About Australian Vocal Ensemble:

The human voice is used to tell the stories of our time and place, and Australian Vocal Ensemble seeks to encourage our audiences to use their voice.

Australian Vocal Ensemble want make our mark on the national and international stage, tell our unique stories and celebrate our identity and place through song.

After many year’s of planning, Katie Noonan is thrilled to announce the launch of AVÉ (Australian Vocal Ensemble) in 2021. A World class vocal quartet combining four of Australia’s finest vocalists, AVÉ are embarking on recording their debut album and their first national tour this year.

The quartet sees Katie joined by 3 extraordinary, Internationally renowned artists —  Tenor Andrew Goodwin (Sydney), Mezzo-Soprano Fiona Campbell (Perth) and Bass Baritone Andrew O’Connor ( Sydney).

"I want to illustrate Queensland’s integrous creative leadership by establishing Australia’s only, professional classical vocal quartet. I believe it is vital to use the human voice to tell the stories of our time and place, and to encourage our audiences to use their voice,” said Katie.

“Some of the greatest internationally lauded classical voices in the world come from Queensland including singers like Gladys Moncrief OBE, Donald Smith OBE, Margreta Elkins AM and the QLD Conservatorium’s own Lisa Gasteen AO. I want to celebrate that extraordinary tradition and make our mark on the national and international stage, alongside three extraordinary fellow artists.”

'Hail to the sing for the Australian Vocal Ensemble’s glittering launch - 5/5 Stars' Limelight

Their repertoire, like our Australian culture, will be a unique blend of the old and the new:

• The OLD — the glorious spiritual music of the late Renaissance and the early Baroque — the  golden age of vocal polyphonic writing.

• The NEW — modern music of the 20th and 21st Century, with a particular focus on new Australian music.

Every program will feature new Australian music and engagement with our First Nations Community.

There is nothing like AVÉ in Australia.

AVÉ is an elite chamber ensemble of International excellence, but also one that is warm and welcoming to all.

AVÉ will:

• champion new Australian works on every tour

• have engagement with our First Nations Communities at every concert

• have community engagement in our performances at every concert (via local choirs and/or audience participation)
  

This will be an unparalleled music experience for audience members — a chance to explore new Australian composers, a chance to find their own voice and a chance to hear Indigenous songs of their own country alongside late Renaissance/Baroque masterpieces and brand new works.

"Yes, we are dreaming big – starting a new arts organisation in the middle of a global pandemic, but as Uncle Kev Carmody so eloquently said, from little things, big things grow, and we have big and bold dreams.”

These dreams include employing singers, commissioning 10+ Australian composers per year, working with some 250 vocal students and 450 community singers each year, mentoring an emerging quartet, performing to 3500 regional audience members across Queensland and to a national metropolitan audience of more than 5000 each year.

‘It was an enchanting evening in a celebration of the human voice, let us hope this is the first of many performances for AVÉ here and around the World.’ 4ZZZ

Already Katie has commissioned works from Richard Tognetti, Iain Grandage, Stephen Leek, David Hirschfelder, Connor D’Netto, Thomas Green, Alice Humphries, Zac Hurren, Anne Cawrse, Jessica Wells and Robert Davidson and the proof is in the numbers – 50% are Queensland composers, 30% are female and 100% are Australian.