Title: Butterflies Dance (for SATB choir)
Composer: Matthew Orlovich | Text: Michael J. Smith
Performed by: Resonance (QLD, Australia)

Butterflies dance was commissioned by The Australian Voices for performance during their 2009 concert season. The work is a setting of a poem of the same name by the indigenous Australian author, Michael J. Smith*.

Colourful butterflies come fluttering to the ocean from mountains, valleys, hills and plains. Arriving at the coast, they dance above the waves, disappearing “in the motion of the ocean or maybe in the belly of a fish.”

When composing this setting for a cappella SATB choir, I sought to explore layered, quasi- orchestral choral textures, principally by using rhythmic repetition of selected words and syllables to vocally ‘orchestrate’ the effect of butterflies’ beating wings. Against this fluttering word play, I scored my thematic material, which is of a lyrical character.

A further innovation that I aimed to bring to the work is a dynamic sense of ‘surround sound’ attained throughout the piece by judicious shifting of foreground and background material between the various divisi choral parts.

I sincerely thank The Australian Voices for commissioning the work and gratefully acknowledge Magabala Books for granting permission to set the poem to music.

* Michael J. Smith, ‘Butterflies dance’, in Rimfire: Poetry from Aboriginal Australia. Broome, Magabala Books, 2000. Grateful acknowledgement is made of Magabala Books for granting permission to set this text.

Matthew Orlovich,
Composer.

Gondwana Chorale, conducted by Paul Holley @ The Concourse Concert Hall, Sydney, Australia. (January, 2014)

… The first half of the concert was the choir by itself, with the opening work Butterflies, by Australian composer Mathew Orlovich, a delightful work of wonderfully complex rhymes and harmonies constantly shifting with a marvellous last chord. This was skilfully conducted by Olivia Swift, otherwise an alto in the choir. (“Chorale takes off in concert devoted to flight” – Music / Flight, the Oriana Chorale. At Wesley Uniting Church, July 27. Reviewed by Graham McDonald, Canberra City News).

Since the 2009 world premiere of Butterflies dance, the work has been included in the repertoire of numerous choirs. Some of the known performances include:

SATURDAY 27 JULY, 2024 (5PM)
Performers: Oriana Chorale, directed by Olivia Swift.
Venue: Wesley Uniting Church, Forrest, ACT, Australia.

SATURDAY 11. JUNE 2022 (7:30PM)
Performers: Schlosschor Hadersfeld unter der Leitung von Jacobsen Woollen
Venue: Musikschulsaal St. Andrä-Wördern, Greifensteiner Str. 22, 3423 St. Andrä-Wördern, Austria || Eine Reise um die Welt ||

FRIDAY 26 FEBRUARY, 2021 (7.30PM)
Performers: Bucheon Civic Chorale.
Venue: Bucheon Citizen’s Hall Grand Hall, 788 Jung-dong, Wonmi-gu, Bucheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea.

FRIDAY 27 SEPTEMBER, 2019 (7.30PM)
Performers: Burgundian Consort, directed by Sonia Maddock.
Venue: Sir John Clancy Auditorium, UNSW Sydney.

THURSDAY 25 JULY, 2019 (1.10PM)
Performers: Burgundian Consort, directed by Sonia Maddock.
Venue: Tyree Room, John Niland Scientia Building UNSW.

WEDNESDAY 17 JULY, 2019 (1PM)
Performers: Gondwana Latitude 34, directed by Elizabeth Scott.
Venue: Verbrugghen Hall, Sydney Conservatorium of Music.

MONDAY 15 JULY 2019 (7PM)
Performers: Gondwana Latitude 34, directed by Elizabeth Scott.
Venue: Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House.

TUESDAY 22 & WEDNESDAY 23 MAY 2018
Performers: NSW Public Schools Singers.
Venue: Sydney Town Hall, George Street, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Program: In Concert – Secondary Choral Festival.

SUNDAY 29 APRIL 2018
Performers: VOX, directed by Elizabeth Scott.
Venue: Utzon Room, Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point, NSW, Australia.

SATURDAY 24 MARCH 2018 (4PM)
Performers: Fusion, directed by Debra Shearer-Dirié.
Program: “Ancient Lands” – Choral music from across the ages and across the world: Australia, Italy, Switzerland, Estonia, Latvia and Brazil!
Venue: St Andrew’s Anglican Church, Indooroopilly, QLD, Australia.

