The choir enhances the quality of life, not only of its members, but also of the diverse audiences who listen to their performances.
Upcoming performances
Visit our upcoming events page and Event Calendar for details about our future performances.
Our photo gallery
Visit our wonderful photo gallery to view lots of photos taken over the years at our performances and more informal times.
YouTube clips of Cyrenes performances
Visit our YouTube channel for our recent performances. Older performances are available on this YouTube page.
Recent performances
2023
Together In Joyous Harmony, Cyrenes and The Trill Seekers from Melbourne, 1 July 2023
Photos from this concert
Concert poster
2022
Cyrenes Equinox Spring Concert, 23 September 2022
Cyrenes Christmas Concert, 9 December 2022
2021
Cyrenes Christmas Picnic Concert, 4 December 2021
YouTube link for 2021 concert
2020
Cyrenes Christmas Picnic Concert, 12 December 2020
YouTube link for 2020 concert
2019
- Cyrenes Winter Concert, 5 July 2019
- St Ninians Church Fete, 2 Nov 2019
- Cyrenes 30th Anniversary Reunion Concert, 23 Nov 2019 Special anniversary page - Photos
- Ozanam Aged Care Residence, 7 Dec 2019 - enjoy the photo of us with our Christmas hats on!
2018
- International Women's Day, National Museum of Australia, 8 March 2018
- Kwaya Australia, Ubuntu Africa, "Make that change", 6 May 2018
- Canberra Jam for Refugees, 1 June 2018
- Cyrenes Spring Concert, 21 Sept 2018
- Goodwin Aged Care Residence, 2 Dec 2018
2017
- Cyrenes Winter Concert, 24 June 2017
- chOir-tly LOUD, Wollongong, 3-5 November 2017
- Cyrenes Christmas Concert, 9 December 2017 - with guest group, Table Reds
2016
- Cyrenes Winter Concert, 1 July 2016
- Climate Council fundraiser with the Chorus of Women, 1 September 2016
- St Ninians Uniting Church fete, November 2016
- Cyrenes Christmas Concert, 17 Dec 2016
2015
- Under One Sky Massed Choir, Wollongong, 17 May 2015
- Oxjam @ The Polish Club, 21 August 2015
- Cyrenes Farewell Winter Concert, 29 August 2015
2014
- Citizenship Ceremony, Canberra Multicultural Festival, 9 February 2014
- Canberra Marathon, 13 April 2014
- Cyrenes Spring Concert, 6 September 2014
- Floriade, 20 September 2014
- Kangaroo Valley Folk Festival, 17-19 October 2014
- St Ninians Uniting Church Fete, 1 November 2014
2013
- High Court of Australia,13 January and 24 February 2013 (as part of The Musical Offering for the Canberra Centenary) - view photos
- National Folk Festival 2013, Canberra – invited street choir (four performances), March/April 2013 - view photos
- Villagio Sant' Antonio, 15 June 2013
- Cyrenes Winter Solstice Concert with guest artists, the Gracenotes, 22 June 2013
- One River, August 2013 - view photos
One River was the ACT contribution to a 2013 Centenary of Canberra project in which 10 communities from Queensland, NSW, ACT, Victoria and South Australia participated in arts projects that told of their connections to the Murray Darling Basin. Canberra musicians, John Shortis and Moya Simpson, created original songs about our local links to rivers in the basin. One of these songs, One River Life Giver, was written for the National Carillon and a massed choir of 80 voices, made up of community choirs Worldly Goods and The Cyrenes. The piece was performed with the carillon played by lead carillonist Lyn Fuller. The Canberra Times - http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/-2s5h3.html
The finale of the One River project was an all-day art and music celebration at the Belconnen Arts Centre on 24 August 2013. The Cyrenes combined with the Worldly Goods Choir and The Ukulele Republic of Canberra to present wonderful old songs such as Murrumbidgee Rose, The Darling is the Darling of My Heart, and Murray Moon. The original songs included One River Life Giver (Carillon song) and Welcome Song.
