Meet your A Capella Choir Conductor, Dr. Naomi Cooper

I'm affectionately called Dr Choir by members of Sydney Alterna Choir because I have a PhD in community choirs (Yes, it’s a real thing! Here’s how 👇)

When I discovered just how much fun singing together can be, I wanted to learn how to be amazing at leading choirs. My mission: to help as many people as possible experience the magic of singing in harmony with others.

As a complete overachiever I went all in, completing my Doctorate of Philosophy in Music for my research into the best ways to teach community choirs in Australia. And now, leading choirs like Alterna is my job (lucky me!).

I want to make your life more joyful by bringing some uplifting singing to your week and welcoming you into a wonderful community of fellow singing-lovers.

My work has taken me to some pretty cool places:

• In 2019 I travelled to Estonia with the Estonian-Australian choir I conduct, Kooskõlas, to perform at Laulupidu (a massive choir festival in Tallinn, Estonia where we performed as part of a 30,000-voice choir to an audience of 100,000). We're gearing up for the next one in 2025.

• I was assistant musical director to Tony Backhouse on his 2018 USA gospel choir tour where we sang with many incredible gospel choirs in Memphis, New Orleans and Chicago.

• I conduct a choir for people with Parkinson's and a school chamber choir, too.

Rookie singer? You’re in good hands.

I am also a professional singing teacher and have taught singing at a university level. I know how to help you get the best out of your voice and keep your voice safe, and I can answer any technical questions you may have about singing (try me on vocal anatomy, physiology, technique, music theory - I love sharing what I know!). I bring this expertise to choir where I can shape an awesome choir sound by teaching you relevant vocal technique.

I also run a busy studio teaching singing and guitar to kids and adults. I first learnt guitar to accompany myself singing pop songs as a teenager and went on to train in classical guitar. Since then I’ve performed with pop, rock, bluegrass and folk bands.

I continue to feed my inner nerd through research. I'm currently an adjunct research fellow at the Creative Arts Research Institute at Griffith University, where I'm part of a team investigating singing pedagogy for trans, non-binary and gender diverse people. My research on choirs and singing has been published in books, journals and conference proceedings internationally.

When I'm not at choir, you'll find me hiking in national parks, growing veggies in my garden, dancing lindy hop, running around the bay and doing the kind of yoga where you stand on your head for quite a while.

Fast Facts About Naomi:

• Current NSW & ACT President of the Australian National Choral Association

• NSW Treasurer of the Australian National Association of Teachers of Singing

• Vice-President of Kodály NSW

• Bachelor of Music with Distinction

• First Class Honours

• Doctorate of Philosophy in Music

Meet Jack, whose choral enthusiasm provides the perfect balance in our singing sessions.

I have been associated with Alterna since 2019, first arranging for the choir, then singing, and eventually teaching alongside Naomi. I've loved watching the choir grow into the magical musical ménage that it is.

In other musical settings I am 33.3% of the Sofa of Fools (a tiny, delightful acoustic trio), 25% of Ant Gallery, and 7% of the Spooky Men's Chorale (a vast, rumbling behemoth of a choir). These acts have taken me to the UK, Denmark, New Zealand, Germany and Finland for tours comprising gigs, festivals, massive singing workshops, wonderful collaborations, and excessive snacking.

 I am a musical Jack-of-all-trades-for-hire, teach guitar privately, and occasionally do mathsy technical work. More info here!