By Parker Mckenzie
The Singularity Choir will perform Gilbert and Sullivan’s HMS Pinafore at St Margaret’s Uniting Church in Mooroolbark on Sunday 18 June to raise funds for young people in Uganda.
The performance, which starts at 2pm, is in support of Rubaga Youth Development Association (RYDA), a not-for-profit founded in 1992 that provides accommodation, vocational and life training for underprivileged people.
Doug Williams from St Margaret’s Uniting Church said they’ve had a long-running relationship in supporting the work done by RYDA.
“This is a registered charity in Kampala and Uganda that is dedicated to orphaned and disadvantaged youth aged between 12 and 18,” he said.
“They have a college that they built themselves from a vacant block of land that was donated that now has accommodation for up to 300 young males and females in separate dormitories.”
The Singularity Choir will perform HMS Pinafore in concert in full costume with all proceeds going towards the charity.
Musical director Cecily Woodberry said the choir had been supporting charitable causes for around two decades and had raised over $100,000 for charities in that time.
“We’re a community choir, and we also encourage some emerging artists to come and join us,” she said.
“It’s a very good cause and also because there’s afternoon tea afterwards, it is a good event and a good outing.”
She said community music was coming back again after a tough few years.
“People are starting to sing again because there’s been a lot of disruption over Covid years,” Ms Woodberry said.
“It’s really good to get out and encourage people to come, not just to help their fellow singers and all the community singers, but to get out of their houses and be a part of it all.”
H.M.S Pinafore is a comic opera that first opened in 1878 and is the story of a common sailor falling in love with his ship’s captain’s daughter, who has already had her hand promised to the First Lord of the Admiralty.
Mr Williams said performances by the choir are “always musically magnificent.”
“It is always crazily mirthful and fun because of Gilbert and Sullivan’s creative genius so long ago,” he said.
“It is obviously for a very good cause apart from our own enjoyment, and it’ll be great entertainment, a friendly crowd, lots of music and a few laughs.”
Tickets are $10 each and can be reserved by calling 0401 177 775 and are also available at the door.
