Janice Creenaune meets Joan Gissing, a retired school counsellor and psychologist. A long-time resident of Thirroul, Joan remains active and proud of her inclusion in the four-part acapella choir, ‘Out of The Blue’.
Joan Gissing’s eyes sparkle as she talks about her time in various choirs in the Illawarra.
“I was an early member of Out of the Blue (OOTB) way back in 2001, when a neighbour approached me about joining the newly formed choir.
“But really, I had always loved music and performing in musicals as a high school student in Wagga Wagga. Music has always held an important and necessary part of my life. My mother taught piano to the majority of her seven children and singing intuitive harmonies around the pianola was simply a part of my life from a young age.
“The moment I walked into my first Out of the Blue rehearsal, the choir members and particularly the director inspired me. As I listened to the beautiful four-part harmonies I knew I wanted to be a part of this collective of women producing such a beautiful sound.
“Originally OOTB was a member of the Australian chapter of the Sweet Adelines International organisation, the joys of singing in the strict barbershop tradition. There is no doubt the rigorous framework of Sweet Ads took us to a high level of performance and national competition, along with the razzle-dazzle costumes and carefully rehearsed choreography – not to mention the false eyelashes! However, there came the right time to leave the organisation, as voted by the majority of members who were interested in singing a wider range of songs outside the barbershop style.”
The change made the choir more accessible to women, Joan says.
“Our choir is immensely supportive of each other, not only in building beautiful harmonies, but also on a personal and social level.
“The egalitarian quality of the choir is a great equaliser and allows capable, smart women to be their best, bringing everybody along on a generous and supportive journey.”
Out of the Blue has performed in and hosted various events such as International Women’s Day events (raising funds for breast cancer research); Viva La Gong; three Choir-tly LOUD festivals (2013, 2015 and 2017) which saw 20 local, regional and interstate choirs coming to Wollongong for a weekend of singing; and the Festival of Choirs in Kiama.
Joan says OOTB’s weekend singing retreats draw most of their 40 members, with ages ranging from 50 to 81.
“OOTB’s Dinner Shows are also a lot of fun when we book out the top floor of Centro in Wollongong and perform a scripted repertoire of songs, put together by our two talented directors, for our families and friends. Our most recent dinner show featured songs made popular by The Seekers and Olivia Newton-John.”
The weekly rehearsals are about two and a half hours long, most of that time spent standing on stage risers. There is a commitment by all members to be punctual and considerate of others; take responsibility for learning; and to be ‘present’ and engaged with the process.
As a result, OOTB has developed a culture of enormous pride and trust amongst its members, who are amply rewarded when everything comes together and the chorus sings with ‘one’ rich voice … not to mention a sense of humour and fun that goes a long way in helping everyone relax, laugh off errors and the odd poorly executed key change!
“At times, OOTB breaks into smaller groups to learn different songs and sing to each other. This, along with our regular whole choir rehearsals, allows us to keep improving our craft and skills in readiness for public performances.
“It is so joyous to sing together when our voices ring out in harmony, key changes are executed seamlessly and the physicality of the singing exercise is brought to the forefront. We all enjoy the experience and are grateful. The hard work is definitely worth it for these moments.”
At 67, Joan does not look like stopping. Her world is enveloped by a supportive network with beautiful harmonies and generous spirits with a common purpose, and her choir benefits in return from Joan’s experiences and joyous outlook. They are part of a unique whole.
Janice is a volunteer for PKD (Polycystic Kidney Disease) Foundation Australia. Email janicecreenaune@gmail.com
