From Sydney to London: Amateur Choirs Perform at Iconic Venues

Community choirs offer amateur singers the chance to perform on prestigious stages, such as the Sydney Opera House and the Royal Albert Hall. The Sydney Philharmonia Choirs recently completed a 12-day UK tour, performing John Adams's Harmonium. Despite challenges like long flights and illness, members like Kate Clowes and Joel Wilkinson found the experience exhilarating and transformative. Community choirs can open the door to extraordinary experiences, including performing at some of the world's most prestigious venues. Do you have to be a professional musician to perform on some of the world's most iconic stages? Community choirs can give amateur singers the opportunity to perform in venues many musicians only dream of visiting. Groups like the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs help singers develop their skills while opening doors to prestigious performance opportunities. The Sydney Opera House Concert Hall is their home stage, but the choir recently returned from a 12-day tour of the UK. This renowned, month-long classical music festival is known for its rich history and tradition of offering affordable standing-room tickets. But for many, it was the opportunity of a lifetime. Among them are GP and practice owner Kate Clowes, who has been singing with the choir for 20 years, and music teacher Joel Wilkinson, who joined the under-30's choir last year. After the long-haul flight to the UK, the choir launched straight into an intensive schedule of rehearsals and performances. "Some of the choristers finished a show in Sydney on Saturday, flew out, landed in London on Monday, rehearsed, and went into a 12-day tour. " And Clowes had another curveball right before she got on the plane: "I actually caught COVID , but I was nervous that would interfere with my capacity to sing," she says. Sydney Philharmonia Choirs: Vesna HatezicSydney Philharmonia Choirs Artistic Director Brett Weymark describes John Adams's Harmonium, which the choir performed, as an "extremely difficult piece" that requires "precision". But the effort paid off. Weymark shares how walking into the Royal Albert Hall, a venue steeped in over a century of musical performances, is "an extraordinary experience" even for seasoned musicians. Wilkinson says the feeling of being in a massed choir "was like being swept up in a sea of sound". "To stand on stage and fill the space with incredible sound was a thrill. " Singers from Sydney travelled across the world to perform at the iconic Royal Albert Hall, the primary venue for the world-famous BBC Proms. There's a special bond that's often formed by singing together. This is intensified when a group goes on tour. Amateur groups like the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs operate through members paying to take part in music projects, including self-funding international travels. Clowes first joined the group in 2006, without having to audition, as part of a Christmas performance in the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall. Now a seasoned chorister and traveller, she sings in the choir's rigorously auditioned Chamber Singers. Although Wilkinson has experience tackling complex repertoire through his music studies at university, he needed to save for six months to go on the tour. Supplied: Sydney Philharmonia Choirs"It was a hectic couple of weeks, but the experiences that we were able to have were pretty cool. ""They're not going to the office to become accountants or teaching in their schools or working in a hospital. He is "incredibly proud of all the singers" who rose to the challenge of learning music, travelling and performing in new venues most have never been to. He says it starts with "people who are out kicking a football around in their local park" rather than professional league players. And although Australia has professional ensembles such as state orchestras and opera companies, Weymark says the sector couldn't exist without "the grassroots music making that happens on an amateur level. " For Clowes, making new memories on tour and strengthening friendships made the commitment worthwhile, despite having to close her practice and "working doubly hard" when she got back. "My patients are very patient with me, and interestingly have been the most curious ever about our recent choir tour," Clowes says. Learning from some of the best conductors was valuable professional development for Wilkinson's teaching career. But the best confidence boost was being able to tell his students that "Mr Wilkinson actually does some cool stuff on tour. ""We are creating some joy in the community by bringing people together to make music. " Until you experience it for yourself, Weymark says, "you cannot, even for a second, imagine the camaraderie, support and connection you have with people when you make music together. "Get the latest classical music stories direct to your inbox