News
Royal Children's Sings perform for Lady Southey
The RCH Choir sang for Lady Southey on the 2nd March. After a rousing performance from the Choir and joining them for a song, Lady Southey kindly agreed to fund the Choir for another year.
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Geelong Sings Performs for Pako Festa
Geelong Sings Choir performed to an enthusiastic audience in the Bethel Christian Church on Pakington Street for Pako Festa on Saturday 27th February. The audience was delighted to participate with the choir and was a spirited performance from the choir.
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Singing For Sunshine coming soon!
Creativity Australia has been awarded a grant as part of the Diverse Australia Program's 2009 Community Grants to create Singing for Sunshine, a new community choir.
For more information, the Australian Government Press Release is available here.
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Music for Moomba
Creativity Australia is thrilled to announce that Melbourne Sings and Royal Children's Hospital Sings will perform on the Cultural Stage at Moomba at around 7pm on Friday 5th March. Please come along and join in the fun of the festival and the songs.
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TAC Christmas Carols
Geelong Sings Choir echoed their fabulous debut with a great performance with the TAC on Tuesday 22nd December. An early start, the choir had a great turnout and sang joyfully to nearly 100 staff and friends. Many in the audience sang along and they applauded loudly and appreciatively at the end.
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Geelong Hospital
In traditional Christmas spirit, the Geelong Sings choir had their first performance at the Geelong Hospital on Monday 21st December. The choir was nervous and excited at the start, and elated at the end after a fabulous performance. Lead by Adrian Portell, the choir joyfully sang a number of Christmas carols, complete with harmonies after only five rehearsals! The patients and staff thought it was magic and had huge smiles on their faces, and many sang along too.
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Sofitel Melbourne on Collins Christmas Function
The Melbourne Sings Choir sang at the Christmas Function at the Sofitel Melbourne on Collins on Tuesday 15th December. Normally rehearsing in these gracious surrounds, the choir was delighted to sing for the Sofitel community. Annie Dawson and Clive Scott from the Sofitel came to join in the fun and were presented with certificates from the choir.
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Parliament of the World's Religions
The Melbourne Sings Choir and the Melbourne Gospel Choir with Conductor Shaun Islip performed at the Parliament of the World's Religions at the Melbourne Conference and Exhibition Centre on December 8th. Broadcast around the world, the uplifting songs were interspersed with dancing and speakers. The choir ended the day's events with joy.
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Asia Pacific Breakthrough Conference
The Melbourne Sings Choir and Conductor Shaun Islip encouraged the
audience to get up and dance and sing with them when they performed at BMW Edge at Federation Square on 2nd December. The performance was broadcast on the main screen at Federation Square as well.
"Thankyou for your help organising Melbourne Sings to perform. It was a great end to an inspiring day; they had the audience up and dancing!" Ruth Tedder, Greenstone Group
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Serious Womens' Business Conference
The Melbourne Sings Choir received a standing ovation when they performed at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on November 10th.
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Diversity @ Work Awards
Melbourne Sings received a huge ovation as the Closing Act at the Diversity@Work Awards 2009 which recognise excellence in diverse workplace practice. The event took place at Peninsula, Docklands.
"Melbourne Sings Choir was inspiring and a perfect ending to a very successful night" Diversity@Work Awards
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Digital Inclusion Launch for InfoXchange
Melbourne Sings were able to get the audience going with their enthusiastic repertoire of uplifting songs!
"Melbourne Sings were able to get the audience going with their enthusiastic repertoire of uplifting songs!" InfoXchange Digital Inclusion Launch
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Brainlink Woman of Achievement Award
Tania de Jong AM was named the winner of Brainlink Woman of Achievement Award. She is pictured with Christine Nixon at the Park Hyatt after receiving her award.
Read about it in The Age - 'Singer and social worker scoops Brainlink Award' 15th October 2009.
You can also read a media release about the event here.
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Geelong SINGS!
This brand new community and business choir started on Monday 16th November at Geelong Performing Arts Centre. Creativity Australia Director Peter Kronborg introduced the Choir Conductor Adrian Portell who got over 60 of us in the mood with some fun songs. We started to get to know one another and we even sang in harmony! The joy of combining employees from various businesses in Geelong and disadvantaged people from various of the community agencies in the region ended with broad smiles and nibbles provided by Diversitat. Three are still places available so come and join us!
Click here to download the poster, and here to download a registration form.
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World Social Enterprise Forum
Melbourne Sings performed at the Opening Ceremony of the World Social Enterprise Forum and received a wonderful ovation as well as encouraging the delegates to join in! They are pictured (2nd top right, photo: Fiona Basile) having a fantastic time singing and inspiring!
"Melbourne Sings performed at the Opening Ceremony of the 2009 Social Enterprise World Forum. They were incredibly enthusiastic and performed an uplifting song that soon had the audience clapping along. Well done for all involved for a spirited performance!"
Social Ventures Australia
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Royal Children's Sings Choir at AIMA Conference
"On 9th October at the opening of the Australasian Integrative Medicine Association Annual Holistic Health Conference, we were privileged to open this conference with the wonderful Royal Children’s Hospital Choir. It was most appropriate to have this great initiative of the hospital involving their staff from many departments come together in such skillful harmony, to perform at our Conference with its emphasis on health and wellness. The choir sang beautifully and with such passion and joy. The feedback from our delegates was excellent and they appreciated the conference opening on such a high note! Many thanks to Shaun Islip and Tania de Jong from Creativity Australia for organizing this."
