A Chorus of Women began with 150 of us entering Parliament House and singing the Lament for the people of Iraq that led the 7.30 Report on 18 March 2003, when Australia went to war.
Twenty years on, the Lament has become a call for action on climate change as well as peace and social justice. We continue singing up public wisdom in our original songs, major productions and civic conversations.
On 21 March 2023 we returned to Parliament House,. This time we were welcomed when we sang our Lament again, with a call to the People's Chorus to turn Lament to Renewal.
'We give our voice to the Song of Life
We give our promise to children and Earth
We sing for peace through the power of love
So lament will turn to renewal'
(words by Glenda Cloughley)
Read more about our singing in Parliament House on 21 March 2023 on our Highlights page
Watch ABC news coverage of the event here (when you read the story and listen to our singing you will realise that it was not a protest):
2022 recipient of the ACT Chief Minister's Rotary Peace Prize
Read more on our .Highlights page
WHATS NEW
Christmas Singing at the Australian Parliament House
Tuesday 26 November, 2pm in the Foyer
As part of the Australian Parliament House Christmas Choir Program 2024, we will be presenting 'Peace on Earth - Peace with the Earth'. This half hour selection of our music will include Christmas stories from World War I and our hopes for today. This is the last sitting week of Parliament for the year and we will invite our politicians to attend.For more detail go to the event page.
News
International Day of Peace at the Canberra Peace Bell
On 21 September we sang again for peace at the Canberra Rotary Peace Bell. The ceremony opened with our sung Acknowledgement of Country where we invited everyone present to join us in our commitment to peace with the original inhabitants. We also sang 'Lament', our first song, as we reflected on so much current suffering in the world caused by armed conflict.
This date is especially poignant for Chorus, as we marked the first anniversary of Glenda Cloughley's death.
A Chorus of Women goes international
'Ubuntu':
I am who I am, because of you.
We are who we are because of each other'
This song of ours has been included in the Quakers songbook for their International Plenary meeting this year in Johannesburg, South Africa, from 5 - 12 August. The theme is 'Living the Spirit of Ubuntu'.
'Ubuntu' also featured in an online event organised by ReAct Latin America, entitled 'Dancing with our friends, bacteria'. ReAct is concerned with the problem of bacteria resistance to antibiotics. The aim is to move from a war metaphor against bacteria to one of living in harmony. Here is the website about the event which was held on 27/28 June 2024.
You can watch a video of us singing 'Ubuntu' here.
News
Vale Glenda Cloughley
1952 - 2023
Photo: Barb Baikie
With heavy hearts we shared the news of Glenda Cloughley’s death on 21 September 2023.
Glenda initiated the singing of a Lament for the people of Iraq which led to the formation of A Chorus of Women in March 2003. Since then she has written much of our music including two major works – The Gifts of the Furies and A Passion for Peace/The People’s Passion.
As a Jungian analyst, cultural psychologist and singer-composer, Glenda has brought a unique creative and prophetic spirit to the peace, justice and environmental movements in Canberra and beyond. Her passing leaves a deep sense of loss.
'Remembering Glenda'
There was an event celebrating Glenda’s life at the Chapel of the Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture (ACC&C) in Barton on 13 December.
Hosted by A Chorus of Women with her family and Jungian friends, the event wove together stories and music from Glenda’s life.
Go to our Remembering Glenda page for more detail, the recording of the event, and links to obituaries, tributes and other stories.
EXPLORE OPPORTUNITIES TO COLLABORATE WITH US
We welcome opportunities to collaborate with other like-minded people and organisations. We have organised conversations, singing seminars, and have prepared artistic contributions to public events, as well as our own major choral works.
