YOU COULDN'T stop the beat when a national choir brought their sweet sounds to Tamworth for the first time ever last week, to scope out the young talent on offer.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
The country music capital was the first stop for the members of Moorambilla Voices, who have just set off on a state wide tour offering free music workshops to more than 130 schools around NSW.
Carinya Christian School students were treated to a full day of singing, dancing and body percussion and Moorambilla general manager Dayle Lummis said she was extremely impressed by the rhythm of Tamworth's youth.
"They were great and got right into it, it was amazing," she said.
With a focus on regional talent, the choir encourages students to try something new and get involved with the arts.
READ ALSO:
"There's just not many qualified music teachers in the region, so that's why we give the free workshops," Ms Lummis said.
"It's very hard in the bush, not everyone plays rugby league, so it's important to open their eyes to different opportunities."
Despite searching for regional talent for 17 years, this is the first time the choir has made the trip to Tamworth.
But with the help of Centacare, Tamworth's young people are now high on the agenda.
Centacare Aboriginal liaison officer Hollie Taggart said she got in touch with Moorambilla to help give local kids more opportunities.
"It will help the young people in Tamworth hopefully continue their passion," Ms Taggart said.
While the choir offers free workshops to schools, they also select and invite students to audition for their intensive camps, ensembles and tours around the country.
Ms Taggart said Centacare was keen to support students in any way they could, if they were selected for the program.
"We have quite a few people here in Tamworth and the smaller areas as well that have awesome talent," she said.
"We can support them by helping them get through the program, by helping them find their feet."
They were only in the city for two days, but Ms Lummis said the choir was already looking forward to coming back next year, and had met with Centacare and local Aboriginal elders to discuss the future of Moorambilla in Tamworth.
"It's a wonderful partnership to have," Ms Lummis said.
"We wanted to be able to share what we had done and why we do what we do."
The skills development workshops are scheduled to return next year, with many schools in Tamworth already expressing their interest in hosting the choir and putting students in the spotlight.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark northerndailyleader.com.au
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter
- Follow us on Instagram
- Follow us on Google News