'Where Song Began’ is a musical celebration of Australia’s birds and how they shaped the world.

‘…an unforgettable and inspiring work, that captivated the audience ’

'...it moved me to tears... I left feeling I had been sung to by the country'

Inspired by leading ornithologist Tim Low’s award-winning book, this performance explores the Australian origins of songbirds, ‘the birds that can sing’. Audiences are encouraged to contemplate the origin of birdsong and the importance of Australia's rich and colourful bird history. The program includes music spanning 300 years, enhanced by a film of evocative landscape stills, moving images and bird call field recordings.

Simone Slattery was a 2018 Churchill Fellow, received a PhD in Music Performance from the University of Adelaide and performs regularly with Australia’s finest ensembles. Anthony Albrecht is an Australian graduate of The Juilliard School’s Historical Performance program and enjoys an international career.

Created with support from the TCL Kevin Taylor Legacy Grant

Upcoming Performances

See you on the other side... we wish you all safety and happiness at this difficult time.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA | T.C.L Studio (Premiere)
Friday 10th of November, 2017

LEWES, EAST SUSSEX, UK | WESTGATE CHAPEL
Friday 16th of February, 2018

LONDON, UK | HEATH ST BAPTIST CHURCH
Saturday 17th of February, 2018

WILTON, CT, USA | PRIVATE RESIDENCE
Saturday 24th of March, 2018

NEW YORK CITY, USA | 1 RIVINGTON ST
Metropolis Ensemble
Sunday 25th of March, 2018
www.metropolisensemble.org

NEW YORK CITY, USA | SPECTRUM
Tuesday 27th of March, 2018
following a set by David Rothenburg
(Author of 'Why Birds Sing')
www.spectrumnyc.com

CLIFTON, NSW | CLIFTON SCHOOL OF ARTS
Sunday 6th of May, 2018

COONAWARRA, SA | SOLDIERS MEMORIAL HALL
Wednesday 6th of June, 2018

MOUNT GAMBIER, SA | LECTURE CENTRE, UNI SA
Thursday 7th of June, 2018

WARRNAMBOOL, VIC | MOZART HALL
Friday 8th of June, 2018

PORT FAIRY, VIC | REARDON THEATRE
WINTER WEEKENDS
Saturday 9th of June, 2018

LORNE, VIC | QDOS ARTS
Sunday 10th of June, 2018

YACKANDANDAH, VIC | THE COURTHOUSE
Monday 11th of June, 2018

WENTWORTH FALLS, NSW | KINDLEHILL PERFORMANCE SPACE
Wednesday 20th of June, 2018

ADELAIDE | T.C.L Studio
Friday 29th of June, 2018

WA REGIONAL TOUR

BUNBURY | Bunbury Regional Art Gallery
Tuesday 18th of September, 2018

MANJIMUP | St Martin's Anglican Church
Wednesday 19th of September, 2018

PEMBERTON | Mill Hall
Thursday 20th of September, 2018

DENMARK | Uniting Church
Friday 21st of September, 2018

ALBANY | UWA The Albany Centre
Saturday 22nd of September, 2018

BRIDGETOWN | St Paul's Anglican Church
Sunday 23rd of September, 2018

MARGARET RIVER | St Margaret's Anglican Church
Sunday 23rd of September, 2018

AUGUSTA | St Elizabeth of Hungary
Monday 24th of September, 2018

DARLINGTON | St Cuthbert's Anglican Church
Tuesday 25th of September, 2018

PERTH | Cottesloe Civic Centre
Wednesday 26th of September, 2018

VANUATU RESIDENCY
October 2-10, 2018
Performances and workshops in Port Vila, Vanuatu

BRISBANE | SANDGATE TOWN HALL
Thursday 11th of October, 2018
with special guest Tim Low

GOLD COAST | Home of the Arts
Friday 12th of October, 2018
Opening Ceremony of the 2018 International Festival of Landscape Architecture: The Expanding Field

BRISBANE | St Mary's on the Cliffs
Friday 12th of October, 2018
with special guest Tim Low

TASMANIA TOUR

SWANSEA | COURTHOUSE
Wednesday 16th of January, 2019
Hosted by East Coast Community Arts Initiaive

