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Wesley Institute’s Choir of 47 students has won first place at the Summa Cum Laude International Youth Music Festival in Vienna. The choir competition was held on Monday, 9 July and winners were announced the following day. They then performed as part of an evening Gala Concert on Tuesday, 10 July at Vienna’s world-renowned Golden Hall of the Musikverein.

The competition was part of a three day music festival in Vienna that featured performances by choirs, symphonic bands and orchestras and workshops with a variety of international musicians. The Wesley Institute Choir were up against stiff competition from talented youth choirs from Shanghai, Ukraine, Phoenix and New Zealand but to their amazement - and the resounding cheer of the Golden Hall – were announced as winners in the category of ‘Mixed Choir with Outstanding Success’.

“It was an incredible night,” said choir member, Jonny Robinson. “It was amazing to be amongst choirs and orchestras all performing at the Golden Hall because they love to play and sing. Once the prizes were announced, we enjoyed the night for what it was – young people from around the world brought together playing world-class music in a world-class hall.

“We congratulated each other, made friends from around the globe and proved to ourselves that anything is possible. David Johnston took a bunch of inexperienced choral musicians who were ready to work and brought them to Vienna to win the grand prize.”

The choir performed five pieces for the competition; Dir by Wolfram Wagner, Locus iste by Anton Bruckner, Tides of Ocean by Matthew Orlovich, Bogoroditsye Dyevo (Ave Maria) by Rachmaninov and Song of Exaltation by John Ness Beck. 

The festival was part of a three week, tailor made tour designed by Principal of Wesley Institute, Dr David Johnston.

“I created this tour as an academic subject the students could enrol in,” said Dr Johnston. “The subject is called Historical and Cultural Performance Tour. The students study classical composers and musicology on site and combine this with choral performances at some of the places they have studied in music history.

“One of these places is St Mark’s Basilica in Venice where Vivaldi worked and which dates back to the 15th century. We had the privilege of singing there which was an amazing experience.”

The choir have sung and toured their way through Rome, Florence, Venice, Munich, Salzburg, Vienna and are now on their way to visit Prague, Budapest and Zurich before heading back to Sydney.

Linda Barclay
Public Affairs Officer
Wesley Mission
PH: (02) 9263 5509
Mobile: 0434 076 642