By Eleanor Wilson
Local choir Casey Sings! is gearing up for its first official performance in two-and-a-half years after spending that time rehearsing on Zoom.
The choir is performing its concert As Time Goes By at Narre Warren Bowls Club on Sunday 22 May, with the help of inclusive choir organisation, Play it Forward.
Casey Sings! music director Patrick Burns said the choir can’t wait to perform.
“This concert will be a wonderful selection of music, from old classics to new favourites,” he said.
“It will be a huge celebration and so emotional for the choir to come together and to perform.”
The concert was partly made possible thanks to the choir’s commitment to weekly Zoom rehearsal sessions throughout the pandemic.
Mr Burns said despite a few initial growing pains, the choir adapted well to the technologically modern form of choir rehearsal.
“The early sessions were bugged with learning Zoom etiquette, because you can’t actually rehearse with everyone’s Zoom microphone on,” he said.
“But they’ve all adapted and I think it’s amazing what people can adapt to.”
Casey Sings! manager Cate Marshall agreed the Zoom rehearsals were very difficult, but said they allowed community members to remain connected in what was a very isolating time for many.
“The best part about being in a choir is singing in a group and hearing the harmonies come together. There’s nothing quite like it,” she said.
“In the Zoom rehearsals we, of course, had to be muted so we couldn’t hear anyone else singing and singing at home by yourself is just not the same.”
“[But] the rehearsals were a wonderful way for people to feel part of the outside world even though they couldn’t actually go out.”
Describing Casey Sings! as “a community group that sings on the side sometimes”, Mr Burns, who took over as music director this year from founding artistic director Jonathon Welch, said the choir represented a particularly strong community of women.
“The Casey community is one of the strongest I’ve come across,” he said.
Mrs Marshall agreed Casey Sings! was very welcoming when she joined the choir in its early days in 2014.
“When I joined the group a lot of the people already knew each other from other projects/choirs but they made me feel welcome and I now have lifelong friends because of it,” she said.
Mrs Marshall said she was filled with nervous excitement ahead of the concert this weekend.
“Singing in front of people next weekend is both exciting and immensely nerve wracking,” she said.
“It’s been over two years since we have performed and I’m sure I am not the only one that is quietly stressing out about doing it again.”
Tickets to the show are available at playitforward.org.au/events/astimegoesby
Proceeds go towards keeping the choir singing.
