What we're up to...
We are up and running!
We are happy to welcome back all choirs for an exciting year ahead in 2012.
This is going to be a fantastic year for CA and our choirs. If you haven't yet had the chance, please pop by any of the choirs any time - we'd love to see you there.
Visit the choirs page to find a choir near you.
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With One BIG Voice perform Toto's 'Africa'
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With One BIG Voice - a wonderful success!
300 voices from across Melbourne and Victoria came together on Sunday November 27th at Melbourne Town Hall. Every person in the packed-out hall was out of their seats clapping and singing along. It was a beautiful afternoon for all involved. Click here for more photos.
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Thank-you so much to everyone who came along to the Sing For Your Supper Gala Dinner and made a the night so special.
Thank-you in particular to all those who generously made donations, bought raffle tickets or bid at the Auction. Our programs continue to exist because of you!
Thank you for supporting Creativity Australia at our major fundraising dinner 'Sing for your Supper' on 17 November 2011 at Regent Plaza Ballroom Melbourne. CA raised over $120,000 to provide opportunities, wellbeing, skills and jobs for disadvantaged people through our With One Voice program.
This event, which was also the Gala Dinner for Creative Innovation 2011 attracted over 450 senior level corporates, members of government, international thought leaders, personalities, media commentators, philanthropists and their guests. Dinner guests included some of the world’s most influential minds such as Edward de Bono (UK), Raymond Kurzweil (USA), Daniel Dennett (USA), Brendan Boyle (USA), Paddy Miller (Spain) and many of Australia’s leading thinkers and innovators.
Be entertained, uplifted and inspired at the event of the year!
Thursday November 17
Regent Plaza Ballroom
191 Collins Street, Melbourne
6.30pm for 7pm dinner
Outstanding food, wine and song with some of the world’s most infl uential minds including Edward de Bono (UK), Raymond Kurzweil (USA), Daniel Dennett (USA), Brendan Boyle (USA), Paddy Miller (Spain) and many of Australia’s leading thinkers, performers and innovators appearing at Creative Innovation 2011.
Rub shoulders with senior level corporates, members of government, personalities, media commentators and philanthropists while watching outstanding performances by Australia opera group Pot-Pourri, brilliant pianist Stefan Cassomenos and some of the With One Voice choirs, including Melbourne Sings. At the event we will off er some unique events and experiences.
This fundraising dinner is critical to our ability to deliver Creativity Australia's With One Voice programs to those who need it most. The entry ticket for the Gala Dinner includes a fully tax-deductible donation. Your donation and support will help us in our mission to inspire people to nd their voice and make a meaningful diff erence!
Click here to download the invitation and booking form.
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A Sensational Sunday of Song!
Sunday 27th November 2011, Melbourne Town Hall (Swanston St)
3.30pm: 'With One BIG Voice!' For the rst time the beautiful sounds of 13 With One Voice choirs conducted by Shaun Islip, Stefan Cassomenos, Kym Dillon, Jolene Moran, Bridget a’Beckett, Jo Cohen with soprano Tania de Jong AM, baritone Jonathan Morton and a featured piano solo by Stefan Cassomenos. From classical to jazz, opera, gospel, soul and more - this special charity concert truly has something for everyone. Bring the whole family! Sing along, open your heart and be swept away by the uplifting voices, emotion and timeless songs with songs including Freedom is Coming, What a Wonderful World, That's What Friends Are For, We are Australian, You'll Never Walk Alone, Hallelujah, Imagine, The Lion King, Glee songs, and many more... All concert proceeds go to Creativity Australia’s With One Voice choir programs which inspire people to find their voice, wellbeing, jobs and joy!
7.30pm: Pot-Pourri 'Silver' Premiere CD Launch and 25th Anniversary Concert Pot-Pourri is Tania de Jong AM, Rebecca Bode, Jon Bode, Jonathan Morton and Rebecca Chambers with special guest artist Stefan Cassomenos. Take 5 of Australia’s most talented performers… add a dash of opera and a slice of cabaret, toss in your favourite Broadway hits and a touch of class, gorgeous costumes, a hint of magic and then top it all off with a big dollop of comedy. All your favourite songs in ONE glorious performance!