Anna Ryan, AIMA
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Sing For Your Supper Gala Dinner
The inaugural Creativity
Australia gala dinner SING FOR YOUR SUPPER took place at Sofitel Melbourne on Collins. Guest of Honour was Creativity Australia’s Patron, Dame Elisabeth Murdoch and amongst over 400 guests I spotted Hugh Morgan, Professor Allan Fels, Dr Alan Finkel, Evan Thornley, Clive Scott, Frank Cicutto, Leanne de Bortoli, Sam and Christine Tarascio and Kelly O’Dwyer (a wonderful, female candidate for Peter Costello’s seat). Everyone was very positive about unlocking the right side of our brains to achieve our full human potential. And we all did sing for our supper with a great deal of gusto and in good tune! The Sofitel even created a very special dessert platter to inspire our minds!
Entertainment included MCs Zara and Troy, the wonderful Pot-Pourri, brilliant young pianist Stefan Cassomenos and the Royal Children’s Sings (a staff choir for the whole hospital) and Melbourne Sings. These are two choirs created by Tania de Jong to bring people together for greater wellbeing, connections and innovation skills.
Over $180,000 was raised towards programs for disadvantaged people and communities. Enormous thanks to the hardworking team, supporters, sponsors and donors.
To see some of the photos taken by the Sunday Herald Sun, check out Snaparazzi (23rd and 24th August 2009)
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OPPORTUNITY – limited places available in Melbourne Sings Choir
Creativity Australia has limited places available in the mixed community/business choir entitled Melbourne Sings rehearsing Tuesday night at Sofitel Melbourne on Collins. This choir involves employees from various city businesses and residents from the Fitzroy/Collingwood Housing Estates. The choir rehearses weekly on Tuesday afternoons at 5:15pm with a top choir leader and there are performances scheduled for local hospitals, charities and special events every quarter. Sofitel provides catering and venue and Allans Music discount cards and assistance with musical resources.
This is an opportunity to bridge social capital as well as identify, train and employ residents from the estate. For participants it is an opportuntiy to improve self esteem, develop leadership potential and use your voice to be heard. You will also learn how to work as a team to meet challenges by unlocking your creative potential. Casual mentoring and networking is encouraged.
The cost per employee is $500 plus GST for the 12 month program (approx $10 per session) and we encourage a donation of $500 to cover the cost of one disadvantaged person to participate as well.
Please contact Tania de Jong at Creativity Australia ASAP on Tania@creativityaustralia.org.au.
Click here to download the poster, and here to download a registration form.
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Mind Over Music
A new program created for Orygen Youth Health is commencing in October designed as a positive intervention to assist young people with emerging mental health issues. The choir will also involve researchers and staff from Orygen Youth Health.
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Melbourne Sings
Melbourne Sings have been booked for a number of major events over the next few months including:
- Opening Ceremony for the Social Enterprise World Forum - Parliament House
- Diversity@Work Awards Dinner
- Breakthrough Conference on Women, Poverty and Faith - Opening Reception
To book any of the choirs please email enquiries@creativityaustralia.org.au
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Collingwood Football Club - Magpies Choir
Creativity Australia is thrilled to present the With One Voice program at Collingwood Football Club. We invite you to sing together - side by side - in the brand new Magpies Choir. Eddie McGuire’s dream is for the whole ground to sing together at AFL Games and to bring audience singing into Australian sports events. The choir is for all Collingwood staff and supporters to get together and create a happier, healthier, more connected Collingwood Football Club community. With One Voice is for everyone who wants to gain greater self esteem, networking and leadership skills, capacity for creative and innovative thinking and general wellbeing - even if they have never sung before! The choir rehearses every Thursday at 5:30-6:30pm at St Igantius Church, 326 Church St, Richmond. They are being invited to present performances for charities, special events and AFL Games. Their debut performance occurred on 6 August for the Club Night at Lexus Centre. Please see pictures from the performance HERE.
Click here to download the flier, or here for full details on the Collingwood website.
Some press on the new choir:
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The Royal Children's Sings - Going strong
The Royal Children's Sings Choir has been coming along wonderfully since their first rehearsal on May 25th. The choir performed at the Health and Productivity Management Congress Opening Reception and Sing For Your Supper Gala Dinner. Upcoming performances include the Australasian Integrative Medicine Association Opening Ceremony and the RCH AGM. Click here to view photos from rehearsals and performances.
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The Melbourne Sings Choir Debut Performance
On Thursday May 21st, the Melbourne Sings Choir performed beautifully at their very first public performance, the Artists Unite Bushfire Appeal Auction. See footage below:
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Visit Creativity Australia's Blog!
Creativity Australia now have a new blog where we will be posting updates, photos, video, news, stories and more. Click here to check it out.
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Visit Creativity Australia on Facebook!
Become a fan of Creativity Australia on Facebook for all the latest news and updates on our programs and events. Click here to get started!
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Allan's Music Online article supporting Melbourne Sings
Melbourne Sings choir partner Allan's Music have published an article on their website with some photos and video from the first rehearsal of the Melbourne Sings choir! To read the article, please click here.
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Visit Creativity Australia's profile on ABAF
Creativity is now featured on the Australia Business Arts Foundation website. Click here to view our profile.
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WITH ONE VOICE - the ultimate training / management tool for your employees and teams
This corporate choirs program is designed to build leadership skills and improve communication, self esteem, wellbeing, innovation and productivity. Recommended for a minimum of 12 months to bring multi-divisional companies together and transform organisation culture. Choirs rehearse once-weekly and perform every quarter for hospitals, charities, company events etc. Choir leader, instruments and other resources supplied. Wellbeing Survey from Deakin University available to measure outcomes. Also available for 3 and 6 month programs and one-off Battle of the Choirs team building experiences.
***We are delighted to announce that Eddie McGuire AM has just become Patron of the WITH ONE VOICE program. He has offered choirs the opportunity of singing on the MCG pre-AFL matches. One of our goals is to have Australian sports crowds singing together led by corporate and community choirs!
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