Meet Geoff Steventon, choir member

I’ve always had a love for singing. I think I was born with it. And I grew up in a family where both parents sang in the church choir. As a boy in London, I was fortunate to be part of a choir that sang at the beautiful St Margaret’s Church, Westminster Abbey. I sang treble (boy soprano) and it was so interesting…and I got paid!

I discovered the Yarra Valley Singers about six years ago through a friend at U3A. I went to a couple of concerts and then joined the choir. It was wonderful to be back in a group singing. Feeling that dynamic of many voices together, making what we call ‘beautiful noise.’  For me, there is such joy in creating something that sounds good.

I’m one of about 20 males in a choir of about 80 people and it’s an amazing and friendly atmosphere. I was made to feel welcome from the beginning and it’s been a great adventure.

A highlight for me was the 30th Anniversary concert this year. To see where the choir has been and how it has changed and grown was wonderful. We also sang a piece of baroque classical music that is one of my personal favourites and I love singing it.

The piece is called Ecco mormorar l’onde by Monteverdi, and we performed it acapella. It was a challenging piece and we rehearsed it with Belinda, the choir master, many times learning much in the process. It’s a magical piece of music.

If you can talk you can sing! Choir is a place when everyone is wanted and valued no matter what.

You can listen to a version of  Ecco Mormorar l’onde here.