For more information please contact Creative Universe on 03 8679 6000 / enquiries@creativeuniverse.com.au. Tickets via Ticketek: www.ticketek.com.au / 132 849
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Royal Children’s Sings for The Queen
The Royal Children’s Sings choir performed for the Opening of the new Royal Children’s Hospital. This was a very exciting occasion as the choir were lucky enough to briefly meet the Queen and Prince Phillip and sang beautifully in front of a large VIP audience.
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DINNER WITH DE BONO
What an opportunity! Dinner with the world’s leading creative thinker. Be the successful bidder for 'Dinner with de Bono'. This wonderful item is a dinner for any amount of your guests at a venue of your choosing with Edward de Bono as your special guest. He will give a presentation or be part of a Q and A session for your most important employees, friends and clients.
This dinner is available until 25th November in Melbourne. We will be auctioning this via our network plus our websites and social media over the next few weeks to the highest bidder.
Edward has donated his time to Creativity Australia so all funds donated for this item will be fully tax-deductible. (Value: Priceless, bidding to commence from $5,000 – valued from $30,000 per presentation/event) – note you are responsible for venue, food and drink and we will provide the Mind Maestro.
It could take place in your living room with some pizza!
Email to enquiries@creativityaustralia.org.au with your bid and contact details. Good luck!
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Creativity Australia matters at Grill'd! October 2011
Great news! We’ve been nominated to participate in the Grill’d Local Matters donation programme at Grill'd Degraves St this month. Every month, Grill’d Degraves St is donating $500 to local groups and asking their customers to decide who the money goes to. When customers buy a burger, they will receive a token to put into one of three jars representing different groups.
Whoever has the most tokens at the end of the month receives $300. The other two groups receive $100 each. To do your bit to help the cause, spread the word and head on down to Grill'd Degraves St.
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ANZ Sings at ANZ Gala Ball! September 2011
ANZ Sings performed as the Opening Act at the Hollywood-themed ANZ Gala Ball in front of 1000 ANZ staff including the CEO Mike Smith. They performed a variety of Hollywood hits and received a wonderful ovation!
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CA wins ABAF Award! September 2011
Creativity Australia and the Royal Children’s Hospital were named the State Winner of the 2011 Arts and Health Foundation ABAF Award in Victoria for their partnership in creating and delivering outstanding outcomes through Royal Children’s Hospital SINGS!
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ESL classes for Melbourne Sings participants!
Grace Blake is kindly teaching English as a second language to our non-English speaking members every Tuesday at Sofitel Melbourne from 6:30-7:30pm. As you can see from the photo everyone is having a great time and learning the lingo!
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Debut exhibition for Melbourne Sings artist!
Artist Abrar Kather joined the With One Voice: Melbourne Sings choir in 2010 on the recommendation of the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre. The With One Voice program inspires people to find their voice, celebrate diversity and provides opportunities to develop new skills, increase wellbeing, improve language skills, employment pathways, friends, hope and joy. One of Abrar's dreams was to present a solo exhibition of his photographs of Afghanistan. Last week that dream came true when his exhibition Inside Afghanistan's Beauty, launched at Sofitel Melbourne On Collins. Opened by Tania de Jong AM and followed by a heartwarming performance by the Melbourne Sings choir the atmosphere was fantastic. This exhibition is made possible by the innovative partnership between Creativity Australia’s With One Voice program and Sofitel Melbourne On Collins and the members of Melbourne Sings.
Head to the Sofitel to view Abrar's photographs Inside Afghanistan's Beauty, the first ever solo exhibition of Afghanistan in Australia by A.Kather:
Inside Afghanistan's Beauty Atrium Gallery, Level 35 Sofitel Melbourne On Collins 25 Collins Street, Melbourne Open daily from 5pm Until 30 October 2011
"For my first six months in Australia, I was quite isolated because I was sad about what had happened to me and my family. I had no family or friends here and it was very hard for me to adjust. The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre was looking after me and they told me about singing in the choir. I love arts and music, but I’ve never had the chance to sing because there are many fundamentalists in Afghanistan and we weren’t allowed. I have been thinking about human emotions in cultural diversity and how all the emotions are here in a single choir. The beauty of singing is that it lifts you up and keeps you going. Without this choir I would never have had the chance to have this exhibition."
