The Idea of North are an Australian a cappella vocal ensemble founded in Canberra in 1993, by Nick Begbie (tenor), Meg Corson (alto), Trish Delaney-Brown (soprano) and Andrew Piper (bass).

Still active in 2024, but touring less frequently since the Covid-19 pandemic, The Idea of North has had a number of personnel changes since their formation, with Nick Begbie the only remaining original member.

The Idea of North was formed in Canberra 1993 by Nick Begbie (tenor), Meg Corson (alto), Trish Delaney-Brown (soprano) and Andrew Piper (bass).

These four formed their own quartet from the larger ensemble, eventually adopting their name from The Idea of North (1967), a radio documentary by Canadian classical pianist, Glenn Gould.

[5][6][7] Over the years, the individual members of the group have written, arranged and performed some original music, but largely tackle re-imaginings of jazz standards and other music by a huge variety of artists, including but not limited to The Beatles, Tim Minchin, Sting, Stevie Wonder, James Taylor, The Muppets, Joni Mitchell, Randy Newman, ABBA, The Bee Gees, Vulfpeck and John Mayer.

[8][9] Instrumentation was provided by Greg Stott on congas and percussion, Duncan Brown on bass and Piper on flugelhorn on "My Funny Valentine",[9] although the album was majority a cappella.

[13] Crellin's previous group, Pure Harmony, was an a cappella quartet formed in 1992 at Marryatville High School, Adelaide with fellow students Sally Cameron, Joy Hague and Kate Boumelha.

The group also recorded and included on Evidence an arrangement of Horace Silver's Sister Sadie written especially for them by long-time fan and renowned Swedish-Australian musicologist and music theorist Bengt-Olov Palmqvist.

[22][23] In April 2006, The Idea of North released The Gospel Project, and featured prayers and three tracks, "Let It Ring", "Help Us" and "The Truth" co-written by Begbie and Michael Leunig.

[24] Aside from vocals by Begbie, Crellin, Delaney-Brown and Piper four of the recordings included instrumentals: Duncan Brown on bass guitar, Bill Risby on keyboards and Gordon Rytmeister on drums.

[29] Sally Cameron (ex-Pure Harmony, South Australian Police Band) joined as soprano in February 2007 to replace Delaney-Brown, who left to start her family.

[30] She later became a member of Sonic Mayhem Orchestra and then James Valentine Quartet before establishing the Trish Delaney-Brown Quintet, and then in 2021 debuting with her new female vocal trio, Lhyra.

[31] On 10 April 2010, The group released their sixth studio album, Feels Like Spring which, another collaboration with Australian jazz icon James Morrison, peaked at No.

Hague resumed her work as a high school music teacher although she filled in as deputy alto in the Idea of North as required thereafter.

[44] In 2015, due to some vocal health issues, a replacement tenor was sourced to cover Nick's part for The Idea of North's 2015 Australian Christmas Tour.

From 2016, Japanese vocal percussionist Kaichiro Kitamura was a session and touring member and featured on three tracks on their tenth studio album, Ballads, which was released on 18 April 2016.

HUSH 16: A Piece Of Quiet was born, through collaborations between The Idea of North, Israeli-Australian singer-songwriter Lior and Australian composer and pianist Elena Kats-Chernin.

[47] Before the Covid-19 pandemic set it worldwide, The Idea of North played their last show to a full house at the Adelaide Fringe Festival, Australia.

Due to the increasing concern over the pandemic, growing rates of infection and escalating frequency of lock-downs, The Idea of North went into hiatus.