About the Choir
Thanks to all our supporters for your love and encouragement throughout 2007. The coming year promises to be just as exciting and we look forward to sharing the journey with you. To find out where you can catch the Choir, go to our events page for upcoming public performances.
Your support...
Don't forget, you can support the Choir by purchasing our products. All proceeds from the sale of the Choir's CD, DVD, book, t-shirt & cap go back into the program, to keep the Choir performing and to keep the dream alive! Go to our secure on-line merchandise page to place your order now!
Our story..
Inspired by the Montreal Homeless Men's Choir and his previous experience with the Sydney Street Choir, former Opera Australia Tenor Jonathon Welch formed a partnership with ABC TV, Fremantle Media and RecLink Australia to document the creation of the Choir of Hard Knocks. Formed in September 2006, the Choir of Hard Knocks is made up of a group of 50 diverse and eclectic individuals who responded to a call to form a community street choir. Their incredible journey was recorded and broadcast by the ABC and touched the lives of millions of viewers across Australia.
Since that time the Choir have recorded 2 CDs. Their first release, Songs from the Series, has won an ARIA Award and sold in excess of 110,000 copies while their second album Songs of Hope and Inspiration was released at Christmas. In Canberra for Australia Day 2008, Jonathon Welch was recently acclaimed the Australian of the Year: Local Hero while the Choir were hosted by none less than the Prime Minister himself.
About RecLink...
The Choir of Hard Knocks is a program of RecLink Australia. Since 1990 RecLink Australia have worked to create and co-ordinate social and recreational opportunities for people experiencing disadvantage. Disadvantage comes in all shapes and sizes and RecLink works with over 120 support agencies throughout Victoria. In 2008 RecLink Australia is proud to announce a federal expansion of its successful model across the nation into every capital city and key regional areas. For more information about RecLink Australia and to get involved check out the website at www.reclink.org or call the office 9419 6672.
Our Choir members...
The Choir of Hard Knocks is comprised of the following members:
Allan Crabbe, Andrew Follows, Andy Vassilogimas, Anna Colombo, Annie Saunders, Belinda Foxwell, Brian Presnell, Bruce Davis, Clarko, Craig Hughes, David Ogle, Deb Digby, Dominic Forgione, Eric Stevens, Gena Marie Richards, George Heywood, Hank Kerr, Holly Amy, Hylton Canavan, Ingrid Wiggin, Irene Evans, John Taouk, John Connolly, Josephine Mckinnon, Karen Aeschlimann, Kate Weir, Kim Sfar, Kylie O'Brien, Lawrence Tahuriorangi, Louis Mayfield, Margaret Faull, Mario Mariani, Melanie Greer, Molly Radford, Nettie Young, Patricia Crofts, Patricia Parker, Rodney Mitchell, Sheree Daly, Sigrid Khoury, Simon Mansell, Stan Hackett, Stephanie Faamatala, Tony Yazbeck, Wayne Smith and Tom Kamberidis.
Jonathon Welch- Choir founder and Director
Esther Coleman Hawkins- Choir Manager
Jenny Taylor and Michael Eckersall- Choir Assistants