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With One Voice awarded a Victorian Multicultural Commission Multifaith Grant
Dana Moran, Head of Strategy and Development at Creativity Australia, accepts a Victorian Multicultural Commission Multifaith Grant for the With One Voice program from The Hon. Nicholas Kotsiras, Minister for Multicultural Affairs.
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A Concert to Remember!
Melbourne Sings conducted by Shaun Islip presented its first major concert at the beautiful Ian Roach Hall at Scotch College. With lots of new repertoire, some very heartfelt stories and a warm, enthusiastic audience the choir was in wonderful form. Guest artists included pianist Stefan Cassomenos, soprano Tania de Jong and baritone Jonathan Morton.
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New name and new venue for Hume Sings (formerly Broadmeadows Sings)
Broadmeadows Sings has a new name AND a new venue! Woohoo!
Now called 'Hume Sings', the choir will now meet Wednesdays 5.15pm at St Dominic's Primary School Library - Camp Road, Broadmeadows. Enter via the car park on Jensen Road and follow the signs to the library! Followed by supper.
Visit the Hume Sings page for more details.
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Broady Sings is up and running!
Broady Sings kicked off to a fantastic start on Wednesday May 4th with wonderful choir leader Bridget A'Beckett at Broadmeadows Uniting Care.
Places are still available to come and join in the choir, so if you are in the local are please spread the word!
The choir runs every Wednesday 5.15 - 6.30pm, with supper included afterward. For more info, please visit the Broady Sings page, or contact Nicole Borg.
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Our Community Sings with local MP
Our Community Sings has got off to a great start, with almost twenty members rehearsing every week already and getting ready to perform in the coming months. Here is the group with local Federal MP Kelly O'Dwyer, a long time supporter of Creativity Australia. She joined the rehearsal of Our Community Sings, the first With One Voice choir to launch in her electorate of Higgins.
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Fosters Community Grant Program
In 2010, Creativity Australia was delighted to receive the Fosters Community Grant in support of its 'With One Voice' choir program, in particular supporting the initiation of Footscray Sings. Watch this beautiful video made as part of this experience!
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LAUNCH DATE SET for Broadmeadows Sing
Broadmeadows Sings choir will launch on Wednesday 4th May, 5.15pm at Broadmeadows Uniting Care 413-419 Camp Road, Broadmeadows, and will conducted by the lovely Bridget a’Beckett.
Click here to register your interest.
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A fantastic start for ANZ Sings
A large group of happy, smiling ANZ staff from all different roles and departments got together for the first time on Tuesday 22nd of March for the launch of ANZ Sings, the latest corporate choir run by Creativity Australia and the With One Voice program.
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With One Voice choirs perform as ONE BIG VOICE for Harmony Day
On Monday 21st March, members across all the With One Voice choirs got together for a lunchtime performance at Collins Place for Harmony Day. A stunning performance!
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ANZ launched it's very own in-house corporate choir!
From March 22 ANZ staff at all levels will sing their hearts out in the name of wellbeing, boosted morale and employee engagement.
For further details on the ANZ choir please download the ANZ Sings Flyer. For information on starting a corporate choir of your own or other worksplace wellbeing programs, please click here or contact us.
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Greater Dandenong Sings on SBS
Check out this fantastic report by SBS World News Australia reporter Liz Kefford on the Greater Dandenong Sings choir.
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Our Community Sings is up and running!
Our Community Sings (Ashwood/Ashburton/Chadstone area) launched on Monday 7th March with a fantastic turn out! Led by the amazing Stefan Cassomenos, this exciting new choir will be one of our best yet.
For more details or to register your interest, please contact Nicole Borg, or download a registration form.
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St Kilda Sings is up and running!
Thursday February 24th saw the launch and very first rehearsal of St Kilda Sings, led by the fantastic Jolene Moran.
It was a fabulous start to what will undoubtedly be another wonderfully successful, fun and fulfilling With One Voice choir. To be a part of this growing community please contact Nicole Borg, or download a registration form.
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Geelong Sings launch for 2011
Geelong Sings were featured in the Geelong Advertiser on February 4th, following the launch of the choir for 2011.