SATURDAY 24 FEBRUARY 2018
Performers: VOX, directed by Elizabeth Scott.
Program: “Voyage of Voices” – An international collaboration between VOX (Australia) and E STuudio (Estonia).
Venue: Christ Church St Laurence, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

SATURDAY 18 NOVEMBER, 2017
Performers: Choristry, directed by Dan Walker.
Program: This last concert of the year is a flight-themed selection of great music from the last 80 or so years. Highlights are Whitacre’s whiz-bang vocal tour-de-force ‘Leonardo Dreams of His Flying Machine’, Matthew Orlovich’s fabulously evocative ‘Butterflies Dance’ and a new Elton John arrangement by me!” – Conductor, Dan Walker.
Venue:  St Johns Southgate, 20 City Rd, Southbank, Vic 3006, Australia.

SATURDAY 12 AUGUST, 2017
Performers: Fusion Vocal Ensemble, directed by Debra Shearer-Dirié.
Venue: St Andrew’s Anglican Church, Cnr Lambert Rd & Fairley St, Indooroopilly, Queensland 4068.

TUESDAY 24 JANUARY – SATURDAY 4 FEBRUARY, 2017
Performers: Gondwana Chorale, directed by Paul Holley.
Venue: US Tour – 24 Jan: Memorial Chapel at University of Redlands, Redlands, CA 92374; 26 Jan: Stanford Memorial Church, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305; 30 Jan: Millennium Stage, The John F. Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts, Washington D.C.; 31 Jan: Temple Performing Arts Centre Lew Klein Hall, Philadelphia, PA 19122; 2 Feb: Trinity Church Wall Street, Broadway, New York, NY 10006; 3 Feb: Slosberg Music Centre, Brandeis University, MA 02453; 4 Feb: First Church in Cambridge, Cambridge, MA 02138.

SATURDAY 10 SEPTEMBER, 2016
Performers: Exaudi Youth Choir, directed by Mark O’Leary.
Venue: Central Hall, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.

SATURDAY 18 JUNE 2016
Performers: Voyces, directed by Dr Robert Braham with Stage Direction by Sarah McKellar.
Venue: Churchland Concert Hall, 20 Lucca Street, Churchlands, Western Australia, 6018.

SATURDAY 16 APRIL 2016
Performers: University Chorus, directed by Dr Jennifer M. Flory (Georgia College, GA, USA).
Venue: “Music Lives” @ First Baptist Church, Milledgeville, Georgia, USA.

FRIDAY 25 MARCH, 2016
Performers: Grinnell Singers, directed by Ben Luedcke.
Venue: Spring Concert Tour – First Christian Church, 16 E. Platte Ave., Colorado Springs, Colorado.

WEDNESDAY 23 MARCH, 2016
Performers: Grinnell Singers, directed by Ben Luedcke.
Venue: Spring Concert Tour – Immaculate Heart of Mary Chapel, 50 Mount Carmel Road, Santa Fe, New Mexico.

TUESDAY 22 MARCH, 2016
Performers: Grinnell Singers, directed by Ben Luedcke.
Venue: Spring Concert Tour – Green Mountain United Methodist Church, 12755 W. Cedar Drive, Lakewood, Colorado.

MONDAY 21 MARCH, 2016
Performers: Grinnell Singers, directed by Ben Luedcke.
Venue: Spring Concert Tour – First Congregational Church of Boulder, 1128 Pine St., Boulder, Colorado, USA.

SUNDAY 20 MARCH, 2016
Performers: Grinnell Singers, directed by Ben Luedcke.
Venue: Spring Concert Tour – Cathedral of the Plains — Basilica of St. Fidelis, 900 Cathedral Ave., Victoria, Kansas, USA.

SATURDAY 19 MARCH, 2016
Performers: Grinnell Singers, directed by Ben Luedcke.
Venue: Spring Concert Tour – Asbury United Methodist Church, 5400 W. 75th St., Prairie Village, Kansas.

SUNDAY 15 NOVEMBER 2015 (2PM)
Performers: The Brisbane Chamber Choir, conducted by Kathryn Morton.
Venue: St John’s Anglican Cathedral, 373 Ann Street, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.

FRIDAY 23 OCTOBER 2015
Performers: University of Michigan Chamber Choir, conducted by Jerry Blackstone
Venue: Stamps Auditorium, 1226 Murfin Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.

