Devil Run Wild was commissioned by the Australian National Choral Association for ChoralFest 2006 in Hobart, Tasmania, under the artistic direction of Joan Wright.
The piece inspired support of the Tasmanian Devil under threat of extinction by Devil Facial Tumour Disease. Devils once occurred on mainland Australia, with fossils having been found widely. But it is believed the devil became extinct on the mainland some 400 years ago before European settlement.
Today the devil is a Tasmanian icon. But it hasn’t always held this status. Tasmanian devils were considered a nuisance by early European settlers of Hobart Town, who complained of raids on poultry yards. In 1930 the Van Diemen’s Land Co. introduced a bounty scheme to remove devils, as well as Tasmanian tigers and wild dogs, from their northwest properties. For more than a century, devils were trapped and poisoned. They became very rare, seemingly headed for extinction. But the population gradually increased after law protected them in June 1941. During 1996 it became evident that Tasmanian devils were again under threat – this time from Devil Facial Tumour Disease.
After the première, Paul worked with Tasmanian academics and the media to raise funds and awareness. The piece was recorded and made available to schools across Australia for a donation which went to saving the animal.
We must all work together to save this iconic animal from extinction. Please visit the website below to see how you can make a difference. Thank you.
Sample recording courtesy of the Hobart singers who gave their time for the cause
