Last Sunday Isabella A Cappella with musical director Grace Cockburn, conducted a harmony workshop and afternoon concert at the Northern Rivers Conservatorium. 

Approximately 20 workshop attendees enjoyed learning the foundations of blending and harmonising with just their voices. They were asked to listen and sink into the cathartic experience of group singing.

A delightful concert followed which entertained 50+ Lismore music lovers.

(The Sunday performance by Isabella A Capella. Photo: supplied)

Founded in 1984 by the late Isabel Atcheson, Isabella A Cappella was created to give students and staff at The Northern Rivers College of Advanced Education (now Southern Cross University) a chance to sing and perform together. For over thirty years this vocal group has helped nurture and develop more than 100 singers.

The choir established an association with Japan in 2000 when Tazuko McLaren, a Japanese language lecturer, was raising money to build a Japanese Student Centre at Southern Cross University (SCU). She asked Isabella a Cappella, under the-then directorship of Jude Magee, to sing at a function.

Mrs McLaren was so impressed with the performance that she invited the group to tour Japan to raise money for the Japanese Student Centre. Isabella A Cappella raised over $50,000 for the centre, which on completion became known as the Father Tony Glynn Japan-Australia Centre. The group has toured Japan eleven times, as well as touring the USA and New Zealand.

Isabella A Cappella is a well-loved community vocal group in the Northern Rivers with 38 years of performing and supporting SCU at graduations as well as performing at many local fundraising events. The choir’s rehearsal home and funding has always been at SCU.

Unfortunately, during the pandemic, that relationship ended and the choir found a new rehearsal home at the Northern Rivers Conservatorium. So begins a new productive association with the “Con” right in the heart of Lismore.

In spite of Covid restrictions for nearly 2 years and the destructive flood in February, director Grace Cockburn, has worked to keep Isabella A Cappella going into 2022. As we support each other through this difficult year, there has also come a time to support our artists and our cultural richness. Lismore is known for its strong and creative arts community of which Isabella A Cappella is a significant and historic part.

The choir will be holding auditions Tuesday, January 31^st.

Contact isabella.acappella@gmail.com to express interest or check out their website https://www.isabella-acappella.com.au/about-isabella-acappella/.