What does Chime Choir represent?
- Excellence - a strong commitment to performance excellence
- Professionalism - choir governance and artistic practice infused with professionalism and integrity
- Community - a community in which each member is valued
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Chime Choir was founded in 1984 by renowned performer and educator Kevin Casey, so that girls and young adults would be able to join a choir, as well as boys. It was the Choral Institute Melbourne - Chime. His passion for musical excellence laid the foundations for Chime to evolve into the choir it is today.
Our Artistic Director, Jenny Mathers, leads Chime with professionalism, enthusiasm and vision for the future, nurturing a community that makes fresh and exciting music. Her passion for people and singing challenges choristers to achieve their very best at all times. Rosa Hwang, our accompanist, is a constant support to the choir with her sensitive, confident playing. The choir's diverse membership is united by the desire to sing choral music that speaks to the heart and mind, exploring the world - past, present, and emerging. We are committed to creating a community where people have the opportunity to sing music that challenges and delights. Each year, Chime presents a number of concerts as well as performing at weddings and funerals, seasonal festivals, and special events, at locations ranging from shopping centres and wineries to churches and performing arts centres. Chime has also toured America, England, Germany, Italy, and Austria, and participated in several international choral competitions. In April 2018, our choristers had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to sing at Carnegie Hall in New York when Chime was invited to join a world choir, singing compositions by Norwegian composer Ola Gjeilo as part of the DCINY Dreamweaver concert. 
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Chime has been privileged to collaborate with many wonderful choirs and musicians. These include Southern Voices, The Idea of North, Exaudi, and Sweet Mona’s Choir, as well as singers Roy Best and Andrea Bocelli, organists Hugh Fullarton and Thomas Heywood, and various bands and orchestral groups including Boroondara Brass. In 2017, Chime was honoured to be selected to perform with popular Welsh tenor, Aled Jones, at his inspiring Melbourne Recital Centre concert.
Chime’s diverse repertoire includes requiems by Mozart and Karl Jenkins, songs by Vaughan Williams and Claude Debussy, contemporary classics by Morten Lauridsen and Eric Whitacre, gospel, folk and jazz melodies, and original compositions and arrangements by local composers. This wide variety of music provides choristers with the opportunity to broaden their musical experience and continually develop their choral skills whilst enjoying the sense of community that Chime offers. Chime has their own Child Safety Policy and adheres to an explicit Code of Conduct. |