ST HELENS | PORTLAND MEMORIAL HALL
Thursday 17th of January, 2019
Hosted by Break O'Day Regional Arts

SCOTTSDALE | MECHANICS INSTITUTE
Friday 18th of January, 2019

DELORAINE | LITTLE THEATRE
Saturday 19th of January, 2019
Hosted by Arts Deloraine

SPREYTON | HANS VONK MUSIC HOUSE
Sunday 20th of January, 2019

BURNIE | Burnie Baptist Church
Monday 21st of January, 2019
Hosted by Burnie Arts Council

TARKINE FOREST | SUMAC CAMP
Tuesday 22nd of January, 2019
Hosted by the Bob Brown Foundation

QUEENSTOWN | PARAGON THEATRE
Wednesday 23rd of January, 2019

HOUNVILLE | TOWN HALL
Saturday 26th of January, 2019
Moved due to the fires from the Franklin Palais

BRUNY ISLAND | ADVENTURE BAY HALL
Sunday 27th of January, 2019
Hosted by the Bruny Island Environment Network

HOBART | TOWN HALL
Tuesday 29th of January, 2019
Hosted by Birdlife Tasmania

KING ISLAND | PORTSIDE LINKS GALLERY
Saturday 20th of April, 2019
Festival of Arts, Culture and Environment
Artist residency supported by Create NSW

NSW COASTAL TOUR

WAUCHOPE | WAUCHOPE COMMUNITY ARTS HALL
Sunday, 28th of April, 2019

COFFS HARBOUR | ST JOHN'S ANGLICAN CHURCH
Monday 29th of April, 2019

BELLINGEN | ST MARGARET'S CHURCH HALL
Tuesday 30th of April, 2019

ARMIDALE | NEW ENGLAND REGIONAL ART MUSEUM
Wednesday, 1st of May, 2019

MAITLAND | MAITLAND REGIONAL ART GALLERY
Thursday, 2nd of May, 2019

NEWCASTLE | ADAMSTOWN UNITING CHURCH
Friday, 3rd of May, 2019

PORT STEPHENS | PORT STEPHENS SAILING AND AQUATIC CLUB
Sunday, 5th of May, 2019

CENTRAL COAST | GREENWAY CHAPEL
Tuesday 7th of May, 2019

CANBERRA | WESLEY MUSIC CENTRE
Thursday 22nd of August, 2019

YASS | SOLDIERS MEMORIAL HALL
Friday 23rd of August, 2019

PARACHILNA | THE PRAIRIE HOTEL
Monday 7th of October, 2019

CLARE VALLEY | AUBURN COURTHOUSE
Friday 11th of October, 2019

ADELAIDE | UNION HALL
Saturday 12th of October, 2019
with Alex Albrecht

LITHGOW | GANG GANG GALLERY
Sunday 13th of October, 2019

KANGAROO ISLAND | KINGSCOTE TOWN HALL
Tuesday 15th of October, 2019

SHOALHAVEN HEADS | COOLANGATTA ESTATE WINERY
Sunday 20th of October, 2019
As part of the Bird Haven Festival
Special guest speaker: Tim Low

TORONTO, CA | THE HELICONIAN CLUB
Sunday 2nd of February, 2020
Bushfire Fundraiser Performance

SAN FRANCISCO | NOE VALLEY MINISTRY
Saturday 8th of February, 2020
Bushfire Fundraiser Performance

ORINDA, CA | ORINDA LIBRARY AUDITORIUM
Sunday 9th of February, 2020
Bushfire Fundraiser Performance

RENO, NV | UNR, HALL RECITAL HALL
Sunday 14th of February, 2020
Bushfire Fundraiser Performance

CALIFORNIA RESIDENCY | SIERRA COUNTY, USA
Tuesday 11th - 16th February, 2020
Performances and outreach events for Musica Sierra

Muneer Al Shanti

Henry Gold OAM

The Tree Projects

Mark Eatwell

Maggie Slattery

Brett Whiteley
(with kind permission of Wendy)

SUPPORT US

We are so grateful for the support of the artists above who have contributed to Where Song Began.

Click here to help us with a donation so we can develop this project for education, expand our touring and commission new Australian works. You can now also pre-order our upcoming CD!