Teaching joy: Community choir seeks singers

AS IT SETTLES into its second year, the founders of the Point Lonsdale-based New Swell Choir are encouraging community members to join and experience the joy of singing in harmony.

Averaging approximately 70 members, the community choir is comprised of both men and women from across the Bellarine Peninsula, ranging from individuals in their 20s to those in their 90s.

Co-founder Teresa Duddy said no experience was necessary and anyone was welcome to join the choir.

“A lot of the people have been in choirs before, but not everybody.

“We don’t teach with written sheet music. Everything is by ear and there’s a big projector with all the words, so it’s quite accessible.”

She said the choir was about singing for fun with a large number of people in a relaxed but professional setting.

Duddy and the choir’s other co-founder, Ben Talbot-Dunn are both performers and experienced educators.

Talbot-Dunn, a guitarist and composer, both develops the song arrangements and accompanies the choir on either electric or acoustic guitar during rehearsals, while opera-trained Duddy takes the role of conductor.

The choir focuses on performing more contemporary and popular tunes, with the songs and their arrangements chosen to suit the voices in the choir.

“We’re doing songs that have never been sung by choirs,” Duddy said.

“We record all of the parts in the studio so people can listen to their parts as they practise them at home.”

New Swell Choir meets weekly for rehearsals at New Hall, located at 11 Kirk Road, Point Lonsdale, on a Monday evening from 7.30pm, with tea and biscuits available from 7pm.

The choir aligns its rehearsal schedule with the school term, rehearsing for nine consecutive sessions. Term 2 rehearsals are set to begin on Monday, April 15.

Once a term, Duddy and Talbot-Dunn also host a Sip & Sing night at the Point Lonsdale Bowls Club.

The inclusive and social event allows those who love to sing, are unable to commit to a weekly choir or just want a fun evening, to come together in what Duddy describes as a “pub choir”.

Attendees of all ages and all abilities are taught an arrangement of a single well-known pop song, while they enjoy a drink and a chat.

“It’s a really joyful, community act, but the music that’s put together is really beautiful,” Duddy said.

While the date for the next Sip & Sing event is still to be confirmed, it will fall towards the end of Term 2 around the winter solstice.

For more information, or to join the New Swell Choir, email [email protected]

For updates on the next Sip & Sing event, follow @newswellchoir on Instagram.