SUNDAY 27 SEPTEMBER 2015
Performers: University of Michigan Chamber Choir, conducted by Jerry Blackstone.
Venue: Hill Auditorium, 825 N University Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.

SUNDAY 20 SEPTEMBER 2015 (3PM)
Performers: Brisbane Chamber Choir, conducted by Kathryn Morton.
Venue: The Village Well, 54 Strathalbyn Road, Aldgate, South Australia.

SATURDAY 19 SEPTEMBER 2015 (6:30PM)
Performers: Brisbane Chamber Choir, conducted by Kathryn Morton.
Venue: St. Peter’s Cathedral, 27 King William Rd, Nth Adelaide, South Australia.

SUNDAY 13 SEPTEMBER 2015
Performers: Brisbane Chamber Choir.
Venue: St John’s Anglican Cathedral, 373 Ann Street, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.

SUNDAY 12 APRIL 2015 (1:45PM)
Performers: Jerry’s Lab Choir, conducted by Dr Jerry Blackstone.
Venue: Closing Ceremony and Concert, ANCA ChoralFest, Wesley College, 577 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.

10-12 APRIL 2015
Performers: Voyces, conducted by Dr Robert Braham.
Venue: ANCA ChoralFest, Wesley College, 577 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.

SUNDAY 1 MARCH 2015 (6PM)
Performers: The West Village Chorale, conducted by Michael Conley.
Venue: “Journey On” – Judson Memorial Church, 239 Thompson Street, New York, New York 10012 USA.

TUESDAY 7 OCTOBER, 2014 (MUSICA VIVA CONCERT)
Performers: Brisbane Chamber Choir, directed by Graeme Morton.
Venue: Independent Theatre, 269 Miller Street, North Sydney, NSW, Australia.

MONDAY 28 JULY, 2014 (6:30PM–8:30PM) (MUSICA VIVA – MASTERCLASS WITH STEPHEN CLEOBURY, CONDUCTOR OF KING’S COLLEGE CHOIR, CAMBRIDGE, UK).
Performers: Resonance of Birralee & Brisbane Chamber Choir.
Venue: The Gehrmann Theatre, Brisbane Girls Grammar School 70 Gregory Tce, Spring Hill, QLD, Australia.

SATURDAY 18 JANUARY, 2014
Performers: Gondwana Chorale, directed by Paul Holley.
Venue: Gondwana National Choral School – The Concourse Concert Hall, Chatswood, NSW, Australia.

SUNDAY 9 JUNE, 2013 (2PM)
Performers: Brisbane Chamber Choir, conducted by Kathryn Morton.
Venue: St John’s Cathedral, Ann Street, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.

SATURDAY 18 JUNE, 2011 (7PM)
Performers: Resonance of Birralee, conducted by Paul Holley.
Venue: Stafford Salvation Army Complex, Hayward St, Stafford, QLD, Australia.

FRIDAY 22ND OCTOBER, 2010 (1:30PM)
Performers: Concordis Chamber Choir, directed by Andrew Hunter.
Broadcast: 3MBS.FM – “Dress Circle”.

SATURDAY 14 AUGUST, 2010 *** 1ST PRIZE PERFORMANCE***
Performers: Concordis Chamber Choir, directed by Andrew Hunter
Venue: Australian National Eisteddfod, Llewellyn Hall, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT.

SATURDAY 29 MAY, 2010 (7:45PM)
Performers: Concordis Chamber Choir, directed by Andrew Hunter.
Venue: Ian Roach Hall, James Forbes Academy for Performing Arts, Scotch College, 1 Morrison Street, Hawthorn, VIC, 3122, Australia.

SUNDAY 8 NOVEMBER, 2009 (3PM)
Performers: The Australian Voices, conducted by Gordon Hamilton.
Venue: Decoder Warehouse, 7 Light St, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.

SATURDAY  7 NOVEMBER, 2009 (7PM)
Performers: The Australian Voices, conducted by Gordon Hamilton.
Venue: Decoder Warehouse, 7 Light St, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.

THURSDAY 27 AUGUST, 2009 (7PM) ***WORLD PREMIERE PERFORMANCE***
Performers: The Australian Voices, conducted by Stephen Leek.
Venue: Conservatorium Theatre, Griffith University, 16 Russell Street, South Bank, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.