Choral Music
Choral works by Katy Abbott for mixed, upper and lower voices: concert, community and school repertoire, a cappella and with piano, guitar, strings or narrator. From primary and community choirs to professional ensembles. Scores and parts are linked with each piece.
School and youth choir repertoire, with voicing and levels in one list, is on the school music repertoire page.
Upper Voices (SA)
Drink Hope
(2019)
3-part Voices + Piano
Duration: 3:45 minutes
Commissioned by Ivanhoe Girls’ Grammar School, Australia for the Primary School end of year concert, this piece is based on a poem by UK poet and drummer, Remi Graves. Drink Hope was premiered by the entire primary school at Ivanhoe Town Hall, 13 November 2019.
With thanks to Remi Graves for permission to use It Is Everywhere.
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Rain Chant
(2011)
SSA choir + piano
Duration: 4 minutes
Commissioned: Eltham College (for tour to Singapore 2011).
Text: Clare Miller
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Excerpts on SoundCloud
Here I Come Home
(2010/rev, 2023)
2-part Treble Choir + Piano
Duration: 5 minutes
Here I Come Home was commissioned by Moorambilla Festival, held each year in Coonamble, NSW.
In 2010, the festival theme was We Dare You To Sing! Participants of the Festival come from very rural and sometimes isolated areas. They are deeply connected to the land and this piece reflects the idea of returning home. Home – meaning people, place and land.
This piece is dedicated to Michelle Leonard, the festival’s Artistic Director and the Moorambilla participants 2010, and revised in 2023.
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This Is My Home
(2009)
SSAA Choir + String Orchestra
Duration: 5:30 minutes
Text: K. Abbott
Commissioned: MLC School, Sydney for their Tours to Spain and USA.
Appears on Famous: The Choral Music of Katy Abbott.
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Famous
(2007)
SS Choir + Cello and Piano
(String Quartet Version available)
Duration: 3 minutes
Text: Bec Christensen and Katy Abbott
Commissioned: MLC School, Sydney
Premiere: Kent Choir/Harding, March 7, 2007 Sydney Opera House
Purchase Famous: The Choral Music of Katy Abbott
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Available through Sing Score (for 2-part treble and piano)
The Australian Music Centre (for String Quartet)
Crime Scene Investigation
(2004)
Narrator + SSA Choir + String Orchestra + percussion (1 player)
Duration: 8 minutes
Text: Bec Christensen + Katy Abbott
Commissioned: MLC School, Sydney.
Premiere: Sydney Opera House, 2005
Appears on Famous: The Choral Music of Katy Abbott (ABC Classics).
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Feature article on Australian Music Centre’s Resonate Magazine
Eyes
(1993/rev.2004)
SSA + Guitar
Duration: 4:30 minutes
The Path To Your Door
(2000)
SSA + Piano
Duration: 5 minutes
Text: Michael Leunig
Composed for The Festival of Womens Voices 2000.
Premiere: The Melbourne Women’s Choir/Abbott. Ivanhoe Girls’ Grammar July 12, 2000.
Appears on Famous: The Choral Music of Katy Abbott.
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Mixed Voices (SATB)
I’ll Meet You There: Three Vignettes of Truth
(2019)
SATB + Piano
Duration: 10 minutes
Text by Freud, Rumi, Wilde and Lear.
Commissioned by Kevin Lindgren for Wendy Lindgren on the occasion of their 50th Wedding Anniversary.
Please Contact Us for Score
Movement 3 ‘Stars’ from I’ll Meet You There
‘Stars’ from I’ll Meet You There
(2019)
SATB + Piano
Duration: 5 minutes
Text by Wilde and Lear.
Commissioned by Kevin Lindgren for Wendy Lindgren on the occasion of their 50th Wedding Anniversary.
Please Contact Us for Score
Movement 3 ‘Stars’ from I’ll Meet You There
Those Other Things
(2015)
SATB Voices + Piano
Duration: 6 minutes
Commissioned: Gondwana Chorale
Text: Chris Wallace-Crabbe
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Gondwana Chorale is Gondwana Choirs’ national choir for singers aged 17-25. Many of these choristers sing professionally around Australia and bring a wealth of choral experience to the SATB ensemble. Chorale has performed widely in Australia and overseas.
This concert was filmed in January 2016 at the Concourse Concert Hall in Sydney. It was the culmination of a two week National Choral School, which includes Gondwana’s other choirs and offers an intensive two weeks of rehearsals, performances and workshops with the leading figures in Australian choral music.
Flying
(2015)
SSATTB Voices
Duration: 6 minutes
Commissioned: Black Family in memory of Dorritt Black, artist for The Song Company’s All Leunig Almanac. Flying is based on the month of June and part of a 12 composer work; one for each month the year.
Text: Michael Leunig
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Aspects of Dreaming
(2006)
SATB choir
Duration: 8 minutes
Text: Li Po
Commissioned: The Australian Voices
A beautiful and evocative choral landscape depicting aspects of the Australian psyche, influenced by geography, drought and human longing. Including optional solos.
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SingOut!
(2005)
SATB choir
Duration: 3 minutes
Words of Wisdom
(2003)
SSATTB Vocal Sextet
Duration: 10 minutes
Text: Katy Abbott and various
A collection of vocal miniatures
Words of Wisdom in its original form comprises of nine humorous vignettes and was composed for The Song Company. Since that time, there have been many performances of Words of Wisdom, which often include fragments of the whole work. Chosen for their delightful truths, the songs shed light on some elements of the human condition: emotion, relationships, image and purpose. Although all the words contain some truth, some of the wisdom is conventional, some silly or poignant whilst others are mere observations.
Appears on The Domestic Sublime: The Vocal Music of Katy Abbott. (ABC Classics)
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‘Fool’ from Words of Wisdom
(2003)
SSATTB choir
Duration: 2:15 minutes
‘Fool’ is from a larger song-cycle, Words Of Wisdom composed for Australia’s The Song Company.
Appears on The Domestic Sublime: The Vocal Music of Katy Abbott.
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Gondwana Chorale is Gondwana Choirs’ national choir for singers aged 17-25. Many of these choristers sing professionally around Australia and bring a wealth of choral experience to the SATB ensemble. Chorale has performed widely in Australia and overseas.
This concert was filmed in January 2016 at the Concourse Concert Hall in Sydney. It was the culmination of a two week National Choral School, which includes Gondwana’s other choirs and offers an intensive two weeks of rehearsals, performances and workshops with the leading figures in Australian choral music.
‘Angry Is Easy’ from Words of Wisdom
(2003)
SSATTB choir
Duration: 3:10 minutes
‘Angry Is Easy’ is from Words Of Wisdom, a larger song-cycle of humorous and poignant vignettes.
Appears on The Domestic Sublime: The Vocal Music of Katy Abbott.
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This concert was filmed in January 2016 at the Concourse Concert Hall in Sydney.
Bundle of Joy
(2002)
SATB choir
Duration: 3 minutes
Commissioned by Alastair McKean and Border Music Camp when Composer In Residence.
The coat hung at the back of the cupboard through the long summer and autumn.
In winter, Alice distractedly played with the bundle of rubber bands in the pocket.
The coat, back on its peg – the huntsman stretched its elegant legs and reflected on the joy
Of total body massage.
Liz Ward. Winner of The Age Best Story in 50 words or less.
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Lower Voices (TB)
Stars That Split The Night
(2017/arr. 2023, Joseph Twist)
