The choir will celebrate Christmas and its fifth anniversary with a concert this Saturday from noon at the Dunedin Public Art Gallery featuring music ranging from The Beatles to Toto.
Co-founded by music lovers Sandra Buchanan and Dinah Cameron, the Dunedin Rock Choir is focused on the enjoyment of music — both for its members and the public.
The choir has an open admission policy — no audition is required, and members do not have to come along every week.
"We have regularly had 40 to 50 people attending choir rehearsals, and this had increased to about 70 before the Covid-19 pandemic hit," Buchanan said.
The choir’s first director was Nancy Miller, followed by Tanara Steadman, Lois Johnston and present director Ben Stegmann, who took over last year.
The choir performs regularly at the Otago Museum, and has also presented one-off shows at Glenfalloch, Dunedin Hospital, Dunedin Airport, Toitu and the Dunedin Public Art Gallery.
The repertoire includes mostly older rock classics from the likes of The Beatles, The Drifters, Elvis Presley, Toto and The Eagles, as well as the more recent addition of Scottish singer-songwriter Lewis Capaldi.
"Our repertoire really covers everything from the 1950s to the 2000s, although the majority of our songs come from the 1960s and 1970s," Buchanan said.
Being part of the choir was a fun social outlet for members, as well as being very good for physical and mental wellbeing.
"We have a tremendous amount of fun — the music is great and most of us dance a bit while we are singing," she said.
"It’s a very nice way to connect with people."
Audience members at Saturday’s concert at the Dunedin Public Art Gallery will need to comply with Covid-19 requirements, including showing vaccine passes.
