Sing Australia Pty Ltd was established by Colin Slater OAM, with a primary goal of encouraging people to sing while also promoting Australian songs and artists. Colin Slater envisioned Australia as a country where everyone sings and decided to chase this dream.

Colin Slater formed a group called Austral Skies with Australian trumpeter Paul Plunkett, which performed Australian music and songs throughout the Eastern States of Australia from 1986 to 1990. He produced and directed a great many concerts, events and celebrations featuring prominent Australian artists, such as the inaugural National Opera Festival (1997), a major concert in the Melbourne Park Tennis centre celebrating the 75th anniversary of the RAAF (1996), a series of outdoor concerts for the Cassegrain Winery in Port Macquarie, the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Masters Games in Canberra, a national concert of Australian stars for the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference and many more.

Established a choir to sing for the Brumbies at Bruce Stadium. This choir became known as the Australian Rugby Choir. Over a period of 5 years the ARC became a household name in Canberra not only through performances at Rugby games but at a huge range of community events. In this period the Choir was incorporated as an Association. In 2000 Sing Australia discontinued its involvement with the ARC to concentrate on building a national network of choirs.

top

Established a ladies choir in Canberra called 'Colours'. From the outset this has always been a large choir – in excess of 100 members.

Established the first choir out of Canberra in the NSW city of Griffith - another Walter Burley Griffin designed city. Shortly after this, choirs were started in Hawthorn and Albury-Wodonga and the network was on the way.

Colin Slater was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for service to the community, particularly the promotion of Australian music and artists, and to singing in the Canberra community.

First Sing Australia National Gathering held in Canberra. 350 members of Sing Australia from 17 Sing Australia choirs in NSW and Victoria came together and had a fantastic time singing in exciting places. Since then there have been National Gatherings in Broken Hill, Echuca-Moama and Hobart and State Gatherings in Horsham, Port Macquarie, Hobart and Port Augusta - all attended and enjoyed by hundreds of people.

top

Sing Australia organized its first overseas tour to Italy, where the whole idea behind Sing Australia was born when Colin Slater was studying on a Churchill Fellowship with the famous baritone Tito Gobbi in 1983. There has since been a further trip to Italy in 2004.

Sing Australia has grown into a nationwide network of 60 choirs with 2500 members in ACT, NSW, Queensland, Tasmania and South Australia. The combined efforts of all choirs produced in excess of 750 performances for the year. These covered a huge range of community events and celebrations.

Sing Australia conducted a tour of 127 members and some partners to sing at Lone Pine, Gallipoli on Anzac Day. This had the endorsement of General Peter Cosgrove, Chief of the Defence Force and the approval of the Prime Minister, The Hon John Howard MP. 27 Sing Australia choirs were represented in this tour group.

100 members of Sing Australia representing 18 choirs toured to the outback town of Wilcannia to support our choir in Wilcannia in a cultural day called Yuku Parlu (Sun baby) festival.

top