Past Events

By 6:30 pm, the doors of GKMI Ekklesia were open and the audience was beginning to take their seats. Behind the scenes, the choir had already completed its final preparations. The singers were in uniform, the microphones had been checked, the house keyboard was ready, and the nine umbrellas needed for Three Little Maids were in place.

The sound of quiet conversation gradually gave way to silence as the choir assembled beneath the distinctive Balinese stage. Dressed in brightly coloured shirts, singers from many countries took their places with music folders in hand, exchanging encouraging smiles before turning their attention to conductor Brendan O’Donnell.

Most Christmas performances take place in churches, theatres, or concert halls. On the evening of 23 December 2021, Bali Community Choir found itself singing somewhere entirely different—a working winery where towering stainless-steel fermentation tanks became the backdrop for an unforgettable Christmas celebration.

On Easter Sunday morning, the voices of Bali Community Choir filled the studios of RRI
Denpasar Pro 1 as singers gathered for a special live broadcast celebrating music, reflection,
and community.

As audience members settled into their seats at the Auditorium of SMK Negeri 3 in Sanur,
there was a feeling that this year’s annual concert meant more than usual.
For Bali Community Choir, the evening marked a return to the stage after years in which
rehearsals, performances, and simple social gatherings had been disrupted by the pandemic.

The first challenge of the evening was finding space on the potluck table.
As choir members arrived at Sheila Rose Villa carrying serving dishes, desserts, fruit platters, and homemade treats, every available corner quickly filled. What began as a neatly arranged buffet soon became a colourful patchwork of contributions from across the Bali Community Choir family.

As guests arrived at Nikko Bali Resort & Spa for The Bali Ball: A Feast for the Senses, the ballroom glowed beneath gold drapery and warm stage lights. Tables were set for an evening of dining, fundraising, and celebration, while conversations flowed among community leaders, business owners, visitors, and long-time Bali residents.

On a Saturday evening in September, the Assembly Hall of Warmadewa College was filled with conversation, anticipation, and the familiar sight of choir members greeting friends before taking their places on stage.

The pace of Seminyak in December is rarely slow. Streets fill with holiday visitors, restaurants buzz with activity, and the days seem to move a little faster as Christmas approaches.

Inside Biku, however, the mood was entirely different.