Sydney Philharmonia Choirs celebrates 25 years of its acclaimed young-adult ensemble VOX with World O World, a special anniversary concert.  

Founded in 2001, VOX has earned critical acclaim for its fresh, expressive performances. To mark the milestone, conductor Elizabeth Scott, celebrating her own 20-year association with the ensemble, has curated a program that revisits the choir's origins and highlights their distinctive artistic identity. 

As a highlight of the program, VOX will perform Jacob Collier's World O World, a striking hymn by the Grammy Award-winning British composer, arranger and vocalist whose genre-defying approach has made him one of the most influential musical voices of his generation.  

The anniversary celebration also comes full circle with the return of Australian composer Dan Walker, commissioned to write Archangelo for VOX's inaugural performance in 2001. Twenty-five years later, Walker has created a brand-new work, Persephone as a Whistling Moth, continuing a longstanding commitment to nurturing Australian composition and emerging artistic voices. 

Spanning new music from SPC Emerging Composers, alongside works by Australian composers and luminous choral masterworks, the program showcases the rich, contemporary choral sound for which VOX has become renowned. 

Blending beloved repertoire, new commissions and the return of VOX alumni, World O World is both a celebration of the ensemble's remarkable legacy and an exciting glimpse into the next chapter of one of Australia's most innovative vocal groups. 

ARTISTS 

ELIZABETH SCOTT Conductor 
VOX 
VOX ALUMNI 

PROGRAM   

Alice CHANCE Aurora Eora† 

Dan WALKER Archangelo (2001)† 
Ben van TIENAN When I Am Old† 

Eric WHITACRE A Boy and a Girl  

Ēriks EŠENVALDS Only in Sleep  

Aija DRAGUNS Situ Koku (Morning Star) 
Courtney COUSINS the lake 

Arvo PÄRT Morning Star  

Mark TEMPLETON Abun D’bash’maiyo (Our Father) 
Callum O’REILLY Omnia Mutantur† 
Eric WHITACRE Alleluia 
Pärt UUSBERG Muusika  
Arvo PÄRT Bogoróditse Djévo 
Dan WALKER Persephone as a Whistling Moth† 
Jacob COLLIER World O World