- Kangaroo Valley Folk Festival, 25-27 October 2013
- Canberra Hospital (Canberra Hospital Foundation Christmas Choir Festival), 15 December 2013
- High Court of Australia, 22 December 2013 (part of The Musical Offering) - view photos
Cyrenes at the High Court of Australia, 13 January Cyrenes at the High Court, 24 February 2013
2013 (Photo: Eric Pozza) (Photo: Ian Foster)
2010-2012
- Christmas in the City, Canberra, December 2012
- Floriade, Canberra, September 2010, 2011, 2012
- 'Festival of Voices', Moruya Jazz Festival, 2010, 2011 and 2012
- Multicultural Festival, Garema Place, Canberra, February 2010 and 2011
- 'Room to Read' for International Women's Day, Tilleys, Canberra, 2010 and 2011
- Old Bus Depot Markets, Canberra, August 2011
- 'Groovin in the City', Garema Place, Canberra, December 2010
- Official opening of the new Lyons Early Childhood School, Canberra, May 2010
- ACT Government, International Women’s Day, Street Theatre, Canberra, 2010
- National Folk Festival 2010, Canberra - singing with Kristina Olsen @ The Budawang, (see the YouTube clip), April 2010
- Winter Solstice Celebration, June/July every year
- Summer Solstice Celebration, November/December every year.
Past projects
Over the years, the choir has received funding for a number of choir projects including the 2010 Canberra Multicultural Festival, organisation of an event for International Women's Day, musical development workshops and songwriting workshops.
The choir’s 10th birthday celebrations in 1999 included the recording of the choir's first commercial CD, For the Love of It. This CD, released in 2000, included many original songs written for an original musical production, On the Souls of Her Feet, telling the stories of 11 women.
The 20th birthday celebrations in 2009 included the launch of our latest CD, Diving For Pearls.
Cyrenes 2007 Multicultural Festival 2011 Launch of Diving for Pearls at the coast,
(Photo: Ian Foster) 2009 (Photo: D King)
Past performances
The Cyrenes have performed for community groups and charity events such as:
- Room to Read
- Amnesty International
- Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA)
- Women's Centre for Health Matters
- International Women's Development Agency
- Community Aid Abroad
- Nature and Society Forum
- The Cyrenes have also performed in high profile concerts at:
- National Folk Festival
- Floriade
- Canberra Multicultural Festival
- Merry Muse
- National Botanic Gardens Spring Fling
- Major's Creek Folk Festival
- Sydney a'cappella Festival
- Tilley's Divine Cafe
- Canberra Festival Fringe Festival
- 'See Change' Arts Festival, Jervis Bay.
Local schools, conferences, and events include:
- Official opening of the Lyons Early Childhood School
- Queen Elizabeth 2 Family Centre, National Museum
- Old Bus Depot Markets
- Memorial service for heroin users
- Gorman House Markets
- International Women's Day events
- 'Reclaim the Night' marches
- Women's National Health Conference
- Palliative Care Conference
- St Phillip's Church, O'Connor
- CAPOW! Conference
- Australian College of Midwives National Conference in Canberra
- Australian College of Midwives
- ‘ACT Midwife of the Year’ Awards
- InterParliamentary Union Women's Conference.
Opening of Lyons Early Childhood School, 2010
(Photo: Sara Nand)
We have also performed together with:
- Inana Women's Refuge choir - Inanarama, Malaika, Riversong
- Canberra Union Voices
- Canberra Gay and Lesbian Choir
- Strange Weather Gospel Choir
- Cantare
- Calculating Women
- Voices from the Vacant Lot
- Raised Voices
- Just Another Roadside Attraction
- 'Why Sing?', massed Canberra Choirs, led by Moya Simpson & John Shortis
- Kristina Olsen, at the National Folk Festival (see video clip).