About 100 people gathered at the lookout at 5.30pm for community singing, an Indigenous welcome to country and a lantern-lit walk to the Australian War Memorial.

Organiser and lantern-maker Graeme Dunstan said the vigil aimed to show government-funded military ceremonies were not the only way to commemorate fallen soldiers.

"We were concerned originally about expenditure for Anzac Centenary commemorations," Mr Dunstan said.

"We thought, can we find another way of remembering the war dead? How can we bring more art to it?

"So I brought lanterns and the chorus of women wrote a whole beautiful song book which deeply moves people and reminds everyone that war is grief."

Mr Dunstan said Australian War Memorial director Dr Brendan Nelson generously allowed the vigil to pass through the memorial grounds. The walk ended with a campfire on the corner of Anzac Parade and Constitution Avenue for story-telling, poetry and singing.

A Chorus of Women is a Canberra-based chorus that publicly performs original music and drama about current and historical issues, including war and climate change.

The group gained widespread attention formed nearly 10 years ago to sing a lament inside Parliament House on the day former prime minister John Howard announced Australia's entry to the Iraq war.

A Chorus of Women music co-ordinator Johanna McBride said she hoped its music helped people pay respects. She said there was a powerful message in the song, "Spirit Songs," by group member and Griffith resident Glenda Cloughley.

"It's honouring two mothers who have lost children in conflict," Ms McBride said.

"Spirit Songs is important because one of the mothers being honoured is white and the other is an Aboriginal woman, and part of the lyrics were written by a woman from the stolen generation."

"It is about uniting as one and learning to live in peace with each other, despite being a people of many colours."

Canberran Jodi Neale said she was moved by the impassioned speeches and music, complemented by the sunset setting.

"It was absolutely beautiful, it took you to another world," she said.

Her three-year-old son Marandu wanted to walk down the hill but it would have been too difficult for him while holding the lantern.

"So we just watched the lights flicker among the trees from the top," she said.

"It was still really special - absolutely stunning."