One Achord is led by our music director Gillian.
After doing a year of Jazz, Gillian studied classical voice at the West Australian Conservatorium of Music, which included performing in the choirs there under the direction of Richard Gill (now the director of the Victorian Opera Company) and the operas put on by the students. She was chosen for a principal role in her second year there, and also performed with the Western Australian Opera chorus in “The Marriage of Figaro.”
As well as this she sang in various competitions, led worship at her church, and performed in an acapella choir and a vocal group. After taking time off to raise children, Gillian went back into the workforce as a singing teacher and choir director for primary and secondary choirs.
She joined an international organisation called “Institute for Vocal Advancement” which has given her a very in depth understanding of how the voice works and how to sing with ease, and beauty especially when moving through the more difficult areas of the voice. The technique allows a singer to sing from the bottom of their range through to the top and back without noticing any breaks or changes in the quality.
In 2011 she took on the role of choir director for “One Achord.” This was her first experience with an adult choir and, after settling in, has loved directing. Gillian uses the technique she has developed with IVA as part of the choir warm ups which help the members improve and gain more knowledge of their own voices.