Stroke-a-Chord

Stroke-a-Chord is a choir composed of stroke survivors with aphasia (loss of speech after stroke). The members can sing even though they cannot speak. The choir sang at a performance for family and friends in September 2010. Over 160 people attended and the choir members reported increased self confidence and improved self esteem as a consequence of this successful performance.

The Stroke-a-Chord choir made their official public debut performance on 17 September 2011 to sold out crowd at the Karralyka Centre in Ringwood.  They will be looking to make further public performances in 2012. By performing in public the choir members will experience further increased self esteem and improved social communicative interaction which both contribute to improved quality of life.

Tickets are now on sale for the Choirs performance at Karralyka Centre on Saturday 14th July

Opportunity to see Stroke A Chord perform

Stroke A Chord are set to perform at the theatre of the Karralyka Centre in Ringwood East on Saturday July 14 commencing 2pm. 

 Ticket Prices:  Adult $15, Concession $12, Child $6

Bookings can be made through the Karralyka Centre Box Office, Mines Road, Ringwood East.  Phone: (03) 9879 2933 Fax:  (03) 9870 2283 Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it   Box Office operating hours are 9.30am to 4.30pm Monday to Friday.

Concert Flyer

Photos receiving the cheque for $10,000 from Bank of Melbourne

Here is Frank Dixon (Maroondah City Council CEO), Jack Mulholland (MetroAccess Officer - Maroondah City Council) and Bronwen Jones (Speech Pathologist - Yooralla) with the $10,000 cheque that the Choir won in Bank of Melbourne - The Local Project.

Rob Deller entertaining  

Rob Deller playing for Monash Stroke Support Group - Friday 27th April

Surprise Donation

A much appreciated surprise donation of $10,000 has ensured that the Stroke-a-Chord Choir can cover its running costs and continue bringing happiness and purpose to the lives of its members.

Stroke A Chord wins the public vote and $10,000

We're thrilled to announce that the Stroke a Chord Choir is a winner in the Culture category of The Local Project - a partnership between the Herald Sun and the Bank of Melbourne aimed to uncover worthy community projects.  The competition was overwhelmed with over 750 entiries, this list was shortened to 50 made up of 5 categories of 10 entries.  For the past weeks the public has been voting for the 10 projects listed in the Culture Category.

Your votes helped decide which two projects in the Culture category would win $10,000 each to assist the completion of their project.  Our thanks to everyone who voted for the Stroke-a-Chord choir.

Having already raised over $33,000, the $10,000 will help develop a documentary of the journey and stories of the Stroke-A-Chord Choir.

Herald Sun article - Nothing stops a very special harmony among stroke survivors

Local Project.....Stroke a Chord is made up of stroke survivors with a condition called Aphasia, meaning they cant talk but they're able to sing. Picture: Norm Oorloff Source: Herald Sun

THE Stroke a Chord singers can't talk, but they can sure belt out a number. It's unusual, but that's what this group of Maroondah stroke survivors does.

But it doesn't stop them singing.

The choir has been helping people reclaim their voices since 2010 and, thanks to a $10,000 prize as a winner of the culture section of The Local Project, they will create a documentary to inspire others.

Maroondah Council access co-ordinator Jack Mulholland said Stroke a Chord had changed lives. "There is a lot of loss for people who have a stroke, and one of the things people lose is friends, because they can no longer communicate," he said.

"The choir has helped to bring people together to develop new friendships."

The Local Project is a partnership between the Herald Sun and the Bank of Melbourne that aims to uncover worthy community projects that deserve to be brought to life.

To view other winners, go to heraldsun.com.au/thelocalproject

Stroke A Chord is now on facebook

A facebook page has been developed for Stroke A Chord. 

www.facebook.com/strokeachord   

Award Winning Choir

On Thursday 23 February, Stroke A Chord was a recipient of a LGPro Award for Excellence (State award for Local Governments) in the category of Special Projects Initiative. Congratulations to Maroondah City Council and the project partners on this achievement.

