Sydney Gay & Lesbian Choir

Sydney Gay & Lesbian Choir is a non-auditioned choir which welcomes members regardless of their sexual identity or musical experience. Since forming 20 years ago, the choir has performed Carl Vine’s Mythologia with Sydney Dance Company at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Arts Festival, hosted the first Australasian Gay and Lesbian Choral Festival, performed at the Sydney Gay Games Choral Festival, and toured Europe, Auckland and North America. Its 2009 production of Henry Purcell’s The Fairy Queen was the first opera in the world to be staged by a queer choir. In 2011, Sydney Gay & Lesbian Choir celebrated its 20th anniversary with a gala concert at Sydney Town Hall, where the choir performed its favourite pieces from the past twenty years, and by commissioning Dreams & Visions, a major new choral work from John Peterson.

Dr Sarah Penicka-Smith is an experienced choral director and educator. She has been Music Director of the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Choir since 2005, Choir Master of the Willoughby Symphony Choir since 2010, and Director of Music at St Andrew’s College since 2011. From 2008 – 2009 Sarah was Assistant Chorusmaster with Sydney Philharmonia Choirs, and she made her Sydney Opera House debut in May 2009 with the Sydney Philharmonia Festival Chorus and Orchestra. In 2010 Sarah directed the 61st Intervarsity Choral Festival in Canberra and also started working with new chamber opera company Opera Prometheus. Her opera credits include Purcell’s The Fairy Queen, with Sydney Gay & Lesbian Choir (the first opera ever staged by a queer choir), and Campra’s Tancrede with Opera Prometheus. Sarah has been accepted into the 2012 Conductor Development Program with Symphony Australia and will undertake a mastercourse with Marko Letonja and the Tasmanian Symhpony Orchestra. In addition to her musical credits, Sarah holds a PhD from the University of Sydney.