66:
became
Musical Director, extending the orchestra to include men and a larger wind section and founding the Astra Choir. Over a period of 20 years, he developed links with Australian composers as well as giving performance of choral and chamber orchestral repertoire rarely heard at that time (for
42:
Astra presents an annual series of concerts featuring the Astra Choir. The concerts present new and original work from all musical periods, ranging from medieval tropes and
Vietnamese work songs through recent European and American music to newly commissioned Australian compositions. Each Astra
46:
Astra also publishes CD recordings of the work of the Astra Choir and associated artists. It also has a continuing project to publish scores of the works of the influential
Australian composer, performer and educator
43:
program is planned as an event that engages the audience with the stimulus of contrasting materials, extending from the sound of voices to combinations with instruments, electro-acoustics, text and theatre.
74:
Since John McCaughey became
Musical Director in 1978, the Astra Choir has provided the principal focus of concerts, joined by many of Australia's leading contemporary instrumental performers as guests.
85:
Since 1978, Astra has performed over 1280 individual works by about 430 composers (170 of them
Australian) in almost 70 different venues throughout Melbourne and regional Victoria.
59:
Astra was formed in 1951 as an orchestra of women musicians under the direction of Madame Asta Flack, a violinist and conductor who had migrated to
Australia from Lithuania.
235:
225:
240:
245:
230:
82:, Sue Healey, Anne Thompson, William Henderson and Allan Walker) have extended the Choir's work into the domains of film, dance and improvisation.
133:
Australian Music Centre's 2000 National and
Victorian Awards for Outstanding Contribution to Australian Music to Astra's Director, John McCaughey
117:
113:
Astra's contribution to musical and performing life in
Australia has been recognised by numerous awards and commissions including:
94:
190:
121:
220:
78:
Robert
Smallwood was Director of Astra in the period 1983-4, and other guest directors (Joan Pollock, Graeme Leak,
168:
128:'s 1998 National Award for the Best Australian Composition (for Lawrence Whiffin's 'Murchitt - a Daydream'),
125:
163:
Campbell, Peter. 'And there came all manner of choirs: Melbourne's burgeoning choral scene since 1950' .
134:
129:
32:
63:
176:
172:
102:
79:
214:
194:
48:
36:
23:
is a concert organisation for choral music and contemporary performance, based in
169:
http://search.informit.com.au/documentSummary;dn=212992901665649;res=E-LIBRARY
28:
24:
152:
98:
105:, Diana Gibson and a number of private benefactors.
71:, and works by Bartok, Britten, Penderecki et al.)
167:; Issue 25; Autumn 2003; -54. Availability: <
8:
67:example the Bach Passions, Stravinsky's
236:Music publishing companies of Australia
144:
226:Music organisations based in Australia
7:
31:and under the musical direction of
241:Musical groups established in 1951
165:Context: Journal of Music Research
14:
118:Sidney Myer Performing Arts Award
246:1951 establishments in Australia
231:Sheet music publishing companies
16:Contemporary music organisation
95:Australia Council for the Arts
1:
153:http://www.astramusic.org.au
21:Astra Chamber Music Society
262:
191:"Astra concerts 1978-2007"
126:Australian Music Centre
93:Astra is funded by the
103:William Angliss Trust
64:George Logie-Smith
221:Australian choirs
253:
206:
205:
203:
202:
193:. Archived from
186:
180:
161:
155:
149:
261:
260:
256:
255:
254:
252:
251:
250:
211:
210:
209:
200:
198:
197:on 18 July 2008
189:
187:
183:
162:
158:
150:
146:
142:
111:
91:
57:
17:
12:
11:
5:
259:
257:
249:
248:
243:
238:
233:
228:
223:
213:
212:
208:
207:
181:
156:
143:
141:
138:
137:
136:
131:
123:
110:
107:
90:
87:
80:Kenneth Gaburo
56:
53:
33:John McCaughey
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
258:
247:
244:
242:
239:
237:
234:
232:
229:
227:
224:
222:
219:
218:
216:
196:
192:
185:
182:
178:
174:
170:
166:
160:
157:
154:
148:
145:
139:
135:
132:
130:
127:
124:
122:
119:
116:
115:
114:
108:
106:
104:
100:
99:Arts Victoria
96:
88:
86:
83:
81:
76:
72:
70:
65:
60:
54:
52:
50:
44:
40:
38:
34:
30:
26:
22:
199:. Retrieved
195:the original
184:
164:
159:
147:
112:
92:
84:
77:
73:
68:
61:
58:
49:Keith Humble
45:
41:
37:Andrew Byrne
20:
18:
215:Categories
201:2008-07-24
140:References
177:1038-4006
69:Les Noces
62:In 1958,
29:Australia
25:Melbourne
89:Funding
55:History
175:
109:Awards
101:, the
171:>
120:1987
188:See
173:ISSN
151:See
35:and
19:The
217::
97:,
51:.
39:.
27:,
204:.
179:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.