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Christmas With One BIG Voice
The With One Voice choirs had a big combined final rehearsal on Tuesday 21st at the Sofitel Melbourne on Collins. It was great to see people from all parts of Melbourne coming together to share the Christmas cheer and the joy of song. It was also a chance for people to meet members of other With One Voice choirs and share their experience.
Thank you to Tania, Shaun and the Sofitel for putting on a great party and to the wonderful voice of Jonathan Morton for his wonderful performance to the choir.
We will see you all again in the week starting 31st Janruary 2011! Merry Christmas!
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Melbourne Sings perform at The Couch - International Student Centre: Thursday 16th Dec 2010
'The Couch – International Student Centre had the privilege to hear the beautiful harmony of Creativity Australia’s One Voice Choir at The Couch End of Year Party last Tuesday. The choir’s energy was truly inspiring. We really enjoyed our collaboration with them – their professionalism and their beautiful sound made for a wonderful performance in front of over 150 guests. The stories behind the voices were inspirational and heartfelt. Their performance was uplifting and was a true highlight at our event. We look forward to working closer with them in the near future.' Gary Lee, International Student and Youth Project Officer, City of Melbourne
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Melbourne Sings at Collins Place
Melbourne Sings performed at Collins Place on Thursday 2 December to a great crowd and rapturous response. What a great way to spread the holiday cheer. Lots of people came and clapped and sang along and we already have some new members as a result. We will add the videos to our site as soon as we get them.
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Greater Dandenong Sings perform for the Annual Gathering of the Interfaith Network
'Dandenong Sings were a joy to hear when they performed for the Annual Gathering of the Interfaith Network at The Drum Theatre in Dandenong. Their delight in singing together was also expressed in the way they told their stories of why they sing together. Well done Dandenong Sings - thank you!" - Interfaith Network, City of Greater Dandenong (Performance pictured below)
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NEW PATH Event at Sofitel with Chandler Macleod and Creativity Australia
Over 200 people attended this inaugural event which was designed to help unemployed people, especially migrants in their job search skills. The event was very inspiring and informative and really helped a lot of people, enabling connections between migrants, refugees, Melbourne Sings, Chandler Macleod and other organisations. It was wonderful to have Melbourne Sings open the event with 'We are the World'. Everyone was so moved.
'Your event New Path was what I had been wanting for a long time. Being in Australia only six months, I have still no luck with finding my job. With the trainings your event gave me and my talk with your recruiters I can see there are some better things I can do to help myself with finding my job and being more settled in my new home country. Your singing group was also very beautiful to hear.'
Click here to view more photos from the event.
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Chandler Macleod and Creativity Australia announce the launch of the first New Path community networking event
This event will be held to help migrants and refugees secure employment in Australia, taking place on the 19th October, 2010 in Melbourne. The New Path event is a joint venture between Creativity Australia and Chandler Macleod, one of Australia’s largest sourcing and assessment organizations. On the 19th October, a three hour event will be held at Sofitel Melbourne where Organisational Psychologists will be presenting insights and training to migrants and refugees to assist them to develop skills required for securing employment in Australia, whilst recruiters will be offering their time to discuss industry trends and developments relevant to these groups.
CLICK HERE to download the Media Release.
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CREATIVITY AUSTRALIA and SOFITEL MELBOURNE ON COLLINS win the ABAF Toyota Community Award for MELBOURNE SINGS!
Toyota is working with AbaF to foster partnerships between local arts organisations and local businesses in communities across Australia. The Toyota Community Award recognises partnerships that are enhancing the cultural, social and economic life of local communities.
Creativity Australia and the Sofitel Melbourne On Collins won this award for establishing Melbourne Sings, a community choir that involves recent migrants alongside business people and Sofitel employees. As well as a creative outlet, the choir offers friendship, support and employment pathways to its members. The hotel provides a rehearsal space and supper for the choir, and encourages its staff to participate. The positive outcomes from Melbourne Sings have led to the development of another 12 similar programs around Victoria and further requests from all over Australia.
Click here to read more about the awards.
L-R: Philip Iannunzio - Toyota, Tania de Jong - Creativity Australia and Clive Scott - Sofitel Melbourne on Collins.
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