Songs of bush for Christmas

Forgotten Australian Christmas carols will return to centre stage, as the Philharmonic South West Orchestra and Mandurah City Choral Society breathe new life into the songs from the bush.

A combination of more than 85 voices and instruments will blow the roof off the Koombana Bay Sailing Club on December 1, welcoming the festive season with a spectacular Christmas concert.

Conductor David Pye said he had a particular fondness for the rare carols, which he hoped to share with a new generation.

“I have gradually been writing new arrangements of a lot of the well-known carols, but I have always particularly loved these Australian carols because I sang them in primary school,” he said.

“But they are basically out of print now and these are an important part of our Australian cultural heritage — and you can’t even buy them any more.

“I thought, ‘before they disappear completely, I am going to arrange them and get them into our repertoire so the next generation can start to learn them’.”

Mr Pye said the songs explored a different picture of Christmas from the usual European songs which talk of snow.

“This is very much about an Australian Christmas experience with the heat and the Australian birds and the feel of the bush,” he said.

He said this year’s performance would be extra special because of the collaboration with the choir.

Tickets are available from Sticky Tickets.