The Shine Community Choir has been asked to perform at the Lincoln Center for Performing Arts in New York in April.
The invitation has been issued by Distinguished Concerts International New York, a leading producer of musical entertainment performed in renowned venues.
Shine’s choirmaster, Nicole Giezekamp-Bakija, said choir members were beside themselves. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
The New York organisation saw a Shine performance on You Tube and contacted Ms Giezekamp-Bakija via Facebook. At first she thought it was a joke.
“I said, ‘I’m sorry if I’m sounding sceptical but this just doesn’t happen’.”
When she subsequently received a written invitation from the artistic director and principal conductor, Jonathan Griffith, she knew it was real. Or, as she put it: “I was in gobsmacked city.”
Shine members will join other leading choristers from around the world in performing the music of Sydney Guillaume, a Haitian-born composer and conductor.
The trip will include two half-day rehearsals and clinics under expert tuition plus a performance on Sunday, April 3 in the David Geffen Hall at the Lincoln Center.
Shine was formed in 2012 and most of its members do not read music. Ms Giezekamp-Bakija calls them “intuitives - astounding in their ability to feel the music”.
The Shine choir has been an activity of the Springwood Neighbourhood Centre since January 2013.
They started singing for nursing homes in the Mountains and performed at the Blackheath Choir Festival.
They eventually became part of the Western Sydney Community Choir which spent four months last year preparing for an Opera House performance, which was given a standing ovation.
“Crown Foundation saw that of such community benefit that they added funding and a new March 2015 Parramatta Park open air event was created with Opera Australia and maestro Simon Kenway,” Ms Giezekamp-Bakija said.
The group is now looking at fundraising and will be seeking sponsorship and donations.
“We need help to get there. The budget for 11 singers is huge with the Aussie dollar so weak,” Ms Giezekamp-Bakija said.
Blue Mountains MP, Trish Doyle, and the mayor, Mark Greenhill, have added their support to the group.
To contribute or help, contact Ms Giezekamp-Bakija on 0418 413 880.
It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
- Nicole Giezekamp-Bakija