The Choir of Hard Knocks
Encyclopedia
The Choir of Hard Knocks is a choir
consisting of homeless and disadvantaged people formed in Melbourne
, Australia
. It came to prominence as the subject of a five-part Australian Broadcasting Corporation
documentary
television
series broadcast in 2007.
After Googling for ideas about how to put a choir at the centre of a television series, Jason Stephens happened upon Montreal's homeless choir and came up with the show's concept. Stephens convinced Jonathon Welch
- who had started a similar choir in Sydney
(the "Sydney Street Choir" in 2001 - to establish a choir of homeless people for a television project.
Recruiting was by word of mouth and through community organisations. As at May 2007, it had about 50 members.
The name is a reference to the School of Hard Knocks
, i.e. learning by experiencing life, not through classrooms.
The founding organisation behind The Choir was managed by Reclink, a not for profit community organisation that provides sport and arts opportunities to those experiencing social and economic disadvantage. Reclink has expanded its Choir program Nationally and now supports eight similar choirs around Australia including the Transformers, Choir of High Hopes Hobart, Sydney Street Choir and the Rocky Road Choir.
Following a split between Reclink and Jonathon Welch in March 2009, Welch formed a new not-for-profit entity, the Melbourne Street Choir, Inc (MSC). Supported by a pro-bono committee of management (board), MSC is the new auspicing body which will focus exclusively on the Choir and which will deliver a new level of transparency and accountability to Choir members in relation to all of its activities. Many members of the original Choir have followed Welch to the MSC which is scheduled to recommence public performances as from 29 April at the Melbourne International Jazz Festival.
On 21 May Welch launched his new choir as the Choir of Hope and Inspiration
(See Melbourne Street Choir, Inc). A training choir, the Morning Bell Choir (named so because their training session began earlier in the day to the main Choir), was also launched as the Choir of Pride & Joy on the same day.
in city streets. They also hold fundraising concerts at venues such as the Melbourne Town Hall
and the Sydney Opera House
.
A self-titled companion CD to the series was released containing traditional songs such as Amazing Grace
and Silent Night
as well as pop songs such as Flame Trees
by Cold Chisel
and Hallelujah written by Leonard Cohen
. It was each and every member's first experience in a recording studio.
The CD debuted at number 28 on the ARIA album chart in late May 2007. It has now sold almost 100,000 albums.
on 15 October. The choir won over nominees such as David Bridie
and the popular Sydney ensemble Monsieur Camembert
. Hosted by ARIA, the awards celebrate the achievements of musicians outside the dominant genres of pop and rock. They precede the 2007 ARIA Awards, which will be held at Acer Arena on 28 October.
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
consisting of homeless and disadvantaged people formed in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It came to prominence as the subject of a five-part Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
documentary
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
series broadcast in 2007.
Creators
Jason Stephens and Fremantle Media Australia were the creators behind the ABC documentary series the Choir of Hard Knocks coming up with the original idea to form the choir in Melbourne.After Googling for ideas about how to put a choir at the centre of a television series, Jason Stephens happened upon Montreal's homeless choir and came up with the show's concept. Stephens convinced Jonathon Welch
Jonathon Welch
Jonathon Welch is a choral conductor and singer from Melbourne, Australia.Welch was the 2008 winner of the Australian Local Hero Awardin recognition of his work with The Choir of Hard Knocks, a choir made up of homeless and disadvantaged singers from Melbourne...
- who had started a similar choir in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
(the "Sydney Street Choir" in 2001 - to establish a choir of homeless people for a television project.
Recruiting was by word of mouth and through community organisations. As at May 2007, it had about 50 members.
The name is a reference to the School of Hard Knocks
School of Hard Knocks
The School of Hard Knocks is an idiomatic phrase meaning the education one gets from life's usually negative experiences, often contrasted with formal education...
, i.e. learning by experiencing life, not through classrooms.
The founding organisation behind The Choir was managed by Reclink, a not for profit community organisation that provides sport and arts opportunities to those experiencing social and economic disadvantage. Reclink has expanded its Choir program Nationally and now supports eight similar choirs around Australia including the Transformers, Choir of High Hopes Hobart, Sydney Street Choir and the Rocky Road Choir.
