About Us

ACU's National Choirs provide singers from across the nation with the opportunity to participate in various ways. The choirs are available to students, staff, alumni, affiliates, and community members. If you enjoy singing, you’re invited to enrich our University fabric and lift spirits through our ACU Choirs: another way to Connect, Create, Celebrate and Find Your Voice at ACU. Students based in Melbourne should join the dedicated Melbourne Choir group: https://aculife.acu.edu.au/ChoirMelbourne/club_signup. Visit our BIG SING for a BIG CAUSE site to learn about our 2025 programs: https://aculife.acu.edu.au/ChoirMelbourne/bigsing2025/

If you are based elsewhere, you have the option of learning the music remotely then coming to Melbourne for our JUNE 2025 concerts. Details here: https://aculife.acu.edu.au/ChoirMelbourne/bigsing2025

INSTRUMENTALISTS ARE WELCOME, TOO!

On the success of our 2024 project, we have formed the ACU Community Orchestra. A new site is coming soon but for now, visit the BIG SING site to let us know you're interested.

ACU's BIG SING for a BIG CAUSE 2025

Performances

• Fri 27 June (evening): St Patrick's Cathedral, 1 Cathedral Place, East Melbourne VIC

• Sat 28 June (evening): Preston Market, 30A The Centreway, Preston VIC 3072

About the 'Big Cause'

Our “cause” this year is advocacy for Mental Health and Wellbeing. Our repertoire and our fundraising efforts will focus on this theme, aligning with ACU's mission and values.

Also, we received HEPPP funding to increase access and inclusion for students and others with a disability. We have a co-design team of students, staff and external experts who are contributing. Others are welcome to join, too.

History of the project

Our first Big Sing for a Big Cause, in 2024, focussed on homelessness and housing insecurity. We performed STREET REQUIEM in Melbourne and Ballarat in August 2024. Below are some outcomes and statistics, including articles about the project.

Performance sample, 26 Aug 2024

Advocacy theme: awareness of and dignity for students and others experiencing homelessness or insecure housing

Funds raised: $20k for ACU student hardship funds + charities

Collaboration: ACU students, staff, students from La Trobe Uni and Monash Uni, urban/regional Vic, secondary school students, vulnerable adults, international – LGBTIQA+ choir from NZ

Participants (performers): 160

Audience: 750 (in person); 600+ (livestream)

Media impact: 19.1 million people globally; 95 impressions. (See examples below).

Inclusion: Music accessible to wide range of abilities/experience. Deliberately multi-faith, multi-cultural

First Peoples: Involvement with NAIDOC celebration (prayer service). Mob Tix at event. Indigenous guest artists. Audience-inclusive Acknowledgement of Country. Artwork in colours of Aboriginal flag.

Low-SES: $0 participant fee. Free entry for homelessness services (clients, staff) and self-identified individuals.

Disability: Considerations for participants and audience.

Catholic connections: Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne, St Patrick’s Cathedral, CatholicCare Victoria, St Patrick’s College Ballarat

MEDIA EXAMPLES

Scroll Magazine - The Big Sing and its Cause (Dec 2024) by Kathleen McGuire, https://www.scrollmagazine.net/2023/bearing-it

2SER Radio (Sydney) Drive with Beattie (19 Nov 2024) "Oboes and orchestral tuning" - Kathleen McGuire interviewed. https://2ser.com/?s=oboes

ABC Radio (Melbourne) Evenings with David Astle (14 Nov 2024) The Conversation article ("Why is the oboe"…) - Kathleen McGuire interviewed. https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/melbourne-evenings/evenings/104578238#

ACU Radio (Victoria) Lexie Jeuniewic (28 Sept 2024) "Big sing for a big cause" - ACU students and staff interviewed. https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/am/big-sing-for-a-big-cause-/104278328

ACU Impact article "Singing the praise of a uni choir" (Oct 2024). https://impact.acu.edu.au/community/singing-the-praises-of-a-uni-choir

Ballarat Times article (27 September 2024). https://ausprint.meltwater.com/print_clip_previewer/499860486?text=on&keywords=Big+Sing%2CBig+sing

ACU staff bulletin (9 Sept 2024). https://www.acu.edu.au/about-acu/news/2024/september/acus-big-sing-for-a-big-cause-raises-20k-for-victorians-at-risk-of-insecure-housing

Education Daily (2024, September 6). Inaugural fundraiser helps uni students experiencing financial hardship. https://educationdaily.au/general/inaugural-fundraiser-helps-uni-students-experiencing-financial-hardship/

CathNews (5 Sept 2024). https://cathnews.com/~documents/media-releases/media-releases-2024/240905-acu-charity-concerts-raise-close-to-20k-for-victorians-at-risk-of-insecure-housing/?layout=default

ACU News (30 July 2024). https://www.acu.edu.au/about-acu/news/2024/july/victorias-homeless-community-to-receive-free-tickets-to-acus-big-sing-for-a-big-cause

Ballarat Times (10 Aug 2024). https://timesnewsgroup.com.au/ballarat/living/singing-for-social-justice/

Catholic Diocese of Ballarat (Aug 2024). https://www.ballarat.catholic.org.au/acus-big-sing-for-a-big-cause/

Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne (July 30, 2024). Link (Facebook).

ABC Radio National (28 Aug, 2024) + 43 local broadcasts. https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/am/big-sing-for-a-big-cause-/104278328

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Learn more: https://aculife.acu.edu.au/ChoirMelbourne/bigsing2025