Parkour was commissioned by Brisbane Boy’s Grammar in 2010 under the direction of Kate Albury. It is an exciting and challenging piece for upper Primary, especially suited to boy’s choir. In 2013 the South Australian Public Primary Schools Festival of Music commissioned a new version with orchestra.

Parkour is the physical discipline of training to overcome any obstacle within one’s path by adapting one’s movements to the environment. Parkour requires consistent, disciplined training with an emphasis on functional strength, physical conditioning, balance, creativity, fluidity, control, precision, spatial awareness, and looking beyond the traditional use of objects.

Parkour movements typically include running, jumping, vaulting, climbing, balancing, and quadrupled movement. Movements from other physical disciplines are often incorporated, but acrobatics or tricking alone do not constitute Parkour. Parkour training focuses on safety, longevity, personal responsibility, and self-improvement. It discourages reckless behavior, showing off, and dangerous stunts. Parkour practitioners value community, humility, positive collaboration, sharing of knowledge, and the importance of play in human life, while demonstrating respect for all people, places, and spaces.

At the world premiere in Brisbane, the choristers ‘parkoured’ their way to the stage!