Kompactus is a youth chamber choir, aimed at developing the skills of talented singers between the ages of eighteen and thirty. Founded in 2008 with countertenor David Yardley as director, The group now performs regularly in Canberra, under the artistic direction of composer and choral conductor, Olivia Swift.

Kompactus maintains a diverse and versatile repertoire, drawn from many time periods and styles stretching as far back as the late medieval through to modern contemporary music. Kompactus has sung at the Canberra International Music Festival, as part of the Flowers of Peace series, at Floriade and many more, as well as regularly performing around our local Canberra.

OLIVIA SWIFT is a composer, singer and choral conductor based in Canberra, Australia - and the current Musical DIrector for Kompactus. She has completed a Masters with Paul Stanhope at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, researching contemporary examples of madrigals. She is a graduate of the ANU School of Music, where she studied under Larry Sitsky and Jim Cotter.

Olivia sings with both The Australian Voices, and the sextet Sidenote, touring with these groups around Australia and internationally. She directs Kompactus Youth Choir and the long-running Woden Valley Youth Choir, now in its 53rd year. As a composer, she has been commissioned by various choirs including the Sydney Children’s Choir, The Australian Voices and the Sydney Chamber Choir.