Choral conducting
I am a professional choral conductor based in Sydney, Australia
What I love about choirs is that in order to make the exquisite sound of choral harmony, a group of people need to lift their voices together towards the common goal: it is inherently a community activity. I believe in the power of music to bring people together and change people's lives. I also believe that with the right guidance, everyone can learn to sing. I have conducted prize-winning children's, school, university and community choirs for over a decade and am in high demand across Sydney.
You can book me to conduct a choir, run a workshop for your choir or community or present on choral conducting.
Listen to Kooskõlas
Conducted by Dr Naomi Cooper
Join a choir
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Sydney Alterna Choir
Thursday nights
Inner West, Sydney
A cappella indie-pop, gospel, folk songs from around the world
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Kooskõlas
Nationwide Estonian-Australian choir
Estonian House, Surry Hills
Monthly rehearsals in Sydney and online, plus regular national rehearsals
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Hornsby-Ku-ring-gai Parkinson's choir
Thursday mornings
Turramurra
A choir for people with Parkinson’s disease, their loved ones and anyone else who’d like to join
Recent international events
In 2019 I travelled to Estonia with Kooskõlas choir to perform at Laulupidu, a large song festival in Tallinn where there were 35000 singers in the massed choir.
In 2018 I travelled to the USA as Assistant Musical Director to Tony Backhouse on his gospel choir tour.
Children’s choirs
I’ve conducted children’s choirs for many years, including Sydney Children’s Choir, as NSW Musical Director of the Australian Youth Choir, and primary and secondary choirs at various schools (International Grammar School Sydney, Monte Sant’ Angelo Mercy College, Mosman High School and Caroline Chisholm College).
ParkinSong perform at ‘ABC Sing Out Sydney’, City Recital Hall, 2019
I regularly conduct in professional venues including the Sydney Opera House, City Recital Hall, Sydney Town Hall, Chatwsood Concourse and Sydney Conservatorium of Music, as well as at private and public events.
Community choirs
I’ve conducted for large choral societies including Sutherland Shire Choral Society and Mountains Choral Society as well as local community choirs.
I delight in presenting a diversity of choral repertoire to my choirs and workshop groups, including traditional western choral music, contemporary Australian compositions, music from around the world (including South Africa, Ghana, Kenya, Native America, New Zealand, Torres Strait, Indigenous Australia, Japan, Korea, the Balkans, the Caribbean, Estonia and Georgia), gospel, folk and popular songs.
What People Are Saying
“Naomi is an excellent song leader. She has a variety of interesting and instructive warmups and tuning exercises. Her obviously high level of musicianship and directing skills means that she asks for high standards, and she gets results with warm and gentle encouragement--she’s very professional but also very approachable.”
— Nancy Synnestvedt, Auckland
“Thank you for your enthusiasm, inclusiveness and musicianship. You have the ability to find music in every person.”
— Terje Mirlieb, Canberra
“Naomi is one of those rare gifted musicians who not only have inherent talent but the ability to share that talent and transform and enthuse those privileged to be singing in a choir conducted by her. Naomi has a vibrant personality and brings warmth and sincerity to choir rehearsals.”
— Harry Ling, Brisbane
See more on the testimonials page