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We are
People singing together |
Who we are
Wellington Community Choir aims to provide all people, whatever their background or ability, with an opportunity to sing together.
Over 4,500 people have sung with Wellington Community Choir since it started in 2005. Usually there are around 50 of us singing together each week.
We believe that singing together joyfully is natural and open to all, regardless of musical ability or previous experience.
For thousands of years all over the world, people have sung to express joy, celebration, or grief, or to accompany work or devotion, or to aid healing. Song has always been a part of life and a way of binding communities together.
Music making can be an enormously powerful experience, as can be seen in the many wonderful musical traditions around the world. By sharing the music of different cultures at rehearsals and in performance, Wellington Community Choir celebrates diversity and promotes singing as a liberating and creative experience.
We are proud to be a community choir that welcomes anyone at any stage throughout the year. There is no requirement to read music, we do not hold auditions and there are no formal joining procedures. We run the Choir ourselves on a not-for-profit basis.
We do not sing competitively, but for the joy of singing.
Over 4,500 people have sung with Wellington Community Choir since it started in 2005. Usually there are around 50 of us singing together each week.
We believe that singing together joyfully is natural and open to all, regardless of musical ability or previous experience.
For thousands of years all over the world, people have sung to express joy, celebration, or grief, or to accompany work or devotion, or to aid healing. Song has always been a part of life and a way of binding communities together.
Music making can be an enormously powerful experience, as can be seen in the many wonderful musical traditions around the world. By sharing the music of different cultures at rehearsals and in performance, Wellington Community Choir celebrates diversity and promotes singing as a liberating and creative experience.
We are proud to be a community choir that welcomes anyone at any stage throughout the year. There is no requirement to read music, we do not hold auditions and there are no formal joining procedures. We run the Choir ourselves on a not-for-profit basis.
We do not sing competitively, but for the joy of singing.
WHAT WE DO
We sing music from and are inspired by different choral traditions from the world's cultures, including our own in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Wellington Community Choir is grouped into four main sections: soprano (high female), alto (mid female), tenor (low female, high male) and bass (low male). Please feel free to experiment and find for yourself which group best suits your voice. You are allowed to move!
We give performances at various community venues and events in Wellington and we also put on evening concerts. Here’s a range of our recent performances:
We are a friendly and supportive community and have a lot of fun including trips to different destinations where we team up with other community choirs to hold concerts and workshops.
Wellington Community Choir is grouped into four main sections: soprano (high female), alto (mid female), tenor (low female, high male) and bass (low male). Please feel free to experiment and find for yourself which group best suits your voice. You are allowed to move!
We give performances at various community venues and events in Wellington and we also put on evening concerts. Here’s a range of our recent performances:
- "Love Call me Home" Heartwarming songs from around the world with guest performers Kaitaia Community Voices at Wesley Methodist Church in July 2022
- "Are we nearly there?" Songs from around the world at Wesley Methodist Church in July 2021
- "Rise Above" Community Collaboration concert in the time of COVID-18 St John's in the City Presbyterian Church 2020
- "Welcome Home" NZ Music Concert Salvation Army Citadel August 2019
- "Don't Stop Me Now" Queen Concert Salvation Army Citadel April 2019
- Opening of the New Zealand Festival of the Arts 2018 and 2016
- Nelson Mandela 100th Anniversary 2018, Te Wharewaka, 2018
- “Ode to the Moon” Concert with Aroha Quartet – Festive songs and tunes from China and Aotearoa, Te Papa, 2018
- “Kiwi As” Concert Salvation Army Citadel 2017
- “Inspired by Africa” Concert, St Johns, 2017
- Cupa Dupa street performances
- “Singing People Together” 10th Anniversary Concert, Michael Fowler Centre 2015
- African Mass and Bob Marley Songs, St Johns, 2013
We are a friendly and supportive community and have a lot of fun including trips to different destinations where we team up with other community choirs to hold concerts and workshops.
Our artistic directors
Artistic Director - Lala Simpson
Madagascar-born Lala Simpson is a Wellington-based community music educator and song leader who delights young and old alike with her playful and joyful approach to singing and music-making.
