On 1 April the Sydney Street Choir, featuring a large group of enthusiastic singers, performed for a big lunchtime crowd in front of the Sydney Opera House.
The focus of this event was twofold. First, we were launching our 2026 festivities to celebrate the Street Choir’s 25th year, and second, launching the wonderful song ‘A Little Bit of Kindness’ written for us by our friend, the songwriter and composer Chris Lake.
We started the day inside what must be our most beautiful green room to date, the Utzen Room overlooking Sydney Harbour. When we ventured out into the brilliant sunshine at 12.30, our dedicated MC Andrew Everingham was there to introduce us and kick off the show.
Alongside our talented choir directors Suze, Mary and Dave on guitar and ukulele, our performance included two didgeridoo players – our own Matthew who plays with us at rehearsals every week, plus special guest William Barton, a well-known performer and composer. Choir member Andrew Harris performed and sang Welcome to Country for the event, accompanied by William on the didgeridoo.
We then performed a full set of favourite songs – with a few speeches in between from long-time friends of the Choir. Founder and initial director Jonathon Welch, AO, stood up to share with those in the audience some highlights of the journey the group has taken over the years. Governor of New South Wales Margaret Beazley, and Board Member Anna Dear also spoke, talking about how music, song and community have been changing people’s lives in the Choir.
Most important, along with those celebrities, a number of choir members stepped up to share their stories as well, and let the audience know what it’s like to be a part of the Sydney Street Choir.
