Moorambilla has hit the road to recruit the best student voices from Western NSW, after Covid-19 saw the organisation pull up stumps for two years. 

Schools in Narromine, Trangie, Warren, Nyngan, Collarenabri, Walgett, Lightning Ridge, Goodooga, Brewarrina, Bourke, Cobar, Baradine, Coonamble and Gilgandra have all had visits from the group, with students’ skills being put to the test to join the regional choir. 

Artistic Director Michelle Leonard OAM said that after two years off, she’s thrilled to assemble another major student choir.

“We all love Covid, but there’s nothing better than being a proverbial butterfly and emerging (out of isolation). We’re absolutely delighted to spread our wings all over the region,” Mrs Leonard said.  

In the coming months, students chosen within the choir will have the opportunity to attend residency camps, where over 300 students gather to develop their musical skills.

“This will be our fourth week on the road, we would have seen about 100 schools, and it is absolutely glorious to see and hear the children sing again after two years,” Mrs Leonard said.

“There is always exceptional talent in Western NSW and this year is no different."

Artistic Director Michelle Leonard is back in schools across the west with the Moorambilla Skills Development Workshops.

In 2019, the choir’s music and choreography was based on a cultural immersion experience at the Macquarie Marshes, at their most vulnerable during the drought. 

Following Moorambilla tradition, the choir’s efforts will all lead up to a concert in Baradine called ‘Riversong’. 

Students will have the opportunity to participate in intensive weekend camps, residency camps, concerts and cultural immersion tours.

Despite taking the last two years off, Moorambilla Voices rose to a bigger fame over Covid-19, when the documentary ‘Wide Open Sky’ was catalogued on Netflix, chronicling the regional choir’s journey. 

Mrs Leonard said having the visual representation of the choir has been a useful tool for showing who they are as a choir, rather than explaining. 

“A lot of the children have seen it or know someone in it. It’s been a lovely thing to tell people to go on and watch Wide Open Sky,” she said. 

Mrs Leonard welcomes students who were absent for her arrival at local schools to send in a ‘singing selfie’ via their website.