LOVE to sing? Here’s your chance.
‘Try a Choir Week’ is a national campaign that encourages more Australians to discover the joy of singing with others.
Running from 24-30 August, the week is about encouraging people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities to join a community choir and experience the joy and many benefits of singing.
Creativity Australia staged ‘Try a Choir Week’ for the first time last year and it was so successful it’s being held again.
Creativity Australia’s One Voice Program surveyed 600 members in 2024.
97% of respondents said they felt better after attending choir than before.
84% said choir had a positive effect on their mental health.
88% said that their sense of community had improved since joining a choir.
68% felt less lonely than they did before joining a choir.
Leanne Johnson runs a number of local choirs.
”In our local area, Port Macquarie, Wauchope and Laurieton have a wide range of different choirs for people to get along to and try,” she said.
“In addition to many school choirs, our area has numerous places where people can try a community choir.”
Leanne put this great list together.
Monday
Mosaic Choir – 6-8pm 41Hastings St Wauchope mardeb@gmail.com
Sea Song Choir – 5-6pm Bonny Hills Community Centre cassierosemusic@yahoo.com.au
Sing Australia Port 5pm-7pm St Thomas’ Anglican Church, Murray St Port Macquarie info@singaustralia.com.au
Tuesday
Hastings Choristers – 6.45pm MacKillop Senior College hastingschoristers@gmail.com
Kwyre – 6.30pm 1 Sherwood Rd Port Macquarie kwyre.choir@gmail.com
Wednesday
Cantabile (audition only ) hastingschoristers@gmail.com
Hastings Youth Choir – 4.30pm – 6pm 33 Lord St Port Macquarie hastingsyouthchoirinc@gmail.com
OK Chorale – (audition only) Bonny Hills jimnewman11@bigpond.com
Rock and Soul choir – Wednesday 7pm-8.30pm Westport Club candiceloh.studio@gmail.com
Thursday
Blokes Notes 6.30pm-8pm 33 Lord St Mac Adams Port Macquarie realmensinging@gmail.com
Sing Australia Hastings – 10:30am 18 McIntyre Cl Port Macquarie info@singaustralia.com.au
Sing Australia Wauchope – 4pm Wauchope RSL Club info@singaustralia.com.au
Song Circle 10am Senior Citizens Hall Munster St Gail.s.perkins@gmail.com
Friday
Laurieton Voices – Laurieton School of Arts camdenhavenband@gmail.com
So if you want to give it a try, contact one of our local choirs and find your voice.
It is free to visit a choir as part of Try a Choir Week.
Choirs may ask for a contribution in the form of a donation or fees if you choose to keep attending.
With a mission of amplifying joy and connection, Creativity Australia is providing an interactive map of where ‘choirs to try’ can be found across Australia. https://www.creativityaustralia.org.au/tryachoirweek/
By Pauline CAIN
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