100 WOMEN. 100 STORIES.
a choral performance
100 Women 100 Stories is an uplifting choral celebration of women's stories. Sung by 100 local women, it was written by 6 female Australian composers and inspired by interviews with 100 women from across the country.
During the 2020 lockdowns, The House That Dan Built spoke to 100 women from around Australia. They shared stories of resilience, connection to community, and reflections on their lives.
The recorded interviews were given to six award-winning Australian female composers who wove those stories into a one-hour moving and poignant choral experience.
PERFORMANCE HISTORY
2023 Sydney Town Hall
2023 Deniliquin, NSW (development showing)
“One day you will meet
the person you were meant to be”
I was just a girl
when my own mum said this to me
- One Day by Audrey Ormella
"We have freedom,
We have technology,
We have education,
Choices choices choices choices."
- Choices by Jess O'Donoghue
"She told me to keep my head up,
my head up, to the sky, to the sun."
- Bask, by Olivia Bryant
the 2023
100 WOMEN 100 STORIES brings these stories and music to life in a community engagement project that brings women together through music and women’s stories, culminating in a beautiful performance that has moved audiences to tears and laughter.
Composed by Jessica O’Donoghue, Olivia Bryant, Pru Montin, Audrey Ormella, Leahannah Ceff, Aija Draguns
I felt like I was paying homage to my brave, broken, beautiful female ancestors, and by doing so - that I was somehow passing on their wisdom and protection to my own kind, wise, incredible, daughter and onto my funny, sweet & feisty little granddaughter. It was bonding, swirling and enthralling and I will never forget the magic of it.
- Kate
Participant, Deniliquin
It was the most extraordinary experience to be part of your 100 Women.100 Stories. Danielle and The House were remarkable with the organisation & vision for the weekend. Everything was seamless, inspirational & extraordinary. It was also fascinating to meet some of the remarkable 100 Woman that were involved with singing too – it was such an interesting group of people.
Certainly, the family and friends of mine who were there were moved and full of adoration for the event. The House that Dan Built is extraordinary – the power of music and song is often so understated but should never be overlooked.
- Sarah
Participant, Sydney
composers
In 2021 Jessica received the top performance award in the APRA/AMCOS AMC Art Music Awards and in 2018 she was the recipient of an Australian Institute of Music Fellowship for her “outstanding contributions” to the nation’s music industry. She harnessed a prestigious classical training that included Sydney University, Victorian College of the Arts and London’s Covent Garden into an extensive and eclectic musical career that spans opera, medieval music, pop, jazz and cabaret. A long-term advocate for the democratisation of music, she is committed to engaging with audiences by creating bold, sonic experiences like no other.
Pru Montin is a Melbourne/LA-based composer and sound designer fast creating a name for herself as a dynamic and inventive composer of film and media scores. With a gift at sampling, she sculpts evolving sonic worlds from any sound source, into meticulously orchestrated emotional journeys. Her unique approach has led to features by ASCAP as Composer to Watch, APRA AMCOS's World IP Day Innovator and the coveted biannual APRA AMCOS Professional Development Award for Film and Television in 2019. Her most recent film credits include the AACTA-nominated Australian family feature Moon Rock for Monday whilst her proudest installation is an immersive sonic-collaged multimedia retrospective on Madonna presented in New York.
Olivia Bryant (she/her) is an emerging composer, brass player and conductor from Ipswich, Queensland. Her passion for the arts started young, performing in Wind Orchestras, Jazz Ensembles and Choirs. In her 2nd year of Composition for Creative Industries at Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Olivia loves to write and perform immersive, personal meaningful music. Her works have been performed by Sydney Youth Orchestras, Australian Youth Orchestra as well as Melbourne Youth Orchestra. She was also a finalist in the Women’s Wind Band Composition Award and was recently successful in gaining a place in the 2024 Australian Youth Orchestra Music Intensive as Orchestral Manager. At the end of this year, her 10-minute Wind Orchestra Suite, In the Middle of Nowhere, will be premiered by the Queensland Wind Orchestra.
Leahannah (she/her) is a composer, vocalist, flautist and performer from Naarm/ Melbourne, Australia. Leahnnah brings with her 20 years of experience as a vocalist and flautist, having performed in numerous bands over the years ranging from jazz, contemporary, to progressive/experimental and folk. Leahannah is passionate about creating unique, emotive music that blends vocals, and acoustic instruments with electronic soundscapes. Leahannah’s sound can be best described as ethereal, emotional, and immersive.
Aija Draguns is a Sydney-based emerging composer. She has a passion for choral music and is heavily influenced by her Latvian heritage. Growing up Aija studied piano and saxophone, and sung in various ensembles in the Latvian community. Aija attended the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, completing a Bachelor of Music (Composition), and a Bachelor of Music Studies (Composition Honours). Aija has since worked with Sydney Youth Orchestra and Ensemble Apex. Aija’s compositions have been programmed by Sydney Philharmonia choir Vox, Sydney Conservatorium choirs, Konzertprojekt, Trinitiy Grammar School choir, the Australian Latvian Cultural Festival, The House that Dan Built, and Melbourne Latvian choir Daina. Aija's work has recently been presented in Sydney Town Hall and at the Sydney Opera House.
Audrey Ormella is an emerging Sydney-based composer, living and working on Wangal land. She is interested in experimenting with both live and pre-recorded musical ideas, and has previously worked with ensembles such as the AYO, the Australian Voices, Gondwana Choirs, and TheHouseThatDanBuilt Performers. She is currently in her second year studying Composition at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.