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Membership Enquiries:
info@heathenschoir.orgTo book The Heathens:
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What people say about the Heathens Choir "You managed to present that group of irreligious, uncivilised and unenlightened folk as a coherent, well-disciplined and musical ensemble. What magic!!! Please thank them all for their wonderful contribution to the concert.’ Sue Capper, making light of the informal definition of the word heathens from dictionary.com" -
"Thank you Deb and all of the Heathens who sang so beautifully last night. So many great comments from all of the audience - you certainly started the BANC AGM with a flourish! Your enthusiasm was more than measurable". Adrienne, President BANC Committee.
Category Archives: Uncategorized
We’re Back for 2026!
Celebrating 18 years of voices, harmony and community. New Performances are on the way. See our concert schedule below. If the idea of being part of a wonderful choir interests you, join our rehearsals commencing Wednesday 4th February 3pm – … Continue reading
Blackheath Choir Festival 2026
The Heathens are working towards their performance at this year’s Blackheath Choir Festival. For more information Blackheath Choir Festival.
The Heathens Choir Live in Concert, 2026
Friday 19th June, 7PM – Phillips Hall Blackheath Step into a night of rich harmony and heartfelt song as the Heathens Choir presents an uplifting celebration of music and community. With over 50 passionate voices, the Heathens will take you … Continue reading
We all know from experience that singing is good for us and makes us feel good:
Flow state, exercise and healthy ageing: 5 unexpected benefits of singing
Celebrating 10 YEARS!
This post marks our 10-year milestone in 2019 — an important chapter in the history of the Heathens Choir. 2019 marks the 10th year that The Heathens have been singing together under the direction of Chris Wheeler and we will … Continue reading
Did you know that singing triggers memory?
We all know the wonderful benefits of singing – especially with others…but did you know that it can trigger memories in those who struggle to remember? This is a very interesting article… http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-08-12/singing-triggers-memories-for…/10106328
Vera’s book in Budapest!
Welcome back to Vera from her trip home to Hungary with the exciting news that her memoir – Red Danube – is now sitting on shelves in bookshops in Budapest! Congratulations!
“Practicing Choral Music: Ten ideas for the singer who doesn’t think they can practice on their own”
We know Chris reminds us to practise between rehearsals…and perhaps some do! Here are some tips for those of us who don’t…or find it hard to do… Congratulations! You’ve now been told for the millionth time to practice your music … Continue reading
Singing Changes Your Brain. Group singing has been scientifically proven to lower stress, relieve anxiety, and elevate endorphins
Check out this great article on the wonderful benefits of group singing… http://ideas.time.com/2013/08/16/singing-changes-your-brain/
Sopranino?
Our newest and youngest member to join the sopranos is Safira. Would she classify as a sopranino?
The Heathens Book
If you haven’t got your copy … The Heathens Book is available to buy for only $10 at Banc. It is a beautiful collection of stories of the lives of the choir members. Each story is magical, unique and generously … Continue reading
May your voices …
“May your voices take springs there where fire burns. May your songs put roses there where battlefields lay. Open furrow and sow love to harvest fruits of hope. Sing to liberty where despot rule, Sing to equality where poverty nests, … Continue reading
Note values and counting
Here are a few hints to help with understanding the timing of music. Firstly check the time signature. If the top number is 4 or there is a big C (for common time) then you have to count four beats … Continue reading
musical progression
Last week we looked at three different types of progression which you can follow in the music, even if you don’t actually read music. The simplest progression is a musical scale where the notes move from space-to-line and line-to-space and … Continue reading
Know your range
I hope you all found the first little tutorial yesterday useful. Unless I am democratically overruled 😉 I will try to give a little musicology snippet at the start of each rehearsal. Once you understand your own musical range it … Continue reading
Bob Rowe remembered
Mick writes that we have just learnt of the passing of one of our early Heathens, Bob Rowe, after a long battle with brain tumour that caused him to go blind. Bob was a pianist and singer who became more … Continue reading
Every breath you take
