Our Story

In 2009, a small group of singers began meeting in Sanur to share something they enjoyed: singing together.

Some had years of choir experience. Others were joining a choir for the first time. They came from different countries, professions, and backgrounds, but found common ground in music.

That small gathering became Bali Community Choir.

More than fifteen years later, the choir continues to bring people together through weekly rehearsals, community performances, remembrance ceremonies, charitable events, and seasonal concerts across Bali. What began with a handful of voices has grown into a diverse and welcoming community where friendships are formed, confidence grows, and people find a sense of belonging.

Since those early rehearsals, hundreds of singers have passed through the choir. Some stayed for only a few years while living in Bali, while others have remained part of the choir for more than a decade. Many arrived as strangers and left with lasting friendships, creating connections that extend far beyond the rehearsal room.

While music brings us together, it is the relationships built through singing that have shaped our story.

Bali has long been a meeting place for people from different cultures and backgrounds, and our choir reflects that spirit.

Each week, Indonesians and expatriates gather in rehearsal, sharing music, conversation, and experiences. Members have included retirees, teachers, business owners, healthcare professionals, artists, hospitality workers, and people who simply enjoy singing.

Some join because they miss being part of a choir. Others arrive in Bali knowing few people and are looking for connection. Over the years, singers from Indonesia, Australia, Europe, North America, and many other parts of the world have found a place within the choir, creating a community that reflects Bali’s uniquely international character.

Many members remember walking into their first rehearsal not knowing anyone. Before long, rehearsals become familiar faces, performances become shared memories, and fellow singers become friends. For some, the choir becomes one of the first communities they find after arriving on the island.

The community that develops around the choir often extends beyond music, with friendships continuing long after rehearsals have ended.

Bali Community Choir was founded by Brendan O’Donnell, an Australian educator, musician, and choir director who spent many years leading community choirs and encouraging people of all abilities to sing.

After making Bali his home, Brendan recognised an opportunity to create a choir that would bring people together in the same way community choirs had done throughout his career.

The first rehearsals were modest, bringing together a small group of singers in Sanur to learn music, share conversation, and enjoy the experience of singing together. There was no grand plan—simply a belief that music could create community.

His vision was straightforward: create a welcoming place where people could enjoy singing, develop their confidence, and build meaningful connections with others.

That idea remains at the heart of Bali Community Choir today.

From the beginning, the choir was established as a community choir rather than a select performance group.

There are no auditions and no requirement for previous musical training. Experienced singers rehearse alongside those discovering choral singing for the first time.

This openness has helped create a supportive environment where members can learn, contribute, and enjoy making music together.

We take pride in presenting performances that represent the choir at its best, but our success is measured by more than musical outcomes. It can be seen in the encouragement shared between members, the confidence people gain through participation, and the friendships that develop over weeks, months, and years of singing together.

As the choir has grown, so too has its connection with the wider community.

Over the years, Bali Community Choir has become part of many significant events across the island. Choir members have contributed to ANZAC Day remembrance services, sung at the Bali Bomb Memorial, supported charitable fundraising initiatives, participated in environmental events such as Voices for the Ocean, and shared Christmas music with audiences at venues including Ibah and other community gatherings.

Some performances have been celebratory. Christmas concerts and carol events have become cherished traditions, bringing together singers, families, residents, and visitors through music and fellowship.

Other occasions have invited reflection and remembrance. Singing at memorial ceremonies and commemorative events has allowed the choir to contribute to moments of collective remembrance, honouring those who have shaped Bali’s history and the communities connected to it.

The choir has also performed at cultural gatherings, community celebrations, and events held at some of Bali’s most recognisable venues, including Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park. Whether performing for a large audience or a small community gathering, each event is an opportunity to create connection through music.

Together, these experiences have become part of the choir’s shared story—moments that remind us that music can bring people together, support meaningful causes, and strengthen community life.

Today, Bali Community Choir continues to welcome new members and new voices.

Every person who joins brings their own experiences, perspectives, and stories, adding to a community that has grown steadily since 2009. Some stay for a season, while others remain involved for many years, but each contributes to the friendships, performances, and shared memories that continue to shape the choir’s journey.

As the choir evolves, our purpose remains unchanged: to bring people together through music, create opportunities for friendship and connection, and provide a place where people feel welcome.

New members continue to walk through the rehearsal room doors for many of the same reasons that brought singers together in 2009: a love of music, a desire for connection, and the hope of finding community.

Our story is still being written—through every rehearsal, every performance, and every friendship formed along the way.