Dunedin is endowed with so many excellent opportunities to sing in a choir and on Saturday I was part of a very large audience in the Dunedin public Art Gallery for the end-of-year concert from Dunedin Rock Choir.
This choir of 60 mixed voices meets weekly to enjoy singing together, and the joy and therapeutic value of participation was very evident in their hour-long recital.
Conducted by Tanara Stedman who was also their most congenial and informative compere, the group sang 15 numbers from the 1950s to contemporary, all with well-balanced backing track accompaniments.
They began with a well-paced All the Small Things (Blink-182), followed by three Beatles hits and Abba’s Waterloo, all with tight unisons and general clarity of diction.
Some songs included basic harmony, but the choir’s strength is in a question and answer sort of style, various groups coming in one after the other and strictly in time.
Although in a minority, the male voices contributed well in these arrangements.
Fix You by Coldplay, a slower, contemplative song with harmony, contrasted to the climactic passages impressively achieved in Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah. Uprising, by English rock band Muse, showed disciplined attention to syncopation, and Total Eclipse of the Heart (Bonnie Tyler) managed of changing sectional passages.
Don’t Stop Believing (by Journey) ended a most enjoyable presentation of the rock choir’s favourites.
Many of the large audience were already standing but those seated rose to join in prolonged applause.
The atmosphere radiating throughout reminded me of studies that have been done regarding the proven therapeutic value of singing, and in particular of singing together.
This was such a congenial musical event in an ideal venue, creating a relaxed ambience and an infectious joy of singing, all making for a special Saturday outing.
Well done everyone.
