In this moving and beautiful performance, 60 children from Moorambilla Voices perform the song “Guya”. These children aged 8 to 11 travelled 10 hours by bus to perform at TEDxSydney 2018.
Led by founder and conductor Michelle Leonard, the children sing in Wailwan and English arguably the oldest manmade structure on earth, the Brewarrina fish traps. It’s a reminder for us all to live in harmony with each other and nature – to not take more than we need – to dance, to sing, to dream and to live a life of abundance.
Moorambilla Voices thanks Aunty Brenda Mc Bride for her ongoing support and Melissa Kirby from Brewarrina for generously sharing her language and world view with our artists and kids.
Conductor – Michelle Leonard
Composer – Josephine Gibson
Images – Noni Carroll
Piano – Benjamin Burton
Soprano Saxophone – Christina Leonard
Violin – Lerida Delbridge
Violin – Emma Jezek
Viola – Justin Williams
Cello – Rowena McNeish
Moorambilla Voices helps uncover artistic excellence in regional children and youth by giving country kids a rare opportunity to sing, dance and create incredible performances with artists of the highest calibre. At its core, Moorambilla Voices seeks inspiration from the region of NSW, its landscape, rich culture and inhabitants.
Each year, over 300 students attend a camp where they dance, sing, compose, paint, weave, play drums and learn about the cultural traditions and stories of their landscape.
Michelle Leonard is founder, conductor and Artistic Director of Moorambilla Voices, a program for country kids to learn about artistic expression. Through singing, dancing, drumming, recording, and creating incredible performances, this project helps kids find their voice, their passion and even their path for the future. Moorambilla embodies the spirit of generosity and positivity. Established in 2006, it has now seen more than 25,000 students from over 100 schools, aged between 8 and 18, annually attend skills development workshops as part of a unique cultural experience that focuses on music literacy, singing and the joy of creativity.
