LIFE & STYLE
Circular Keys Chorus on the world stage
by Kath Ware
Circular Keys Chorus( CKC), from Bella Vista in the Hills District, is now officially in the top 20 women’ s barbershop choruses in the world. The chorus has just returned from Columbus, Ohio USA, where they performed in the 2025 Sweet Adelines International competition, coming 19th overall in the open division.
Women’ s barbershop singing is a particular style of a cappella( unaccompanied) singing in four parts. Sweet Adelines is a global non-profit women’ s singing association, and the Australian region encompasses 29 choruses and over 1,100 singers.
CKC perform regularly in concerts and community events throughout the Sydney region, and have won many awards over the years. They have also represented Australia three times at previous Sweet Adelines International competitions held in the US.
Vicki Dwyer, musical director of CKC
Circular Keys Chorus semifinals, Ohio, October 2025.
said at the end of this year’ s event in Ohio,“ We love what we do and get so much enjoyment out of doing it. But it’ s only when we come to these sorts of events and compete against our peers that we’ re reminded how pretty damned good we really are.”
The chorus performed two songs in their competition set. The first was an‘ uptune’ called I Just Found Out About Love, which was first recorded by Nat King Cole in 1956, and has since been covered by many other artists, including Diana Krall.
The second was a ballad called Always On My Mind, not the song made popular by Willie Nelson and Elvis Presley, but a little-known number first released by Sarah Vaughan in 1964.
Most people had never heard these songs performed as competition pieces before, and many audience members told the chorus afterwards that they were amazed at the volume and richness of sound CKC had achieved for such a comparatively small group. The chorus had 28 members on stage, although back home they regularly perform with higher numbers at local events.
Circular Keys Chorus about to leave to go into the traffic pattern, Ohio.
The next couple of months will be a busy time for the chorus, as it always is leading up to Christmas. There will be lots of daytime and evening performances surrounded by baubles, bangles and sparkling lights, and delighted families joining in and singing along to their favourite Christmas carols.
CKC organises recruitment drives once or twice a year, often in combination with a short course in barbershop-style singing.
However, interested women who think they might like to join the chorus are invited to come along to a rehearsal at any time throughout the year.
Rehearsals are held every Wednesday evening at Bella Vista. Members come from all over Sydney and from all social demographics, including students, mothers, grandmothers, business people and retirees.
The glue that bonds them together is a love of beautiful music and the desire to create gorgeous harmonies for others to enjoy. For those interested in joining CKC, there will be a new members drive early 2026, follow www. facebook. com / circularkeys for upcoming details.
To learn more about CKC, visit their website at: www. circularkeys. org, and for all enquiries and event bookings email: enquiries @ circularkeys. org.
20 ISSUE 126 // DECEMBER 2025 MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY HOLIDAYS! theindependentmagazine. com. au THE HILLS INDEPENDENT