The public health benefits of singing and community arts participation are well-documented. The project aims to improve individual and social health through singing as a group activity, and to extend these benefits to those who may otherwise be unable to participate in a community choir due to distance, socio-economic circumstances, or physical health.

Further, the project will contribute to the important work of sharing and keeping alive a significant Indigenous language, Yorta Yorta (originally spoken in Northern Victorian/Southern NSW around Echuca), as some of the repertoire incorporates the Yorta Yorta language.

Choir member Jenny Reed was the creative dynamo behind the grant application. She says, “In December 2009 I was casually perusing The Age newspaper when I spied a little advertisement for a new grant from VicHealth. It was for innovative projects relating to social connection, the arts, and new technology. I immediately thought of the singing workshops we’d conducted at festivals and as part of our New Zealand and Central Australian tours, and what fun we’d had. I imagined doing online singing workshops with some of the songs in Yorta Yorta that Lou Bennett had written with and for us, and other songs in our repertoire, maybe starting with easier songs and graduating to more difficult ones. Anyone in the world could go to YouTube or our website to download the music, words, and audio files and then participate in a multimedia workshop either at home or in a community setting. Each module could be repeated until the songs were learnt. It would increase people’s social connections and mental and physical health through the shared group-singing experience. We feel very lucky to be the recipient of this grant!”

In December 2009 I was casually perusing the Saturday Age as one is want to and I spied a little advertisement for a new grant from VIC health. It was for innovative Projects to do with Social Connection, The Arts and New Technology. I immediatly thought of what fun we had in singing workshops that the Choir Director had conducted at the many festivals we had performed at and as part of our New Zealand , South Australian and Northern Territory Tours. I imagined doing on-line singing workshops with some of the songs in Yorta Yorta that Lou Bennett had written with and for us, and other songs that we may own the copyright to or could get permission to use. Maybe starting with an easier song and grading them to more difficult songs. Anyone in the world could go to You Tube or our website to download the music, words, part audio files and then participate in a multimedia workshop on their own TV at home or a big screen in a community setting. Each module could be repeated until the songs were learnt. It would increase peoples social connection throught the shared group singing experience. We aplied for the grant which was to use the skills of the RMIT ……. and were lucky to be a recipient of this exciting new grant!

To be continued…

Tix: $15/$12conc

Date: 2010-04-25

Performance and workshop times will be posted here in March.

Visit http://folkfestival.yackandandah.com/ for the full program.

The Women’s Salon is an annual contemporary art exhibition showcasing the creative practice of women artists, craftworkers and designers living or working in Moreland.

The exhibition has a history spanning twenty years in Brunswick. In 2010, the Women’s Salon explores ideas of place and belonging through the art of women who either live or work in the arts in the City of Moreland.

The exhibition features artworks in a range of media including painting, works on paper, sculpture, installation and photography.

Performance details

6.30pm on Thursday 4 March at the Counihan Gallery, 233 Sydney Rd, Brunswick. Entry is free.

The concert also features La La Ville, Loose Arrangement, The Love Handles, Melbourne Massed Gospel Choir, Mood Swing and Thursdays Children.There’ll be a slide show and talk from Julea Mignel, recently returned from Samoa.

The tsunami of September 29 2009 took many lives and caused widespread desctruction on the southern shores of Upolu, particularly Saleapaga Village. This concert will raise much needed funds to contribute to rebuilding the village and in particular will support the kind and loving Samoans who have hosted Singing and Dancing Cultural Exchanges for the last few years.

All money raised will go safely and directly to the people, with no administration charges.

Performance information

Time: 3pm – 5pm

$50 Generous, $20 Waged, $15 Concession, kids under 12 free. Bookings online at www.singabout.com.au and tickets at the door.

Brunswick Uniting Church: 212 Sydney Rd, Brunswick. At the corner of Merri Street.

Download the flyer

About the Concert Series

Experience the exhilarating sounds of community cultural performers from all over the world. With a variety of tastes catered for, many different music genres and cultures will be represented over the four weeks in February.

Enjoy choices from the traditional to contemporary, Japanese bamboo flute ensemble to Russian percussion, Commedia Dell’ Arte to a diverse Women’s Choir (that’s us!), Polynesian dancing and drumming to an Afrojazz/Hip-Hop ensemble – they’re all there and all guaranteed to awaken your dancing spirit.

This annual favourite will take you on a memorable and exciting world music journey around the globe this summer!

This family-friendly, FREE outdoor concert series takes place every Sunday in February 2010, from 5pm – 7.30pm at the Fairfield Amphitheatre, located at Fairfield Park, Heidelberg Road, Fairfield. If live music is your thing, then don’t miss this opportunity to experience these exciting performances from all over the world.

Presented by the City of Yarra. Read more on the Cultural Infusion website

Time and address

5pm at Fairfield Ampitheatre, Fairfield Drive, Fairfield.

Its selection came from 170 entries across Australia.

The 2009 Awards were themed around wellbeing, and aimed to identify local music groups and programs whose benefits extended beyond music alone.

The Brunswick Women’s Choir received this very special recognition as a result of their use of music and singing to promote social justice and reconciliation.