The Cessnock Cantata Choir is finishing up this Christmas, after 40 years of performing as a group.
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The choir started with about six people as an outreach for singing, gospel music and music as a message.
Established at the Congregational Church, which closed down a few years later, the choir moved to the Cessnock Uniting Church and the numbers started to grow.
Previously known as the Cessnock Uniting Church Choir, the group evolved to being an ecumenical choir with people coming from various churches around Cessnock to be involved.
At its peak, the choir had more than 40 members in the one year and has performed all through the Hunter Valley, Port Stephens and the Central Coast.
The choir has also performed at Australia Day ceremonies, Carols in the Park, the opening of the extension of Marthaville, the Gymanfa Ganu Festival on Good Friday each year and at the Freeman of the City award ceremony of its musical director, Myra Hill.
The choir has also won various awards such as the 1997 Marthaville Arts and Cultural Award and the Maitland Choir Festival Award.
Mrs. Hill, along with Shirley and Julie Hickey have been involved in the Cessnock Cantata Choir from the very start, with three generations of some families also being involved at some point.
“I never thought that the choir would grow and endure as it has done,” Mrs. Hill said.
Margaret Albury has also been very involved in the choir for the last 23 years, organising events, uniforms, administration and more, and Mrs. Hill said she has appreciated her help in the organisation and prosperity of the choir.
Mrs. Albury credits Mrs. Hill’s founding and involvement in the Cantata Choir as a big part of her nomination for her OAM award, which she received on the Queen’s Birthday in 2013.
Both ladies are very proud of what the choir has accomplished in 40 years.
“It’s been a pleasure and a blessing to those in the choir as well as the audiences that have been able to hear it,” Mrs. Albury said, adding that she would like to thank The Advertiser for their support of the choir over the years.
“It’s been a real help to a lot of people who want to sing,” Mrs. Hill said.
The Cessnock Cantata Choir will perform seven shows this Christmas, with dates and locations to be published in coming weeks.