Many years ago Ecopella had a formal audition for prospective members but we grew concerned that this might discourage people who had ability but lacked confidence. We now have a probation period instead. When a new person joins us they are checking us out and vice versa. We need people who are able to sing in tune and in time, and we usually get this sorted out within a few rehearsals. Our musical director Miguel Heatwole is responsible for deciding whether someone is fitting in, but he takes advice from experienced choir members in the same voice part as the applicant. Once accepted into the choir, singers are given access to its yahoo group. This enables them to receive and send emails to the entire choir, and to download scores and audio from its files page.

Rehearsal details are as follows:

Sydney	Illawarra	Canberra	Southern Highlands	Blue Mountains	Central Coast	Newcastle
Erkopella	Ecopellawarra	Ecobrindapella	Bundaneeks	Eekedumba	Ecoastpella	Newcopella
Wednesday evenings 7pm - 9:15pm	Fortnightly on Thursdays  6pm - 8:15pm	Fortnightly on Mondays 6:30pm - 9pm	Fortnightly on Wednesdays 10:30am - 12:30pm	Fortnightly on Thursdays 6:15pm – 8:30pm	Fortnightly on Tuesdays 5:30pm – 8pm	Fortnightly on Sundays 2pm - 4:30pm
St Peters Town Hall 39 Unwins Bridge Rd Sydenham		Private home [contact Miguel]	End of Echo Point Access Rd, Bundanoon [or private home]	Private home [contact Miguel]	Private home [contact Miguel]	Pachamama House 21 Gordon Ave Hamilton East
		Bring a plate supper during the break		Bring nibbles if you like	Bring nibbles if you like	Bring gold coin for room hire

Ecopella members are very welcome (but of course not expected) to attend rehearsals outside their area.

Some of our members are able to read music (and all of our songs are scored) but the majority learn by ear. You can find the words to all our songs on this page. We also have audio files featuring each of the voice parts - soprano, alto, tenor and bass - in isolation. These cover our complete repertoire of about 60 songs and enables members to practice in between rehearsals. If you have a computer we encourage you to bring a USB memory stick with you when you come for your first rehearsal.

When the whole choir gathers together at festivals, gigs, or camping weekends the effect is terrific! However, at most of the 770 plus gigs we've done over the last nineteen years we've had around a dozen or so singers. We have a firm rule that no choir member should try to sing material they don't know well in a public performance. If a new member knows even one song being performed, and can make it to the gig, they are very welcome to make that contribution. At gigs we wear the colours green and black only, and those who need to have music with them must keep it in a green or black folder. When possible the front row of the choir is reserved for those members who have memorised the songs being performed.

At each rehearsal Miguel passes a hat around for donations. The suggested contribution is $20 from people on a wage and less, or nothing, from unwaged folk. It is left up to the individual to decide. The main purpose of the choir is to help save the planet, so we certainly don’t want financial considerations to stop people from singing with us!

During the years Ecopella has been making beautiful choral music for the environment we’ve also created something else quite lovely. A social network of thoughtful people, concerned by the crisis facing our world and sharing their voices harmoniously, now embraces dozens of us spread out over seven branches. Eeks sound gorgeous on stage, in the streets, and around our campfires. We find ourselves singing in places where we’d not perhaps thought of going, and we feel privileged to support passionate people taking action about the most important causes in our world. We love what we do, and think you might too.

So, are you in?

 

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