The Carols in the Heart Virtual Community Choir of Lismore calls you to record yourself singing ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas’ and be immortalised on screen, singing along with the rest of the Lismore community.

Despite Covid and public health orders stopping us getting together in person for Christmas Carols in the Heart this year, you still have an opportunity to be featured in the live streaming event on December 13 – as long as you send in your video song submission by next Monday, November 30. 

Virginia Waters is one of the organisers of Carols in the Heart this year and said the idea of having a Carols in the Heart Virtual Community Choir comes from the many other couch choirs that sprang up around the world during Covid lockdown.

“The last song at Carols in the Heart each year is usually ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas’ and we get all the performers to come on stage and sing it together,” she said. 

“Instead, this year, we are asking people to record themselves singing it at home and then upload it – and we will edit it all together and it will look amazing. 

“We want as many submissions as possible for the Virtual Community Choir so please do come on board and encourage people to have some fun and do a submission too.

“We have a backing track, so all you need to do is try to sing along with it – or you can play an instrument too.

Read more news: New cabaret cooperative seeks sideshow acts

“We’ve chosen a slower Merry Christmas version so it’s easier to sing or play along with it. 

The Carols in the Heart will be livestreamed on Lismore City Council’s Facebook site on Sunday, December 13, from 7 to 8.30pm.

Once the carols finish, there will be fireworks in the city centre which will also be live streamed.

If you have any questions about the submission, or would like the song backing track to be emailed to you, email gpevents@lismore.nsw.gov.au

You can also listen to the backing track here: https://soundcloud.com/user-149098419/we-wish-you-a-merry-xmas-music-1

Instructions for recording your Carols in the Heart Community Choir Virtual submission! 

To get ready for your submission, read the following instructions, listen to the backing track supplied and practise singing along with the lyrics provided. Once you have gotten the hang of it, prepare your stage and start performing.

The deadline for submissions is November, 30.

Step 1: prep the space 

• Film in a quiet location with no background noise, either with an external mic or with the camera or phone as close to the performer as possible for clear sound
• Stand the camera or phone on a tripod or place it somewhere stable and steady
• Film all clips in landscape (camera or phone horizontal) and not portrait (camera or phone vertical) as this will give the best resolution 
• Make sure there is enough light on the subject of the video to allow us to see you/them clearly. 

Step 2: start recording  

• It’s best to use headphones to listen to the backing track while you sing, so that you are in time and so we don’t hear the backing track on the recording (with larger choir groups this is less important, but as little of the backing track on the recording as possible would be best) 
• Start singing as if your singing with our whole community

Step 3: save and upload 

• Video files will ideally be in one of the following formats: Mp4, H.264, H.265, .MXF or .MOV 
• If you cannot provide files in any of these formats, please contact us to check we can use your footage gpevents@lismore.nsw.gov.au 
• Video files must have a resolution of at least 1920 x 1080 (full HD). 4K files are acceptable. 
• Please deliver files by uploading them to this file storage box by Sunday, 30 November to allow enough time for editing.
• Be patient when uploading it can take a while. 
• Upload files here: https://bit.ly/communitychoirvirtualsubmission 
• Name your file in this format: name or group-contact phone number-couch choir  

Happy recording and please encourage others in the community to participate!

Any questions contact Virginia Waters at gpevents@lismore.nsw.gov.au or 1300 878 387.

Song Lyrics: We Wish you a Merry Christmas 

Verse 1 

We Wish you a Merry Christmas 

We Wish you a Merry Christmas 

We Wish you a Merry Christmas 

And a Happy New Year  

Good tidings we bring to you and your kin 

We Wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year We Wish you a Merry Christmas 

We Wish you a Merry Christmas 

We Wish you a Merry Christmas 

And a Happy New Year  

We Wish you a Merry Christmas 

We Wish you a Merry Christmas 

We Wish you a Merry Christmas 

And a Happy New Year 

Verse 2 

Good tidings we bring to you and your kin 

We wish you a Merry Christmas  

And a Happy New Year 

We Wish you a Merry Christmas 

We Wish you a Merry Christmas 

We Wish you a Merry Christmas 

And a Happy New Year 

We Wish you a Merry Christmas 

We Wish you a Merry Christmas 

We Wish you a Merry Christmas 

And a Happy New Year 

We Wish you a Merry Christmas 

And a Happy New Year