Kilcullen Gospel Choir: A member's perspective

“Oh Happy Day” and many other beautiful gospel renditions come to life through the soulful voices of the Kilcullen Choir.

My job asked me to write an article for the monthly newsletter on something I was passionate about, writes Lisa Nolan. I've been a member of the Kilcullen Gospel Choir for nearly seven years, so I wrote about what the choir means to me. 

Kilcullen Gospel Choir was founded in April 2014 by Frances Clare, who remains part of the choir to this day, alongside other original members. Our choir director is Lisa Nagle, who has been leading us for the past four years. Lisa has brought fun, joy, and professionalism to the choir, making us stronger and better than ever. There are 55 members in total, with hopes of welcoming even more new members. 

I joined KGC in 2019 when I moved to Kilcullen, and it has been the best decision. They say music heals the soul, and I truly believe it—I feel it every week at practice. I call choir practice "Therapy Thursday" because whatever worries or stresses I had at the start, I leave feeling lighter, stronger, and happier, ready for the week ahead. 

I’ve learned that being part of a choir doesn’t require perfect singing—just being present and giving your best. If I mess up, that’s okay; the music moves on, and everyone keeps singing. We are our own little community, and it feels wonderful to be part of this special group.

We sing a wide range of songs—from Gospel to U2, Pink, Lady Gaga, Fleetwood Mac, Keane, The Corrs, and many more. Oh, and I can’t forget to mention "Oh Happy Day" from Sister Act—we wouldn’t be a Gospel choir if we didn’t sing that one. 

Choir isn’t just about weekly practice; it’s also about attending fun workshops, putting on concerts, fundraising events for charities, and singing at Mass once a month. We represent the Kilcullen community when we sing, and I feel proud of that. We enjoy social nights out together, which always end with us singing. 

We celebrated our 10th anniversary concert in 2024, which was a huge success. We all worked so hard to deliver the best concert we could. When the audience applauded, it brought us immense joy to know that all our hard work had paid off.

I would recommend everyone try being part of a choir—give it a go, as you might be pleasantly surprised by how much you will love it.

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