A Community Built One Rehearsal at a Time
Every Tuesday evening, singers arrive at Sheila Rose Villa carrying music folders, water bottles, and stories from the week they’ve just lived.
Some have sung with Bali Community Choir for years. Others are attending their very first rehearsal. As chairs are arranged and conversations begin, Indonesian and international members greet one another, catch up on family news, compare travel plans, and prepare for two hours of music-making together.
.By the time the first notes are sung, the room has become more than a rehearsal space. It has become a community.
That is what Bali Community Choir has been building since 2009.
More Than an Audience, More Than a Performance
Most people first encounter the choir at a performance.
They may hear us singing Christmas carols at a hotel in Kuta, Seminyak, or Sanur. They may see us at a community celebration, a memorial service, or a special event bringing people together through music
What audiences see is the final performance.
.What they do not see are the weeks of preparation behind it: learning harmonies, supporting new singers, sharing encouragement, and celebrating the small moments when a challenging piece finally comes together.
Those experiences are where the choir’s strongest connections are formed.
Reflecting the Community Around Us
Bali is a place where people from many cultures live side by side, and our choir reflects that reality.
Within a single rehearsal, conversations may move between Indonesian and English. Members come from different professions, generations, and backgrounds. Some have formal musical training. Others simply enjoy singing.
The diversity of voices is part of what gives the choir its character.
Each member brings their own experiences, perspectives, and musical influences, creating an ensemble that could only exist in Bali.
Sharing Important Moments
Over the years, Bali Community Choir has been invited to sing at some of the island’s most meaningful gatherings.
One of the most memorable was the Bali Bombings Commemoration Service at Garuda Wisnu Kencana. Standing together before families, community leaders, and international dignitaries, choir members contributed to a ceremony focused on remembrance, reflection, and hope.
At other times, the choir’s role is lighter but equally meaningful.
Every December, members board a bus and travel across the island to share Christmas music with audiences in hotels, restaurants, and community venues. These annual carol tours have become a cherished tradition, bringing singers together while creating moments of connection for residents and visitors alike.
What Keeps People Coming Back
Ask members why they stay and the answers are rarely limited to music.
Some speak about the friendships they have formed. Others value having a creative outlet in the middle of busy lives. Many describe the satisfaction of working towards a shared goal and hearing individual voices blend into a single sound.
For people new to Bali, the choir often becomes one of their first communities on the island.
For long-time residents, it remains a place to reconnect each week with familiar faces and shared purpose.
Looking Ahead
Fifteen years after its first rehearsals, Bali Community Choir continues to welcome new voices.
The music changes. Members come and go. New friendships are formed. New performances are added to the calendar.
Yet the heart of the choir remains remarkably consistent: people gathering each week to sing, learn, contribute, and enjoy the experience of creating music together.
And every Tuesday evening in Sanur, that story continues.