She has an innate rhythm, a natural singing voice, and a deep passion for empowering individuals and communities through singing. Having grown up immersed in music from her homeland, France, Africa, and the Indian Ocean, Lala is a strong believer in the power of singing to help us navigate our world, bring joy, and connect with one another. She has been leading communities in singing since her teenage years.
She brings with her a wicked sense of humour, a taste of Madagascar, patience, and compassion for the learner, and a canvas for everyone on which to paint their voice.
Over the past 15 years, Lala has worked with Playcentres, schools, children’s choirs such as the Wellington Young Voices, and community groups including Arohanui strings and adult community choirs and adult singing groups. She ran Kodàly-based music classes for preschools and primary children, lead a children’s choir at Karori West Normal School, led Music Magic preschool music sessions at Capital E for 4 years, directed the Wellington Children Community Choir, and founded the Manawa Ora Children Community Choir.
Currently, she is the director of Kotaba Voices, performs French songs including the songs of Edith Piaf and Jacques Brel with her 3-piece band and children’s world music with Claudio Escutia. She acts as guest director for Community choirs around the Wellington Region, leads workshops nationally and interantionally teaching original and traditional songs from Madagascar as well as community songs from around the world, and is a regular guest tutor for Village Harmony in the US.
Madagascar-born Lala Simpson is a Wellington-based community music educator and song leader who delights young and old alike with her playful and joyful approach to singing and music-making.
She has an innate rhythm, a natural singing voice, and a deep passion for empowering individuals and communities through singing. Having grown up immersed in music from her homeland, France, Africa, and the Indian Ocean, Lala is a strong believer in the power of singing to help us navigate our world, bring joy, and connect with one another. She has been leading communities in singing since her teenage years.
She brings with her a wicked sense of humour, a taste of Madagascar, patience, and compassion for the learner, and a canvas for everyone on which to paint their voice.
Over the past 15 years, Lala has worked with Playcentres, schools, children’s choirs such as the Wellington Young Voices, and community groups including Arohanui strings and adult community choirs and adult singing groups. She ran Kodàly-based music classes for preschools and primary children, lead a children’s choir at Karori West Normal School, led Music Magic preschool music sessions at Capital E for 4 years, directed the Wellington Children Community Choir, and founded the Manawa Ora Children Community Choir.
Currently, she is the director of Kotaba Voices, performs French songs including the songs of Edith Piaf and Jacques Brel with her 3-piece band and children’s world music with Claudio Escutia. She acts as guest director for Community choirs around the Wellington Region, leads workshops nationally and interantionally teaching original and traditional songs from Madagascar as well as community songs from around the world, and is a regular guest tutor for Village Harmony in the US.
Piano Accompanist - Andrea Robinson
BMus (Comp), LTCL (Flute), MMusTher (Victoria)
Growing up in a family where both parents played piano, Andrea developed a huge passion for music. She sang in school choirs and orchestras and later played piano, flute and sang backing vocals in a variety of cover bands, soul and blues bands.
She has over forty years' experience as a piano and flute teacher and more recently been working as a Registered Music Therapist, specialising in working with people with neurological conditions. Andrea’s portfolio also includes itinerant teaching, running ukulele groups and small orchestras in both primary and secondary schools in Wellington. Currently she leads two community choirs in the Wellington region.
As well as working as a therapist and teacher, Andrea arranges music and plays piano in ‘Duke Wellington’, an 8 piece jazz band and occasionally plays in the Wellington City Big Band.
BMus (Comp), LTCL (Flute), MMusTher (Victoria)
Growing up in a family where both parents played piano, Andrea developed a huge passion for music. She sang in school choirs and orchestras and later played piano, flute and sang backing vocals in a variety of cover bands, soul and blues bands.
She has over forty years' experience as a piano and flute teacher and more recently been working as a Registered Music Therapist, specialising in working with people with neurological conditions. Andrea’s portfolio also includes itinerant teaching, running ukulele groups and small orchestras in both primary and secondary schools in Wellington. Currently she leads two community choirs in the Wellington region.
As well as working as a therapist and teacher, Andrea arranges music and plays piano in ‘Duke Wellington’, an 8 piece jazz band and occasionally plays in the Wellington City Big Band.