To celebrate its 20th anniversary, Queensland Music Festival (QMF) launches this year's state-wide programme - an unforgettable musical journey through the cities, regions and remote corners of Queensland.
Reaffirming its place as the ‘largest, most diverse music festival in the world’, QMF delivers a programme this year that focuses on musical excellence, curiosity and creation, public participation and making a difference through music.
“The 2019 Queensland Music Festival program is a true reflection of the paths the event has walked over its last twenty years,” QMF Artistic Director Katie Noonan says.
“Queensland Music Festival has always reflected the Queensland of yesterday, today and tomorrow, and this year’s event is a true representation of that.
"It shines a light on things Queenslanders hold dear, hidden stories of our state and gives opportunity for the public to participate. Anyone with a voice can sing and using music to engage, educate and inspire is what Queensland Music Festival is about.”
With a legacy of bringing the gift of music to over one million Queenslanders over its history, Queensland Music Festival this year delivers a rich tapestry of events as diverse as the state itself.
From the public spectacle of The Mount Isa Blast, to a choir of thousands joining ‘Help Is On Its Way’ to shine a light on men’s mental health, to public favourite Opera at Jimbour and an original chamber commission to bring attention to Winton’s endangered Night Parrot, this year's programme will surprise and delight all ages.
2019 Queensland Music Festival Programme
Help Is On Its Way
Less than half of Australians living with a mental health issue seek professional help with men being much less likely to seek help than women. Suicide is currently the most common cause of death for males aged 15-45 years and people living in regional areas are at a significantly higher risk. On Saturday 27 July 2019, in a spectacular event, thousands of voices - choirs and individuals from across the State - will sing together in support of positive mental health.The Mount Isa Blast
One of Queensland Music Festival’s signature community events, The Mount Isa Blast will celebrate the city’s beauty, originality and diversity in an arena spectacular featuring over 200 participants at Kalkadoon Arena.Opera At Jimbour
A regular Queensland Music Festival event since 2003, Opera at Jimbour returns for a musical gala featuring the greatest opera classics of all time.Located on the glorious grounds of Jimbour House in Queensland’s Western Downs, Opera at Jimbour promises a full day of fun for the whole family. Stroll through the market stalls, pack a picnic and immerse yourself in live opera performances from Simon Kim, Sarah Crane, Hayley Sugars, Shaun Brown and the Queensland Youth Orchestra.
Jack Carty
Play Me I'm Yours
Queensland Music Festival invites you on a musical treasure hunt in our sparkling city. From South Bank to Shorncliffe, 20 brilliantly painted street pianos are hidden all over Brisbane for you to discover. Using the online map, explore Brisbane to find each beautiful piano, tinker on their keys and discover the wonder of the city’s surrounding landscape and community.Night Parrot
A world premiere chamber music work by celebrated Australian composer, Jessica Wells has been commissioned to tell an extraordinary Queensland story. The high pitched, melodic, haunting call of the Night Parrot will be the inspiration for this new work featuring Australian dramatic soprano Morgan England-Jones with the Acacia Quartet.The Little Green Road To Fairyland
A magical fairy tale for the littlest lovers of dance and music. Set in the Australian bush, The Little Green Road to Fairyland takes the audience on a charming journey with colourful sets and costumes that will delight all ages.Frank & Fearless
Take a journey through the life of a true trailblazing Queensland woman, Merle Thornton – an Australian feminist activist, author and academic. Merle made history when she and Rosalie Bogner famously chained themselves to a bar rail to protest the exclusion of serving women in public bars.Join Merle in conversation with her daughter and beloved Australian actress Sigrid Thornton on this delightful and insightful journey into the stories of the extraordinary women that helped pave the way for the freedoms women enjoy today.
The Genius Of John Rodgers
The Genius of John Rodgers shares the incredible story of one of Queensland’s most renowned and eclectic musicians, Helpmann-Award nominee, multi-instrumentalist and composer, John Rodgers. There are few composers that can claim to have encapsulated the sound of this State more poignantly than John.
John Rodgers
Mission Songs
Jessie Lloyd’s profoundly moving Mission Songs Project reveals what daily life was like for Indigenous Australians on Christian Missions and state-run settlements. Jessie has explored the musical journey of Indigenous Australian music connecting the traditional with the contemporary revealing the continuation of cultural practice and song traditions into the 21st century.Let Love Rule
Let Love Rule is a celebration of one of Australia’s musical treasures: the inimitable Archie Roach. Drawing from his latest release entitled “The Concert Collection 2012-2018”, Archie Roach re-imagines his repertoire spanning the last 30 years and gets to the heart of what it means to be human.Twilight In The Red Box
Curated by Patrick Murphy, this concert series features a new concert each week, with pieces chosen around a central theme. Located in State Library of Queensland’s beautiful Red Box space, overlooking the Brisbane river as the sun sets.Immersion
Immersion offers a completely unique opportunity to experience rising stars of the contemporary music scene up-close and personal, in a live performance like no other. This boutique concert series showcases Queensland Music Festival artists as well as other Australian musicians throughout the festival, including Clea, Ben Ely (Regurgitator), Emily Wurramara, Jack Carty and Sahara Beck.
Sahara Beck
On Song At Green Jam
Queensland Music Festival is bringing the State’s best young emerging singer-songwriters to Brisbane. Following a state-wide search, six aspiring singer-songwriters aged 12-18 will take to the much-loved Green Jam stage at QPAC to perform their original songs.Score It! Public Lecture
Renowned composer and orchestrator, Cameron Patrick, returns to Brisbane to share his Hollywood industry knowledge of composing and orchestrating for blockbuster films such as 'Spider-man: Homecoming', 'Jurassic World', 'Star Trek: Into Darkness', 'Inside Out' and much more. This year, Patrick explores a day in the life of a film composer and looks at the roles, responsibilities and processes involved in bringing music to the screen.Kitch Culture
Kitch Culture is a unique musical experience combining cultural arts and storytelling with music technology. Presented by award-winning artist, performer, mentor and electronic Samoan Toa (Warrior), Kitchener Wesche, this performance uncovers the power of knowing your history, your culture and your village.Between The Lines
Exclusive to Queensland Music Festival, Danny Widdicombe and Trichotomy are bringing their new LP ‘Between the Lines’ to life in a live performance which launches its international release.Maps & Journeys
Long before Europeans set foot on Australian soil, Indigenous Australians had rich astronomical traditions, and extraordinary navigational abilities. Likewise, European explorers were using star navigation to explore the mysterious east and unknown southern oceans. Maps & Journeys will explore the routes of both these cultures and their eventual intersection.Singing Our Songlines
This performance is the culmination of a story sharing process engaging Elders connected to Inala to tell their yarns through song.Verdi Requiem
The Requiem’s composition came near the end of Verdi’s long career - after he had written all but his final two operas - and is unlike anything else in his output. This stirring performance features four of Brisbane’s finest community ensembles under the baton of distinguished conductor, John Curro AM MBE.JMI Up Late
Jazz Music Institute (JMI) is a specialist jazz school delivering courses in jazz since 1997. JMI Live presents live jazz in Brisbane every Thursday night from 8pm with Jam sessions from 10pm – 12 midnight. JMI Live is renowned for its intimate setting, providing the best opportunity to listen to live jazz in Brisbane.
