24 September 2025
The combined voices of almost 4,500 students from 96 public primary schools will fill the Perth High Performance Centre for the Massed Choir Festival for seven nights between 18 to 26 September.
Since its beginning in 1994, the festival has grown to become a celebration of musical talent in public education.
Students from dozens of schools sang together at the Massed Choir.
Each evening, more than 650 excited young voices will take to the stage in a culmination of months of planning, coaching, and rehearsals.
“I love seeing the journey from the very first rehearsal, when the music is completely new to the students, through to the final performance on stage,” said committee member Kailee Marshall.
“Watching the students’ confidence grow and the excitement they feel performing for their families, is incredibly rewarding.
“The committee works across seven rehearsals and seven concerts during the festival, and the buzz and pride the students experience never gets old.
“That’s what keeps us coming back year after year.”
This year’s concert features the first performance of a newly commissioned piece, A Hint of Hope, by Mark Puddy, a song about the extraordinary rescue of the Thai soccer team from a beachside cave in 2018.
“These works often highlight significant events, or people, in Western Australian or national history, are of high choral quality, and are linked to the curriculum,” Mrs Marshall said.
“Among the international rescue team were two Australians, Western Australian veterinarian Dr Craig Challen, and South Australian anaesthetist Dr Richard Harris.
“Both believed the chances of success were slim, but knew they had to try before the monsoon rains set in.
“Against all odds, every member of the team was saved, and in recognition of their bravery, Challen and Harris were named joint Australians of the Year in 2019.
“This piece reflects the courage, perseverance, and hope that defined that remarkable rescue.”
When the curtain falls on the last show on Friday 26 September, and the students go home, the job isn’t done for the passionate musical educators that volunteer their time and work tirelessly behind the scenes to keep the choir running.
“Immediately after the festival, we move into the recording studio to produce the tracks that students and teachers access on the Massed Choir Festival app, so everything is ready for schools at the start of the following school year,” Mrs Marshall explains.
“Venues for next year’s teacher and student workshops are already booked. We are always looking ahead to ensure we have the resources, funding, and manpower to keep the festival strong.
“As a not-for-profit organisation, we must be proactive. The Massed Choir Festival really is a well-oiled machine, with many moving parts operating all year round.”
Mass Choir Festival tickets are still available.