connections and limitless enjoyment. Sjaella is the soul of the women who appear together on stage and have not lost a child-like experience of the world. Community feeds on play and individual strength. There is movement, language, noise and sound, with bodies, focus, and shared breath. It is all of this that Sjaella experiences and seeks to share.
The voyage of discovery began for these artists in 2005, and it has now taken them around the world. Sjaella has been a fixture on the universal vocal music scene for years, performing concerts at renowned festivals, and winning first prize at many competitions. The ensemble has recently been on concert tours to South Africa, Belgium, Spain, and Norway.
Every journey, every encounter with international artists opens new doors for Sjaella, behind which musical spaces and worlds of ideas are revealed. These six young women see it as their task to rethink what seems well-known, to find new sounds, and to bring everything into an artistic context. The album Origins, released on Outhere Music in 2021, is like life itself: a cycle consisting of many smaller ones, connected in a way that can only be seen when appreciated as a whole.
Image credit: Lutz Weichmann


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From its inception in 1993, The Australian Voices (TAV) has relentlessly pursued its mission to commission, perform and promote Australian music, both locally and internationally.
The vision of Graeme Morton and Stephen Leek when founding the group was to tap into something unique about Australia, its land and its people.
Through the music of a new generation of Australian composers, including the original musical language of Stephen Leek, TAV created a sound unlike anything the world had heard before. In 2009 Gordon Hamilton took the reins, and with works like "Toy Story 3 = Awesome!" and Robert Davidson's acclaimed "Not Now, Not Ever!" a musicalisation of Julia Gillard’s ‘misogyny’ speech, brought the group firmly into the 21st century and again at the forefront of Australian, and international choral music.
Recently, the choir has collaborated with numerous Australian musicians and ensembles: in 2019, the choir performed Britten’s Cantata Misericordium and a ‘re-composition’ of Mozart’s Requiem by then-Artistic Director Gordon Hamilton in collaboration with Omega Ensemble; in 2022, collaborated with ARIA-nominated artist Raphael Karlen and Camerata – Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra to premiere Sinking Cities, a work for string orchestra, choir, and saxophone; and at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the choir commissioned 22 (mostly) Australian composers to write a choral work on the theme “Far and Near”, in response to the darkening of concert halls around the world.
Now under the directorship of John Rotar, one of Australia’s leading young composers, the group is poised to take the next step in its evolution and continue to be at the vanguard of Australian choral music.
Image credit: Kris Anderson

VENUE: Federation Concert Hall
Getting to the venue
- Federation Concert Hall is within Hotel Grand Chancellor Hobart, 1 Davey Street, Hobart TAS 7000
- A drop off zone located at the front of Hotel Grand Chancellor Hobart, accessible from the far-right lane of Davey Street, just after Evans Street.
- Accessible parking spaces are available in the Hotel Grand Chancellor carpark. To access this space, please drive into the drop-off zone and request valet park the car for you. More accessible parking can be found along Davey Street by turning into Dunn Place Carpark, on the right past Campbell Street, or turning into the Mures carpark, on the left past Campbell Street.
- Please follow this link for a virtual tour of the Federation Concert Hall Auditorium (titled Federation Plenary Hall). Please note that lighting designs will not be as featured in this tour at Festival of Voices events.
Accessibility
Guide Dogs / Registered Assistance Animals welcome
Wheelchair Accessibility
- For wheelchair bookings please contact the festival with specifications and dimensions of the wheelchair and any additional user requirements.
- The Federation Concert Hall stalls are accessible from Ground level and the dress circle is accessible for wheelchair users via the lift at reception.
- Accessible bathrooms are available at this venue.
Conditions of Sale
- Read the full conditions of sale.
- Festival of Voices adheres to the Live Performance Australia Ticketing Code of Practice.
- All tickets are non-refundable, unless otherwise specified on the specific event page.
- Read the full terms and conditions of sale and entry.
FAQs
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Contact Us
For assistance please contact us on 03 6224 5975 or at info@festivalofvoices.com.
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