ARIA award-winning duo Katie Noonan and Karin Schaupp are bringing their national album tour, ‘Songs of The Southern Skies Vol 2,’ to Chatswood’s Concourse Concert Hall on Thursday, April 10, 2025. The performance will showcase stunning reinterpretations of songs by some of Australia’s finest female artists.
This special concert, part of a national tour celebrating their upcoming September 2024 album release, will feature reimagined arrangements of tracks by Olivia Newton-John, Aunty Ruby Hunter, Missy Higgins, Sia, Kate Ceberano, Sarah Blasko, and others.
Adding a local touch to the Chatswood performance, the duo has invited community choir “With One Voice” to join them on stage for a song, creating a unique experience for North Shore audiences.
A Musical Partnership Spanning Two Decades
What began as a chance encounter at a festival has blossomed into a significant musical partnership between two of Australia’s most celebrated female artists. Their creative relationship spans 20 years and has earned them critical acclaim, including an ARIA Award for Best World Music Album for ‘Songs of the Latin Skies.’
Since formally collaborating as a duo in 2011, Schaupp and Noonan have released three albums together, including their ARIA-nominated ‘Songs of the Southern Skies,’ which featured distinguished guests like Iva Davies, Claire Bowditch, and Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu.
The Australian newspaper has praised their collaboration, noting that “Katie Noonan has a voice like warm honey being decanted into melting snow. It is such a thing of beauty that finding a vessel to hold it can be difficult. Happily, in the music of acclaimed German-born classical guitarist Karin Schaupp, Noonan has found the perfect companion.”
About the Artists
Karin Schaupp
Internationally acclaimed classical guitarist Karin Schaupp began playing at age five and performed publicly by age six. Her early talent was recognised with prizes at international competitions in Italy and Spain, where she received a special award for Best Interpretation of Spanish Music.
Taught primarily by her guitarist mother, Isolde Schaupp, Karin completed her studies at The University of Queensland with First Class Honours and a Masters degree, receiving a University Gold Medal. Her achievements have been recognised with the Music Council of Australia Freedman Fellowship (2003) and the prestigious Music Fellowship from the Australia Council for the Arts (2014-2015).
Schaupp’s extensive discography spans solo works, chamber music collaborations, and orchestral recordings. She has performed with major orchestras worldwide, including the London Philharmonic Orchestra, and appeared at prestigious venues and festivals across Australia, Europe, Asia, North America, and beyond.
Currently serving as Head of Classical Guitar at the Queensland Conservatorium, Griffith University, Schaupp continues to push artistic boundaries through collaborations across various art forms, including theatre and contemporary dance.
Katie Noonan
Five-time ARIA award-winning artist Katie Noonan has established herself as one of Australia’s most versatile and prolific performers over the past 25 years. Named one of Australia’s greatest singers by the Herald Sun, she has produced 29 albums throughout her career, with seven-times platinum record sales and 29 ARIA award nominations spanning diverse genres.
Noonan first gained national attention in 2002 as the frontwoman of indie rock band george, whose debut album ‘Polyserena’ reached number one on the ARIA charts. Since then, her musical journey has taken her through jazz, classical, electronic, and folk genres.
Her impressive career includes performances for Danish and British royalty and the Dalai Lama. In 2018, she served as Music Director for the Commonwealth Games Opening and Closing ceremonies, performing to more than a billion viewers worldwide.
A passionate advocate for Australian music and artists, Noonan established the Carol Lloyd Award in 2017, a $15,000 prize for Queensland female musicians. Her recent creation, AVÉ Australian Vocal Ensemble, has commissioned over 40 new works from Australian composers and continues to champion Australian stories while engaging with First Nations artists.
In 2023, Noonan was awarded “Best Live Voice QLD” in the National Live Music Awards, further cementing her status as one of Australia’s most respected vocalists.
The Chatswood Connection
The duo’s choice to perform at Chatswood’s Concourse Concert Hall brings their celebrated collaboration to one of Sydney’s most vibrant cultural hubs. The North Shore venue continues to attract world-class talent, with this performance adding to the area’s growing reputation as a destination for premium arts events.
Local audiences will have the rare opportunity to experience the synergy between Noonan’s ethereal vocals and Schaupp’s masterful guitar work in an intimate setting, while the inclusion of the “With One Voice” choir creates a meaningful connection to the Chatswood community.
Tickets for the April 10 performance are now on sale and can be purchased through katienoonan.com.au and karinschaupp.com.
Published 18-March-2025
