Bali Advertiser
05 May - 19 May, 2010
group, which started with 11 singers and when I left, numbered over 150. I later began a women’s choir, which also fl ourished and had over 60 members. So, I thought, if I could do it in Melbourne why not in Sanur?
Why were you drawn specifi cally to an ensemble of singers instead of to other forms of music?
Brendan O’Donnell:
Bali Community Choir Director
Brendan O’Donnell was born and grew up in Melbourne, Australia except for three years at a boarding school in New South Wales. He
attended Burwood Primary Teachers’ College and became a school principal for 10 years. Brendan earned a Bachelor of Arts with a major in music at Monash University. While in secondary school Brendan was in charge of the music department, which gave him the opportunity to direct a number of successful musical productions. Brendan studied piano and was involved in various choirs for many years. He has lived in Bali since 2008. In 2009, he started the Bali Community Choir, which currently has 60 members.
Did you enjoy music as a child?
Yes! I started singing in primary school. Catholic schooling involved singing at all levels - concerts, masses, church liturgies, etc. Mum and Dad made big sacrifi ces to buy a piano and arrange music lessons for me. Every Wednesday afternoon I was excused from regular classes and took a tiny train (the school had it’s own private railway station) from Robertson to Mossvale where I took piano lessons at the Dominican Convent.
Who has had a big infl uence on you?
Sister Mary Sechnall at Saint Joseph. She was a strict disciplinarian who was the school principal and taught me in grades 6 & 7. There were 72 children in the combined class and one could hear a pin drop! One of the “old school” who taught grammar, latin roots and math until the cows came home! She won my heart by telling stories and weaving dreams out of ordinary events. In later years we became good friends and I would drive her and some of the sisters into the Victorian countryside for picnics. At about 75 years of age she dropped dead in front of her class. An amazing lady!
How did you end up on Bali?
I discovered Bali about 10 years ago, fell in love with the island and it’s warm and welcoming people. I never married, so when my Mum died fi ve years ago it gave me the opportunity to think about starting a new life in Bali. I began to visit Bali regularly and started seriously looking for property. When I retired a couple of years ago, I was ready to move here permanently... and here I am.
What gave you the idea of starting the Bali Community Choir?
For many years, I had conducted church choirs. About 10 years ago I became involved with “Sing Australia,” established for the purpose of getting Australians to sing. This was the brainchild of Colin Slater who fi rst set up a choir in Canberra, which has since grown to over 100 choirs all over Australia. For 8 years I conducted the Hawthorn
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A choir is a delight because it gives many people the chance to sing, even if they are not particularly good singers. Participating in a choir offers fun and satisfaction. It also gives me the opportunity of doing something that I love, meeting new and interesting people, enjoying a social activity that is exciting and lifts the spirit. If it does these things for me, then surely it should provide the same enjoyment for others. It’s also an opportunity to blend cultures, as everybody is welcome to join.
What is the profi le of the typical participant?
There is no “typical” participant! That is the beauty of a choir. It attracts all sorts of people from very different backgrounds and occupations... it’s a melting pot! We have a fairly even balance between Indonesian and expat members. Also a nice balance between males and females. This is rather unusual as most choirs, in my experience, are dominated by female members. I am fi nding this more even mix of voices to be very exciting. Among occupations, we have teachers, business people, dog trainers, massuers, retirees, retail workers, jewellers, travel agents and so on.
What’s the most difficult aspect of managing the choir?
We have had great diffi culty in obtaining the services of an experienced piano accompanist. We are fortunate to have Sung Yoon, a 15-year-old Korean student who is studying at Bali International School. He has done a wonderful job, but school commitments are growing more pressing. I am hoping that this interview may arouse the interest of an accomplished accompanist who is prepared to commit to regular attendance for very little remuneration... but a lot of pleasure and genuine appreciation!
Has the choir ever performed at any public event?
So far our only public performance has been at the Bali International Women’s Association annual dinner. Last December we all piled into a bus and drove to several 5-star hotels and sang Christmas carols for the assembled guests. This was very well received and the choir members had a wonderful evening together, whetting their appetites for future performances. An annual concert is being prepared and other possibilities are in the pipeline. At present we are building repertoire and just enjoying ourselves.
How may readers join?
Just come along to the Gateway Community Centre, Jl. Danau Batur in Sanur on a Tuesday evening 7-9 pm. I have also recently established a men’s group to sing Barber Shop music, meeting at the same place from 9 pm to 10 pm. You won’t be asked to audition. You will be given a folder of music and asked to sing. You WILL be made very welcome and you WILL be expected to have an enjoyable evening! Don’t be put off because you were told to shut up at school. This is your opportunity to do what you have always wanted, but have never been game to do... SING!
For further information, contact Brendan at 081 353 120 682 (English) or Ricky at 081 338 753 327 (Indonesian).
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