Start spreadin’ the news: Sydney choir leaving for New York
Sydney Jewish Choral Society is a community on the move.
This 45-strong group has sung in towns from Canberra to Blackheath, at venues from recording studios to the Opera House stage, and at events from the Mo Awards to intercultural choir festivals. And next stop is New York!
Chairperson Anne Spira explains: “The choir is leaving for New York soon. We’ve been invited to perform at Carnegie Hall on 17 February in a Distinguished Concerts performance with around 200 other international singers. We’ll be performing Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms, which we performed last year at the Great Synagogue in the CBD, to honour the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I.”
Spira adds, “One the great things about our choir is the variety of performance venues. Recently it was International Grammar School in Ultimo – we celebrated our Musical Director Rose Grausman’s 30th anniversary, as a music teacher at the school and as conductor of our choir.”
“Wherever we sing,” Grausman says, “we’re a community. Everyone’s like family.”
Choir members are of all ages and come from a variety of countries, cultures and musical backgrounds, but all are linked by their love of song. SJCS performed at a Wolper Wellbeing Forum on ‘The healing power of choir singing’, where health professionals attested to the physical and emotional benefits of group singing.
“We welcome our next challenge,” Spira says, “to sing in New York with a community of singers. Our first experience of large-group singing was inspiring. In 2016 we sang with 900 others in a White Ribbon Day event organised by Hummingsong Choirs, of Australia’s Got Talent fame.
“Now we’ll be joining singers from across the globe in three days of rehearsal, culminating in a concert in one of the world’s best venues.”
Find out about joining our singing community from Anne Spira on 0403 392 878. Website: www.sjchoral.org
