Homophonic! review | Midsumma Festival | Theatre Works

It's been 16 years since Homophonic! had its first performance. 16 years of championing and supporting LGBTIQ+ classical art music. So it feels almost criminal to have only just attended my first ever Homophonic! concert. Staged as part of the Midsumma Festival, with a string quintet and percussion, and voices of The Consort of Melbourne, Homophonic! is a vivid and deeply felt celebration of queer experiences, tracing stories of resistance, memory and community while looking toward what lies ahead.

Artistic Director and musician Miranda Hill also takes the role of MC, providing rich context for each of the pieces we are about to hear. Hill exudes a warmth and openness to her introductions, allowing the audience to grasp not only the compositions themselves but the meaning and purpose behind them. This elevates the six performances beyond music, turning them into an experience that resonates emotionally and intellectually, and leaving a real sense of connection with the stories being told.

Highlights include "Dextram Man 1, 2 & 3" from Lyle Chan's 90-minute AIDS Memoir Quartet. The work traces Chan’s six years as an HIV/AIDS activist during the peak of the epidemic in Australia, and his efforts in bringing medications from LA into Sydney. These three sections - coming to roughly 12 minutes - focus on the LA man who supplied Chan with the drugs. Performed by a string quartet, the music alternates between tense, urgent passages that reflect the high stakes of Chan’s mission, and sequences of quiet intimacy that evoke the courage and risks taken.

While the program leans on classical music, it interprets the form in varied ways, none more striking than the world premiere of Samuel Carrick's "Shakey". Winner of the Midsumma Presents: The Homophonic! Pride Prize Composition Competition, "Shakey" explores Brisbane’s queer spaces and the safety and comfort they present. You wouldn’t expect a double bass to capture the energy of nightclub life, yet with additional sounds that pulse like a heartbeat and well-judged lighting, Hill’s solo seamlessly brings these spaces to life, highlighting their vibrancy and the vital role such venues have in queer culture.

For an event designed to pay tribute to the LGBTIQ+ community, the final secret number is a perfect gem of a finale. Arranged by Kym Dillon, it gives the musicians and vocal ensemble the chance to play with the piece and have some fun with it. You could feel the positivity and delight radiating through the room. It created a special, unifying moment for everyone in the venue, and for that reason, I won’t reveal what the song was, as should they choose to repeat it. it can remain the surprise it was for all of us.

The evening is a testament to Homophonic!’s enduring spirit, offering a celebration that is as entertaining as it is imaginative. With inventive arrangements, playful performances, and moments that connect and uplift, the program showcases the creativity and joy that thrive within the LGBTIQ+ community. It’s a reinvigorating experience that reminds us of the power of music to bring people together, share stories, and inspiring hope and excitement for the future.

PERFOMERS
Meg Cohen - violin
Natasha Conrau  - violin
Louise Devinish - percussion
Phoebe Green - viola
Miranda Hill - double bass
Nils Hobinger - cello

THE CONSORT OF MELBOURNE
Monika Harris
Steven Hodgson
Katherine Norman
Ben Owen
Robin Parkin
Alex Ritter 

Homophonic! was performed at Theatre Works between 6 - 7 February 2026.

Image credit: Darren Gill