Following a split between Reclink and Jonathon Welch in March 2009, Welch formed a new not-for-profit entity, the Melbourne Street Choir, Inc (MSC). Supported by a pro-bono committee of management (board), MSC is the new auspicing body which will focus exclusively on the Choir and which will deliver a new level of transparency and accountability to Choir members in relation to all of its activities. Many members of the original Choir have followed Welch to the MSC which is scheduled to recommence public performances as from 29 April at the Melbourne International Jazz Festival.
On 21 May Welch launched his new choir as the Choir of Hope and Inspiration
Choir of Hope and Inspiration
Choir of Hope and Inspiration is an incorporated association formed in March 2009 under the Associations Incorporation Act 1981 . CHI is based in Collingwood, Melbourne and is the community choir formerly known by the name "The Choir of Hard Knocks" and the "Morning Bells" choir...
(See Melbourne Street Choir, Inc). A training choir, the Morning Bell Choir (named so because their training session began earlier in the day to the main Choir), was also launched as the Choir of Pride & Joy on the same day.
CD
The choir raised money to record a CD through buskingBusking
Street performance or busking is the practice of performing in public places, for gratuities, which are generally in the form of money and edibles...
in city streets. They also hold fundraising concerts at venues such as the Melbourne Town Hall
Melbourne Town Hall
Melbourne Town Hall is the central municipal building of the City of Melbourne, Australia, in the State of Victoria. It is located on the northeast corner of Swanston and Collins Streets, in the central business district. It is the seat of the Local Government Area of the City of Melbourne...
and the Sydney Opera House
Sydney Opera House
The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in the Australian city of Sydney. It was conceived and largely built by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, finally opening in 1973 after a long gestation starting with his competition-winning design in 1957...
.
A self-titled companion CD to the series was released containing traditional songs such as Amazing Grace
Amazing Grace
"Amazing Grace" is a Christian hymn with words written by the English poet and clergyman John Newton , published in 1779. With a message that forgiveness and redemption are possible regardless of the sins people commit and that the soul can be delivered from despair through the mercy of God,...
and Silent Night
Silent Night
"Silent Night" is a popular Christmas carol. The original lyrics of the song "Stille Nacht" were written in Oberndorf bei Salzburg, Austria, by the priest Father Joseph Mohr and the melody was composed by the Austrian headmaster Franz Xaver Gruber...
as well as pop songs such as Flame Trees
Flame Trees
"Flame Trees" is a song by Australian pub rock band Cold Chisel from their 1984 album Twentieth Century. It is one of their best known songs, and was written by drummer Steve Prestwich and organist Don Walker...
by Cold Chisel
Cold Chisel
Cold Chisel is a rock band that originated in Adelaide, Australia. It is one of the most acclaimed Australian rock bands of all time, with a string of hits throughout the 1970s and 1980s and huge sales that continue to this day, although its success and acclaim was almost completely restricted to...
and Hallelujah written by Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen
Leonard Norman Cohen, is a Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, poet and novelist. Cohen published his first book of poetry in Montreal in 1956 and his first novel in 1963. His work often explores religion, isolation, sexuality and interpersonal relationships...
. It was each and every member's first experience in a recording studio.
The CD debuted at number 28 on the ARIA album chart in late May 2007. It has now sold almost 100,000 albums.
Award
The choir received the award for best original soundtrack at the 2007 ARIA Fine Arts Awards at the Sydney Conservatorium of MusicSydney Conservatorium of Music
The Sydney Conservatorium of Music is one of the oldest and most prestigious music schools in Australia...
on 15 October. The choir won over nominees such as David Bridie
David Bridie
David Bridie is a musician from Melbourne, Australia. Bridie first rose to prominence as a member of Not Drowning, Waving, which he started in the early 1980s with guitarist John Phillips. They released four albums on Australian independent labels to some level of critical acclaim and very limited...
and the popular Sydney ensemble Monsieur Camembert
Monsieur Camembert
Monsieur Camembert is a five-piece Gypsy fusion band formed in Sydney, Australia in 1999. They have won three ARIA Music Awards for Best World Music Album in 2002 for Live on Stage , in 2003 for Absynthe and in 2005 for Monsieur Camembert...
. Hosted by ARIA, the awards celebrate the achievements of musicians outside the dominant genres of pop and rock. They precede the 2007 ARIA Awards, which will be held at Acer Arena on 28 October.