Community Choral Project 2019

In 2019, Musical and Creative Director Matt Reuben James Ward has unearthed resonating stories from community members based on the songs that inspired them. Selected from over 50 songs, the community choir of 240 will take you on a stroll down memory lane, as Ward puts his distinctive spin on favourites by The Beatles, Crowded House, Eric Clapton, The Monkees and more.

The CCP is a community arts project open to all members of the community, in particular those people who have always wanted to sing in a choir but never dared. The project aims to bring members of the community together to work on a production that is showcased at the Joondalup Festival.

Each year the City contracts a musical director to conduct the community choir. The choir come together to rehearse for approximately eight weeks leading to a final performance at the Joondalup Festival. The choir is made up of amateur, semi-professional singers and music enthusiasts. It is a great opportunity to meet other singers in the northern corridor of Perth and challenge yourself to learn repertoire you have not sung before.

History of the choir

For the first time in 2013, the City of Joondalup showcased a Community Choral Project as part of the official opening to the Festival. The City commissioned composer Alberto Caruso and writer Vivienne Glance to create a new community choral work called Banuru Songs to be performed as a world premiere by individuals, ensembles, school groups and community choirs from Joondalup and beyond. The Banuru Chorus was conducted by Chris van Tuinen. From 2013 the choir has continued to grow each year featuring different repertoire and musical directors.

2013 – Banuru Songs, composed by Alberto Caruso to a text by Vivienne Glance (world premiere)
2014 – Back to Barbershop! Devised by Carole Macintyre and Bill McAllister of MacMusiCo
2015 – West End Wonder, musical direction by Jangoo Chapkhana
2016 – A Hard Day’s Night, musical direction by Jangoo Chapkhana
2017 – Fiesta! Musical direction by Jangoo Chapkhana
2018 – The Music of Queen, musical direction by Jangoo Chapkhana
2019 – Resonating Stories, Shining Songs musical and creative direction by Matt Reuben Ward