Bella has some tips for breathing technique We all know that breathing correctly is essential for us all in the choir. How many of you have struggled to hold those beautiful long notes for some of our finales? Well, I … Continue reading
Sing for your life – 6/6
All good things come to an end. Frank has shared with us how singing makes you healthy, helps you to stay well and helps you to heal; how it makes you happy; and how its good for your baby (or … Continue reading
What to do with 10 grandchildren
Chris reports on what to do with 10 grandchildren under the age of 10, all staying at her house for a few freezing days in the school holidays. Take them bushwalking – anyone 4 years or older is officially old … Continue reading
Yes, coach
Rob continues in a sporting theme … Where would we be without our coach? How lucky are we to have such a talented and dedicated mentor to gently encourage us to explore and expand our vocal abilities with various techniques … Continue reading
Sing for your life – 5/6
Frank continues his series on the benefits of singing … 5. Singing Helps You to Stay Well Singing is the perfect preventative measure & an excellent antidote to our busy, multi-tasking times. It reconnects the balance in our breathing, movement … Continue reading
Member profile – Susie
Although now retired, Susie worked as a behavioural scientist and management consultant. In this capacity she established a consultancy working with a variety of groups and large institutions such as the Commonwealth Bank, Qantas and Westpac Bank, implementing her new … Continue reading
Who knew Megan Washington has a stutter?
Talking of singing and healing … There was a great documentary on ABC a few nights ago: http://www.abc.net.au/tv/bigideas/stories/2014/06/05/4019554.htm Catch it while you can. The TedX talk will probably survive online a little longer: http://tedxsydney.com/LIVE/?s=75#&panel1-1
Sing for your life – 4/6
If you google singing and healing most of the images you find are of Tibetan singing bowls. Those of us who went with Chris on the singing trek to Nepal earlier this year will be familiar with these and might … Continue reading
Sing for your life – 3/6
Frank has already told us how singing makes you happy, and singing makes you healthy. In this third installment we find out that babies benefit from a good sing: 3. Singing is Good for Your Baby A mother’s instinct to … Continue reading
Like me, were you told you couldn’t sing?
About age 10 at primary state school our teacher got each of us in turn to sing Do-Rae-Mi-Fa-So-La-Ti-Do. Yeronga was a very big school and she needed about 20 for the school choir so most of us failed and were … Continue reading
Sing for your life – 2/6
In his first blog Frank explained how singing makes you healthy. Now he shares the second benefit he’s found from the latest American Harvard & Yale universities’ research: 2. Singing Makes You Happy A university study over the last 12 … Continue reading
Heathens sing with a master
We are usually busy practising our repertoire for the next gig – so it was a good idea by our Musical Director, Christine, to have a two- hour session with local maestro, the renowned and much loved singing educator and … Continue reading
Member profile – Mick
Mick was born in Sydney and has had a long career as an academic at Sydney University in the specialised area of Biometry (the applied statistics for agriculture). His work has taken him to Indonesia where he was involved in … Continue reading
Sing for your life – 1/6
Six benefits of singing, by Frank Singing comes to us as naturally as breathing. Our Mothers sang to us from the moment we were born & we all did it freely as children. But these days, chances are most of … Continue reading
Musique Concrète – a blog from Bella
Music and life Whether you can read the intricate symbols on the page and translate them into amazing sounds on an instrument, via singing or not, many Blackheathans young and old, know the importance of music. Musique concrète is a … Continue reading
Member profile – Harry
Harry was born in 1927 in Warwick, Queensland. Significantly he says, 1927 was also the year the Federal Parliament moved from Melbourne to Canberra. From there it appears his life has been full and it continues to be so. Never … Continue reading
Farewell Dawn Baker
On a cool, wet, typical Blackheath day the community gathered to pay its respects to Dawn Baker – an eccentric and much loved Blackheathen. There were eulogies from family and friends, The Heathens sang and people from across the community … Continue reading
Welcome to The Heathens Website
We hope that you like our new website. Our aim is to provide information about The Heathens and our upcoming events as well as blogs about choir activities and members. There are password protected pages for our members and for … Continue reading
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