Vocal Spectrum

When Katie Noonan invites you to a concert, she doesn’t just promise music, she promises an experience! Brisbane audiences were gifted precisely that with AVÉ Australian Vocal Ensemble’s Vocal Spectrum presenting an evening where sound became light, and harmony became a form of truth-telling.

This world premiere program, commissioned for the MELT Festival, presented a stunning collection of new works by Queensland composers set to poetry from LGBTQIA+ voices, alongside inspired arrangements of beloved queer anthems. The result was a tapestry of emotion that was tender, defiant, and luminous, performed by four of the finest singers Australia has to offer.

Each member of AVÉ brought their own distinct colour to the ensemble’s palette, yet the real magic came from how seamlessly those colours blended. Noonan’s soprano floated above the texture like light glancing off water – pure, agile, and crystalline. Her tone carried that unmistakable bell-like clarity she’s known for, effortlessly tracing emotional contours with technical grace.

Fiona Campbell’s mezzo-soprano provided the ensemble’s heart centre. Her voice radiated warmth and emotional generosity, the kind of timbre that feels both luxurious and comforting;  as though being wrapped in a soothing blanket sound.

Louis Hurley’s tenor soared with ethereal purity, evoking something almost sacred. There was a monastic stillness in his tone, yet it was alive with humanity. Hurley had the kind of voice that seems to reach beyond the physical into something transcendent.

Anchoring it all, Andrew O’Connor’s bass-baritone delivered a sound both grounding and commanding. His resonance filled the space with velvet gravity, providing a rich foundation that allowed the others to shimmer above him.

Together, these four voices were a study in balance and restraint. Their blend was so precise it felt architectural, with harmonies rising like stained glass spires, refracting emotional light in every direction.

The program’s structure struck a delicate balance between the new and the familiar. The original compositions offered intimate glimpses into queer life and identity, while the reimagined anthems bridged shared cultural memories with fresh insight. A hauntingly beautiful rendition of Smalltown Boy was a highlight; its fragility and longing cutting straight to the heart.

Beyond the sheer vocal mastery, there was a sense of humility and openness from the performers. Despite their world-class credentials, the atmosphere was one of warmth and accessibility. The storytelling between pieces was personal and unpretentious, creating an emotional throughline that reminded us why live performance remains irreplaceable.

The lighting design at Brisbane Powerhouse enhanced the vocal landscape perfectly with subtle washes of colour that breathed with the music, never overpowering it. The staging was minimal, keeping the focus firmly on the human instrument itself: the voice. This simplicity allowed the audience to connect deeply with the emotion of each piece without distraction.

In just four short years, AVÉ has commissioned over sixty Australian works, and this latest offering proves their artistic courage and cultural importance. Vocal Spectrum was an act of artistic generosity, celebrating queer creativity, resilience, and love through the most primal of instruments. The result was an evening that shimmered with emotional honesty and technical brilliance. For those lucky enough to be there, it was a reminder that the human voice, in all its vulnerability and splendour, remains one of the most powerful vessels of connection we have.

Kitty Goodall