Win for Business and a Win for the Choir

On Tuesday 7 February the Stroke A Chord choir performed to businesses at a Business Workshop.  The workshop (Preparing Your Business for 2012) was facilitated by Alan Marion of Trainex Systems with the support of Mauricio Iraheta of BMS Digital.  This workshop provided businesses with valuable information, advice and ideas which will no doubt help grow the businesses who attended the workshop.  What made this business workshop unique was that the businesses who attended made a donation to the choir in lieu the normal workshop fees.  To show their appreciation the choir put on a half hour performance for the businesses who attended. 

Stroke A Chord would like to thank the following for the support of this great initiative that helped raised money for their upcoming documentary: Alan Marion Trainex Systems, Mauricio Iraheta of BMS Digital, Robyn Bell of Swinburne and Ringwood Rotary.  Thanks to the skills up Mauricio a snippet of the performance taken from an iphone  was edited and uploaded immediately on You Tube. 

Click here to view the footage taken at the Business Workshop.

Christmas Dinner came early for Stroke-a-Chord

On Wednesday evening, December 14th, 2011, the Stroke-a-Chord Choir were guests at the Doncaster Rotary Club Christmas Dinner, held at the Beau Monde International Hotel in Doncaster for around 150 people. 

A very special menu was served - roast turkey, plum pudding and all the trimmings.

The Choir were welcomed very warmly by the Rotary Club members and during the course of the evening they performed several of their favourite songs as well as a variety of Christmas Carols. Anneliis Way, the Choir's very talented Music Therapist, gave a brief but very informative talk, explaining the benefits of Music Therapy for stroke survivors with Aphasia.  The highlight of the evening was the $6,000 cheque presented to the Choir by the Doncaster Rotary Club which will assist with making of the documentary about Stroke A Chord.  We are all very appreciative of this extremely generous donation and to all of the Rotarians we give our grateful thanks.

All in all it was a joyful evening and a great start to the festive season. 

Sandra Hartnell

Business Workshop set to raise money for the documentary on Stroke A Chord. 

On 7 February 2012, a workshop on preparing your business in 2012 will be held at Swinburne in Croydon.  The cost for businesses for this all day workshop is $100. The money raised from this workshop will go towards the making of a documentary to raise awareness of stroke, aphasia and social isolation as well as providing some remarkable stories of some of the choir members.

Click here for further information and registration for the Preparing your business in 2012 workshop

Stroke-a-Chord performs to a full house 

The Stroke-a-Chord Choir gave it's first public performance on Saturday 17th September, 2011, at the Karralyka Centre in East Ringwood.  The concert was a complete sell out with many disappointed people turned away.  The Choir performed brilliantly, their repertoire consisting of many popular, joyful songs.  The warm response from the audience was evident as they themselves joined in with some of the medleys.

The Choir came together in May, 2010.  All members are stroke survivors who suffered a blockage in the left hemisphere of the brain causing a stroke which ultimately affects their speech. They either have little or no speech but somehow can use their voices to sing. The sheer vitality and heart rendering performance of these stroke survivors was a very rewarding and inspirational experience .  10/10 to all those wonderful people associated with the Stroke-a-Chord Choir - we look forward to your next concert.

Sandra Hartnell 

Sponsorship opportunity for documentary on Stroke-a-Chord

Filming has commenced for a docmuentary about Stroke-a-Chord.  The documentary will encompass the stories of some of the choir member while providing the viewer an insight on stroke and aphasia.

As the goal is to have the documentary aired on national TV, an opportunity opens for any potential sponsors.  As there are around 60,000 strokes that happen annually across Australia and the fact the choir has already generated a lot of media interest, we feel there is enormous potential with this documentary.

If you are interested in sponsoring the choir, please contact Bronwen Jones of Yooralla on 0411-079-701 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Channel Nine News - Stroke-a-Chord Choir's Performance at the Karralyka Centre on 17/9/11.

See photos from the concert