The Belun Malu Choir will hold a show on March 29 in Bega to fundraise for a Timorese choir's visit to Australia.
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Belun Malu translates as friendship, and that is the heart of the Belun Malu Choirs Project - to foster the ongoing friendship between Australia and Timor-Leste through the joy of singing and playing music together.
It is a musical cultural exchange program bringing together singers from the Bega Valley with the communities of Natarbora, Maliana, Lacluta and Dili in Timor-Leste.
The project extends the cultural exchange that began with the Bega Valley Advocates for Timor Leste (BVATL) signing of a friendship agreement in 2004 with the sub-district of Barique-Natarbora.
There are two components of the project.
Stage one will see the Belun Malu Choir travel to Timor-Leste from July 8-19, 2019. The 23-member choir will perform in Dili, Natarbora, Lacluta and Maliana.
The choir has been rehearsing since May 2018 under the guidance of choir master David Francis, executive director of Four Winds at Bermagui.
Stage two will see a Timorese choir travel from Timor to Australia in early 2020. Members of this choir, under project coordinator Ego Lemos and choir master Paolo Pereria, will be drawn from Dili, Maliana and Natarbora.
While in Australia, the choir will perform at several festivals including Port Fairy, with Yackandanda, Cobargo and Four Winds Festival in the planning stage.
Fundraising efforts have resulted in $10,000 being raised to fund the Timorese choir's visit to Australia so far, with the aim of raising a total of $65,000.
In order to further assist with fundraising, BVATL will present an upcoming show One Night in Timor-Leste on Friday, March 29 at the Mumbulla School Hall, Bega.
If you attended One Night in Spain in October 2017, you will know what to expect from this new show.
It will be a tantalising taste of Timor-Leste and will take you for a journey through the country with the help of the Belun Malu Choir, Guitarama and the Improvisers.
There will also be a quiz.
Tickets are $30/$20 and included dinner with a Timor-Leste menu.
Bookings are essential and can be made here. Dinner will be at 6.30pm and the show starts at 7.30pm. It is not suitable for children under 12s.