Lyn Williams - OAM

Lyn Williams is Australia's leading director of choirs for young people, having founded two internationally renowned choirs: Sydney Children's Choir in 1989 and the national children's choir Gondwana Voices in 1997. She has recently added a number of other choirs to the Gondwana Choirs program, including the Gondwana National Indigenous Children’s Choir, Gondwana Chorale, Gondwana Singers and Junior Gondwana. Her exceptional skill in working with young people is recognised internationally for its high artistic quality and ground-breaking innovation.

Artistic Director

In addition to her work with young people, Lyn Williams has been Music Director and Conductor for a number of major events, including the Opening Ceremony of the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games, the Rugby World Cup in 2003, and the NSW Centennial Ceremony in 2001. Lyn has conducted many major professional choirs and orchestras in Australia, including the Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne Symphony Orchestras, the Australian Chamber Orchestra, the Australian Youth Orchestra, and the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs. In 2001 she co-directed Leunig's Parables, Lullabies and Secrets with Gondwana Voices, the Australian Chamber Orchestra, Neil Finn and Michael Leunig.

Lyn has toured extensively with her choirs including tours to Europe, Asia, North and Central America. In 2007 she led Gondwana Voices on a 10th Anniversary international tour to Canada, France and to the BBC Proms in London, where they were the first Australian children’s choir to perform at this prestigious event. In 2004 she performed with Gondwana Voices at America Cantat in Mexico City and at Polyfollia in Normandy, France. In April 2005 she travelled with the Sydney Children’s Choir to the World Expo in Nagoya, Japan for the official Australia Day Expo Ceremony.

In January 2004, Lyn Williams was awarded Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in recognition of her services to the Arts as Founder & Director of Gondwana Choirs. She also received the NSW State Award at the 2006 Classical Music Awards for her long term contribution to the advancement of Australian music. Lyn is a Churchill Fellow and also a composer. In 2009 she won the APRA-Australian Music Centre Vocal / Choral Work of the Year for her work The Dominion of Dreams.