Mrs Barkman (82), of Mosgiel, said she was ''shocked'' to be presented with the inaugural life member award, along with fellow member Edith Martin (80), at a practice last week.
The Mosgiel pair joined the choir at its inception in 1999.
Mrs Barkman said she sang because it kept her young and she wanted to retain the skill.
''You've got to use it or lose it.''
Mrs Martin said she joined the choir because she loved music.
She had intended to be the accompanist of the choir, which has about 40 members, almost half of whom are from Mosgiel, for ''a month or two'' but she had been playing piano and singing in the choir ever since.
Both women sang in barbershop quartets before joining the all-female choir.
Dressed in long black skirts and jade-coloured tops, they sang a wide range of music, including harmonies, folk and show songs, and had performed with the Royal Dunedin Male Choir and the Dunedin RSA Choir, Mrs Martin said.
