Hi my name is Andrea, 

I can clearly remember the first time I stood in a circle of people singing together. I had goose-bumps, shivers and even a little tear.  The best thing is that even after 4 years as a community singer and now as a singing leader it still feels just as special and amazing. 

I believe that everyone who loves music can also make music. 

I was very lucky to grow up in a musical family where singing, playing pianos, bongos and guitars was a daily event. As a young person I had many special opportunities to sing and write songs with my family as a duo, trio or quartet.

Now as an adult I am very lucky to sing and experience music every week, I sing with the Geelong West acabellas community singing group and VIVA a 16 piece female acapella group, both led by Belinda McArdle.

I also enjoy meeting with other singer songwriters to collaborate and explore aspects of music and I try to attend as many gigs and live musical shows as I possibly can.

I love to combine all of these experiences to develop my own singing style and to develop the singing groups that I lead. 

Once a month I travel to Haddon with Belinda McArdle, for a Sunday afternoon of Community singing with the townspeople of Haddon, Scarsdale, and surrounding districts. Together Belinda and I lead a variety of songs in rounds, harmonies, weaving one song into another, and often a combination of each of these styles. Songs are carefully chosen each month and new songs are often written and arranged especially for the group.

Throughout the winter months I also prepared and led a block of lunch time singing sessions for staff members through a workplace stress buster at a Geelong educational organisation. We sang for relaxation, stress alleviation and fun. 

I love that we live in a place and time where people can gather together and sing – whether it be in a little country town on a Sunday afternoon or a quick lunch time sing in a busy workplace in the city. When a group of voices come together the experience is always beautiful.  

You can contact Andrea  andrea@acabellas.net.au

This is what some singers from my work place singing group had to say:

 “I can’t go another minute with out thanking you for giving us the opportunity to sing like we did today. I LOVED IT! I’m really excited about coming next week.”

“Thanks Andrea, wish it was twice a week as I soooo enjoyed it!”

“Thank you for the leading this singing session, it has revitalised my soul.”

“Thanks for organising it Andrea; you were amazing and I’m sure everyone came away feeling invigorated”