Geelong Summer Music Camp finale 2013

Paul conducting the massed choir and orchestra for the finale of the Geelong Summer Youth Music Camp in 2013. The piper is Geoff Jones from Geelong and the venue is Costa Hall – an old wool factory redesigned as a superb concert hall. ‘Let go the Long White Sails’ was the first piece which Paul wrote for choir and inspired his journey as a choral composer and conductor.

“At the time I was touring and writing for Sirocco. We had a connection with the Darling Harbour Foreshore Authority and Accolade Events (Andrew Walsh), and were responsible for the music soundtrack that plays to over 300,000 people  in the lead up to the Australia Day fireworks in Sydney. In 1999 Andrew Walsh and Lyn Williams (director of the Sydney Children’s Choir) suggested that a choir of children sail into Cockle Bay literally strapped to the masts of the Young Endeavour tall ship, singing a song about travelling to Australia across the sea. I had never written a song like this and I had never written for choir. When I first heard the choir sing this piece I will never forget how the sound of children’s voices touched my heart. There is nothing else like it. I knew that this was the sound that I had been longing for. That choir changed my life and since that day in 1999, I have now written over 120 commissioned works for choirs.”