Mini Singers

Mini Singers Year 1

Choristers must be at least 6 years old and in Year 1 at school. Choristers will remain in these groups for 1 year, then (in most cases) automatically progress to Mini Singers Year 2. We use songs and games to develop concentration as well as pitch and rhythm skills.No placement test is required.

Mini Singers Year 2

Choristers are in Year 2 at school. Choristers in these groups rapidly extend the skills developed in Mini Singers Year 1, learning to sing rounds and more complicated unison works. A basic knowledge of score reading is also introduced. No placement test is required.

Junior Training Choirs

Ruth McCall, Ben Van Tienen, and Alice Chance Choirs

Choristers are typically in Year 3 at school. Numbers are deliberately kept small so that choristers receive both the time and focus they need to improve skills in pitch matching, diction, rhythm and music reading.

Intermediate Training Choirs

Joseph Twist, Sally Whitwell, Michael Atherton, & Paul Stanhope Choirs

These groups are typically for children in Year 4 and 5 at school. Choristers focus on developing their aural and sight singing skills, whilst learning to create a more refined choral tone. All choristers study music theory and sight-singing both at home and in a weekly class as part of their weekly SCC rehearsal. The Intermediate Training Choirs also attend their first weekend residential camp.

Advanced Training Choir

The Advanced Training Choir focuses on developing advanced choral and performance skills and a strong emphasis is placed on the development of part-singing, improving sight-singing skills and accepting both musical and general responsibility within the choir.

Junior Performing Choir

This choir is for children with exceptional musical aptitude who display an inherent enjoyment of choral singing and a real desire and enthusiasm to make music. It is an extension group for choristers aged 9-14 and rehearses twice weekly on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Senior Performing Choirs

Senior Choir (The Sydney Children’s Choir)

Senior Choir is a treble choir of girls and unchanged boy’s voices and is the ensemble recognised in the professional musical community as representative of the Sydney Children’s Choir. The Senior Choir has a very strong reputation, both within Australia and internationally, for being a choir of exceptional standards that performs interesting and demanding repertoire. This reputation has been gained through the hard work and complete dedication of choristers. Therefore, choristers are expected to work on music at home and make a real commitment to attend every rehearsal.

Young Men’s Choir

The Young Men’s Choir is an ensemble for boys with changed and changing voices. Most of the choristers in this ensemble have already been part of SCC but we welcome any interested young men. As each voice changes in a different way, we take care to guide choristers through this process. As the boys learn to use their new instruments, repertoire and performance opportunities are carefully matched to the ensemble.

Our SCC Fairfield Choir is open to all children from year 3 upwards who love to sing. Children from Western Sydney will receive musical training in an instrument they all own – their voice!  The choir rehearses on Tuesdays after school and is conducted by Joanna Brooke and Suzanne Sherrington.

Our vision is that the diverse cultures of Western Sydney should be celebrated by local young singers. In addition to our conductors, the choir works with talented artists, such as acclaimed oud player Martin Al Somery to explore music from a wide variety of musical cultures in a respectful way.

Choristers from different ensembles of the Sydney Children’s Choir program will attend rehearsals from time to time, creating links through their shared repertoire and working together as a choir.

Through the support of the Crown Resort Foundation, this program is offered at no cost to choristers and their families.

Our dedicated Community Projects Coordinator, Shabnam Hinton is working to expand the choir by building connections with community organisations and schools. Please get in touch to find out more: Shabnam.hinton@gondwana.org.au

Gondwana Choirs is a not-for-profit organisation and relies on grants the NSW Government, sponsorship, performance income and chorister participation fees.

2020 FEES (per full year)
Mini Singers $985
Junior Training Choirs $1100
Intermediate Training Choirs $1325 (+ camp $275)
Advanced Training Choir $1385 (+ camp $275)
Performing Choirs $1385 (+ camp  $365)

Payment plans are available. We happily accept Creative Kids Vouchers and off a sibling discount of $50 for each siblings.

BURSARIES

Through the support of generous parents, individuals and organisations, Gondwana Choirs is able to provide financial assistance to some families in need.

Bursaries are awarded at the beginning of each year and cover all or partial cost of semester fees. Please note that bursaries do not cover the cost of camps or SCC uniforms.

To be considered for a bursary, children must be accepted into Sydney Children’s Choir and parents can demonstrate the need for financial assistance for their child to attend the choir. Please ask the SCC Manager for more details.