One Big Voice (OBV), Australia’s largest children’s choir, is renowned for its goosebump-raising mass choir concerts at RAC Arena.
At the 2019 concert, Moora Primary School and for its fourth year, Bindoon Primary School, were amongst the 7,500 children who participated from 150 schools across WA.
Despite the 2020 concert being cancelled late last year due to COVID, some city and country schools went ahead with their own performances of OBV songs they had learned throughout the year at assemblies and other local events while Narrogin held their own OBV festival locally.
Matinee and evening concerts will be back on this year which will see OBV celebrating it’s 21st year of concerts in 2021.
Registrations open to all public, private, independent and home school students in years 3 to 7 on 28 January.
During the restrictions last year, a great deal of time and expertise was invested by One Big Voice volunteers into an online ‘keep on singing’ program to keep teachers and students engaged in the repertoire. This included singing and dancing videos on their YouTube channel as well as student competitions including: create your own backdrop, write compere parts, write your own rap and create and video choreography for the songs.
In response to requests from homeschool parents for music classes during regular school hours, a new program has been created to overcome the limited options in Perth for formal training by qualified teachers beyond private vocal and instrumental lessons.
Commencing on Wednesday mornings on 3 February 2021, OBV is offering fun, interactive music sessions. Sessions are based on WA Arts Curriculum run by professional qualified teachers and Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) graduates and students.
With classes at the Perth Concert Hall, there are also opportunities to watch and interact with the Western Australian Symphony Orchestra (WASO) during their rehearsals.
Classes will be led by Donna Marwick O’Brien and Kiki McCormack. Donna is the Creative Director of OBV, a primary school music specialist, teacher of music education at Edith Cowan University and Winner of the National Award for Excellence in Music Education. Kiki McCormack is OBV’s Regional Director and is also a primary school classroom and music educator and founder of Nakura Hope Voices Choir in Kenya.
Donna explained, “Sessions include fun music games, lots of movement and singing, learning to read, write and perform musical notation. The skills developed in these classes will prepare children for instrument playing and sight reading for vocalists.
“There will be three classes to cater for different age groups: 3-5 years; 6-9 years; 10-13 years and registrations are open now under the Homeschool Tab at www.onebigvoice.com.au.”
