Mixed Vocal Project
Mixed Vocal Project (MVP) is a group of like-minded individuals who strive for musical excellence and have found each other through a love of music and community. We welcome everyone from all walks of life, and our singing abilities range from formally trained musicians to “shower singers”.Singing in an ensemble is uniquely challenging: it requires a team effort, as well as developing the physical and musical skills to find your best voice. At every rehearsal, we are encouraged to learn more about the craft of barbershop singing and apply it each week.
Our Music
As a mixed a cappella chorus, we love to sing unaccompanied 4-part (or more) harmonies ranging from the traditional Barbershop style to classical, jazz, gospel, pop and others. It’s amazing what the human voice can achieve, especially when singing together!The four voice parts consist of tenor(soprano), lead(alto), baritone(tenor) and bass(bass)
Competition
MVP is a member chorus of Barbershop Harmony Australia (BHA) and regularly competes at regional and national conventions. MVP is the BHA Sunshine region’s gold medal chorus for 2024 and is currently ranked 3rd in mixed choruses across Australia.Rehearsals
MVP rehearsals are on Monday evenings from 7 pm to 9.30 pm at Helensvale Community Centre, 31 Discovery Drive, Helensvale.Please join us after the rehearsal for a cuppa. There’s also the opportunity to join in with singing ‘Tags’, which are short and easy to learn 4-part harmonies.
Joining Us
We’d love for you to join us! MVP runs up to three New Member Programs each year, which include a music education program, a dedicated mentor to guide you through the process, and singing in a performance with the chorus at the end of the program.If you are interested in joining MVP outside of these programs, please contact us via email membership@soundconnection.com.au or text message Alice on 0400 854 044 to confirm your interest so we can schedule your visit with us. During your first night with MVP, you are welcome to just sit back and listen, but you’re also encouraged to sing with us in the chorus. We will provide you with the sheet music we are currently singing.
Auditions
If you would like to become a member of MVP and sing with us in gigs, performances and competitions, you will be asked to audition. The 4-week audition process is free of charge and is in a fun and friendly environment to assess your ability and suitability for the chorus. You will be assigned a chorus buddy to help you through the process.Over the 4 weeks you will be asked to learn a whole song or part of a song which will then be sung in front of the Music Director in quartet formation (one-person-per-part ensemble).
New Member Program
We run our New Member Program three times per year. Please see details of our latest program here.Leadership
You'll hear from a variety of people during one of our rehearsals. We are led by the talented Kelly Shepard, our Music Director. Kelly is an internationally-awarded Gold chorus champion and quarteter, including past and current Australian quartet champion.Supporting Kelly are our Associate Directors and a skilled Music Team comprised of members from the chorus, including a Section Leader for each voice part. As the music we sing requires a level of physical involvement, we also have a Presentation Team who keep us looking great. Our leaders are there to guide us to improvement, so you'll see them step out in front and address the chorus.
We're lucky to have these people and know you'll benefit from their expertise.
Mission, Purposes and Ethics - "Music for Everyone"
- First and foremost, we come together in friendship to share our love of music. We believe that it takes people of all ages, races, sexuality and creed to create music that inspires and transforms.
- We believe that a chorus of regular people can work together to become greater than the sum of its parts.
- We sing an extensive range of a cappella scores including contemporary, Broadway, gospel, jazz, folk and barbershop because we believe in the unifying power of close harmony and the bonds it creates.
- We create an open, supportive and transparent learning environment that allows us to achieve musical and performing excellence to become the very best we can be.
- We encourage a culture of great expectations from within, believing that in choosing personal responsibility, we become the most valuable asset we can share with each other.
- We hold the standard of our performance in high regard, and will only perform work that is reflective of our skill and benchmark.
- We promote and perform in charitable and community projects and strive to perform a broad variety of music that appeals to audiences of all ages.
