Versatile, perceptive, and a passionate advocate for music as a force for change, Dr Sarah Penicka-Smith is a unique and innovative voice in Australian music, who thrives working across genres & disciplines. Her reputation stands on her work with some of Sydney's finest choirs, but she has also founded or developed several grass-roots ensembles aimed at providing hard-to-find opportunities for musicians and music-lovers alike. Sarah also continues to work regularly in the fields of opera and orchestral music. She is an alumna of the presitigious 2018 Hart Institute for Women Conductors at The Dallas Opera, where she made her international debut.
Currently Sarah holds the positions of Artistic Director & Principal Conductor of River City Voices, Director of Music at St Andrew’s College, Principal Conductor with the Macquarie Singers & Macquarie Chamber Orchestra, and Artistic Director of Pacific Pride Choir. In 2019 she toured Vietnam and Cambodia in a groundbreaking project with Pacific Pride Choir, co-directed by her wife Melanie Penicka-Smith, which inspired the foundation of Hanoi's Diversity Choir and a gay singing ensemble in Cambodia. She also directed the inaugural seasons of Macquarie Chamber Orchestra and River City Voices, conducted sold-out performances of Vivaldi's 'Gloria' (with Macquarie Singers) and Handel's 'Messiah' (with River City Voices), and continued her direction of the Lifehouse Volunteer Orchestra at oncology hospital the Chris O'Brien Lifehouse.
Sarah’s opera credits include Purcell’s The Fairy Queen, the first opera ever to be staged by a queer choir (Sydney Gay & Lesbian Choir, 2009) & Dido & Aeneas (Macquarie Singers, 2017), Korie & Wallace’s Harvey Milk (Left Bauer/SGLC 2015), Phillip Glass’s Akhnaten (Ondine Productions, 2013), Campra’s Tancrede (2010), Cummins’ Anacreontea (2011, premiere) and Timor (2015, premiere), Krasa’s Brundibar (2014), Leon’s Monsoon (2015, premiere) and Menotti’s The Medium (2015), all with Opera Prometheus.
Sarah has appeared as guest conductor with Penrith Symphony Orchestra, the University of Sydney Intercol Orchestra, Willoughby Symphony Orchestra, Ku-ring-gai Philharmonic Orchestra, and Sydney Chamber Orchestra. As part of the Symphony Australia Conductor Development Program (2012-2015), she worked with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra, the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, and the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra under the guidance of Maestri Asher Fisch, Johannes Fritsch, Marko Letonja and Christopher Seaman.
From 2005-2017, Sarah was the longest-serving Music Director of the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Choir, where she worked on a range of pioneering projects, including numerous commissions, the first virtual queer choir with OutPost Choir, and curating performance art in response to art works at Hobart's MONA (Museum of Old and New Art) for the Festival of Voices. Sarah chorusmasters for a range of ensembles and festivals, including Sydney Philharmonia Choirs and Willoughby Symphony Choir (2010-2012), and in 2010 she directed the 61st Intervarsity Choral Festival in Canberra. She has been the conductor for ABC Sydney’s ‘Sing Out Sydney’ event since its inception.
Sarah has also served on the Musica Viva Artistic Review Committee, and as a juror for the Vocal/Choral section of the APRA/AMCOS Art Music Awards. She works teaches conducting and singing privately and has also worked with singers under the auspices of Cate Madill Voice & Speech. In addition to her musical credits, Sarah holds a PhD from the University of Sydney, where she has been a guest lecturer.
As well as her regular conducting engagements, Sarah looks forward to forthcoming engagements with the Penrith Symphony Orchestra, the Blackheath Choral Festival, and the GALA Choruses Festival in Minneapolis.
Header photo by Karen Almond
Currently Sarah holds the positions of Artistic Director & Principal Conductor of River City Voices, Director of Music at St Andrew’s College, Principal Conductor with the Macquarie Singers & Macquarie Chamber Orchestra, and Artistic Director of Pacific Pride Choir. In 2019 she toured Vietnam and Cambodia in a groundbreaking project with Pacific Pride Choir, co-directed by her wife Melanie Penicka-Smith, which inspired the foundation of Hanoi's Diversity Choir and a gay singing ensemble in Cambodia. She also directed the inaugural seasons of Macquarie Chamber Orchestra and River City Voices, conducted sold-out performances of Vivaldi's 'Gloria' (with Macquarie Singers) and Handel's 'Messiah' (with River City Voices), and continued her direction of the Lifehouse Volunteer Orchestra at oncology hospital the Chris O'Brien Lifehouse.
Sarah’s opera credits include Purcell’s The Fairy Queen, the first opera ever to be staged by a queer choir (Sydney Gay & Lesbian Choir, 2009) & Dido & Aeneas (Macquarie Singers, 2017), Korie & Wallace’s Harvey Milk (Left Bauer/SGLC 2015), Phillip Glass’s Akhnaten (Ondine Productions, 2013), Campra’s Tancrede (2010), Cummins’ Anacreontea (2011, premiere) and Timor (2015, premiere), Krasa’s Brundibar (2014), Leon’s Monsoon (2015, premiere) and Menotti’s The Medium (2015), all with Opera Prometheus.
Sarah has appeared as guest conductor with Penrith Symphony Orchestra, the University of Sydney Intercol Orchestra, Willoughby Symphony Orchestra, Ku-ring-gai Philharmonic Orchestra, and Sydney Chamber Orchestra. As part of the Symphony Australia Conductor Development Program (2012-2015), she worked with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra, the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, and the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra under the guidance of Maestri Asher Fisch, Johannes Fritsch, Marko Letonja and Christopher Seaman.
From 2005-2017, Sarah was the longest-serving Music Director of the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Choir, where she worked on a range of pioneering projects, including numerous commissions, the first virtual queer choir with OutPost Choir, and curating performance art in response to art works at Hobart's MONA (Museum of Old and New Art) for the Festival of Voices. Sarah chorusmasters for a range of ensembles and festivals, including Sydney Philharmonia Choirs and Willoughby Symphony Choir (2010-2012), and in 2010 she directed the 61st Intervarsity Choral Festival in Canberra. She has been the conductor for ABC Sydney’s ‘Sing Out Sydney’ event since its inception.
Sarah has also served on the Musica Viva Artistic Review Committee, and as a juror for the Vocal/Choral section of the APRA/AMCOS Art Music Awards. She works teaches conducting and singing privately and has also worked with singers under the auspices of Cate Madill Voice & Speech. In addition to her musical credits, Sarah holds a PhD from the University of Sydney, where she has been a guest lecturer.
As well as her regular conducting engagements, Sarah looks forward to forthcoming engagements with the Penrith Symphony Orchestra, the Blackheath Choral Festival, and the GALA Choruses Festival in Minneapolis.
Header photo by Karen Almond
EDUCATION & TRAINING
PhD, University of Sydney, 2011
BA/BMus (Hons), University of Sydney, 2005
Symphony Australia Conductor Development Program, 2012-2015
Mastercourses:
Maestro Johannes Fritzsch & the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra
Maestri Johannes Fritzsch, Marko Letonja, Christopher Seaman
& the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra
Maestro Asher Fisch & the West Australian Symphony Orchestra
PhD, University of Sydney, 2011
BA/BMus (Hons), University of Sydney, 2005
Symphony Australia Conductor Development Program, 2012-2015
Mastercourses:
Maestro Johannes Fritzsch & the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra
Maestri Johannes Fritzsch, Marko Letonja, Christopher Seaman
& the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra
Maestro Asher Fisch & the West Australian Symphony Orchestra