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SoundWorkZ Updates
Read Barbara Ann Grant’s latest concert review ‘A Revelatory Feast of Opera’. Reviewed in the Nelson Mail 16 May 2016.
May 22nd, 2016Listen to Barbara Ann Grant’s interview with Nelson radio Fresh FM. You can check out the new brand profile here
March 1st, 2014Follow me on -

Join a Choir
Want to join a choir? Find all the details below to help your search. There are about as many choirs in the Nelson/Tasman region as you’ve had hot dinners – there’s bound to be one here for you! If you know of a choir not listed here, please email me and I’ll be happy to add it!
Nelson Civic Choir
Conductor: Chris Lukies
Contact Person: Diana Mellor
Phone: 03 542 3230
Email: dimellor@hotmail.com
Rehearsal Time: 7 pm
Rehearsal Day: Tuesday
Venue: Nelson School of Music, Nile St, Nelson
Repertoire: Major Choral Works
Performance Type: Oratorio, Baroque, Concert Versions of Opera and Operetta and light popular items
Audition format: ‘Open’ as for community choir
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Take A Chance Singers
Director: Hilary Sinclair
Contact Person: Hilary Sinclair
Phone: 03 528 9002
Email: hilarys@xtra.co.nz
Rehearsal Time: 7.30 – 9.30
Rehearsal Day: Tuesday
Rehearsal Venue: Waimea College
Venue Address: Salisbury Rd
Approx size: 60 SATB
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Nelson Bays Harmony Chorus
Conductor: Janet Roland
Contact: Contact here
Web: www.nelsonharmony.org.nz
Rehearsal Time: 7 – 10 pm
Venue: Waimea Club, Richmond
Repertoire: Women’s Barbershop
Performance Type: Barbershop arrangements of light, popular and traditional pieces
Audition format: ‘Open’ as for community choir
Approx. Size: 40 (Women)
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Chroma Choir
Director: Nigel Weeks
Contact: Annette Monti
Phone: 03 548 4224
Email: montis@xtra.co.nz
Rehearsal Time: 7 – 9 pm
Rehearsal Day: Monday
Venue: Nelson Cathedral
Repertoire: Classical repertoire – formal works from Renaissance to contemporary
Performance Type: Madrigals, motets, masses to 20th century composers. Mainly unaccompanied.
Audition format: At the discretion of the director Alan K. Gray, but for experienced choristers. Sight reading ability expected.
Size: 24 SATB (8 per part) current vacancies for tenors and basses
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Nelson Male Voice
Director: Andrea Hamilton
Phone: 540 2234
Contact: Iain Campbell
Email: iaincampbell@xtra.co.nz
Rehearsal Time: 6.45 pm
Rehearsal Day: Monday
Venue: Nelson School of Music, Nile St, Nelson
Repertoire: Classical to modern
Performance Type: Join a choir focusing on Folk songs and classical to pop
Audition format: Join for a few weeks. If keen to continue you will be asked to sing something for the director.
Size: Approx 35
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Nelson Community Choir
Director: Alice Robin
Phone: 03 553 0448
Email: alice@leavesofgreen.co.nz
Rehearsal Time: 7 – 9 pm
Rehearsal Day: Monday
Venue: The Boat House, 326 Wakefield Quay
Repertoire: All styles – pop, rock, gospel, world etc.
Audition Format: No audition, all welcome.
Size: Variable, about 70 currently
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Beginners Singers – This course will not be offered in 2018
Director: Barbara Ann Grant
Phone: 03 547 9769
Contact: Kathryn Schlater – Nayland Adult Continuing Education Coordinator
Email: kathryns@nayland.school.nz
Rehearsal Time: 7 – 9 pm
Rehearsal Day: Thursday
Venue: Nayland Secondary School – Music Department Performing Arts Centre (PAC)
Repertoire: Easy learning simple unison and harmony pieces from classics to modern
Performance Type: Folk songs and classical to pop
Audition format: No audition – all welcome, no requirement to read music
Size: Approx 8 – 20
Start: Next course starts Term 2 2014
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Off Your Rockers
Contact: Robyn Beckingsale
Phone: 03 539 4724
Repertoire: Modern rock and New Zealand songs
Performance Type: Over 60’s choir modelled on the ‘Young at Heart’ choir phenomenon
Size: 50 SATB (at last communication this choir was seeking additional tenors)
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Soundworkz Blog
Barbara Ann Grant sings ‘Summertime’ by Gershwin
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» Read moreMay 22nd, 2016
Barbara Ann Grant sings ‘Shenandoah’
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» Read moreMay 22nd, 2016
Vlog Post – Learn to Sing Tip One – Posture for Great Singing
Tweet Learn to Sing Tip One – Posture for Great Singing
» Read moreOctober 14th, 2012
They’re singing so out of tune . . . they could be a big star!?
Tweet Bad singing technique – is it really such a barrier to making it big? Have you ever noticed how many singing stars habitually and regularly sing, ‘out of tune’, nasally, with shallow gaspy breathing and / or loads of throat constriction? This is something that quite frequently preys at the back of my mind […]
» Read moreAugust 19th, 2012
Top 5 Tips for How to Sing: No. 5 Trust your Gut
Tweet How to Sing | Own your own Journey | Know when to Move On The road to barely adequate singing is paved with good lil’ singers who always did what their teachers told ’em to do! OK – this one has always been contentious, but it’s a basic truth that the time comes […]
» Read moreJuly 22nd, 2012