El Coro

El Coro is one of Sydney's newest chamber choirs, formed especially to explore the choral music of Iberia and Latin America, and to bring this music to Australian audiences through performances to a high standard. Established by Margot McLaughlin in May 2010, El Coro has already performed at Wollongong's Viva La Gong Festival and in the Blue Mountains for the Blackheath Choir Festival. In 2011 we will make return visits to these festivals, as well as giving workshops and a performance at Coonamble's Moorambilla Festival in country NSW. We also plan to put on our own full-length concerts in the near future, as the choir's membership grows.

El Coro's repertoire spans the 13th to 21st centuries and covers a wide range of styles from many countries and provinces, such as mediaeval Galicia and Portugal, renaissance Spain, Mexican baroque, Brazilian classical, contemporary folkloric from Chile and Argentina, cha-cha, bolero, and much more. It often performs a cappella (unaccompanied) but also collaborates with leading contemporary Latin American group Trio Matíz.

For the Instituto Cervantes' Día del Español, El Coro will present a selection of songs from different times and places in the history of the Spanish language. The oldest will be from the Cantigas de Maria compiled by Alfonso X of Castile (aka Alfonso the Wise). The newest song is actually both old and new - a modern American arrangement of Adijo Kerida, an old Sephardic love song originally dating from around the time of the Jews' expulsion from Spain in 1492.

El Coro is currently looking for skilled singers in all sections to expand the choir to around 16-20 voices. It is not necessary to be a Spanish speaker to join the choir. More important is music-reading, ability to practise at home, and a keenness to explore new repertoire and to sing in and be coached in the various languages of Iberia and Latin America. We rehearse on Monday evenings not far from central Sydney, and the selection process includes a short audition and attendance at a rehearsal or two.

If you are interested, we would love to hear from you! To inquire about joining El Coro, or for more information about our performances, please contact David Goodwin, Administrator, on goodwin.mclaughlin@bigpond.com or 0410 505562.