Sally Binnie
Serving as the convener for The Christchurch Competitions Vocal Section has been an incredibly rewarding experience. Although we are all volunteers, our shared passion for music and singing motivates us to return each year and organise a competition that is supportive, welcoming, and professional—continuing this tradition since 1909.
I was born and raised in Christchurch, and my family has always been passionate about music. Growing up, I was surrounded by the National Radio Programme, church singing, opera, and musical theatre.
For a short time, I took piano lessons from my grandmother, had classical singing lessons, was a member of the Gilbert and Sullivan Society, and was a soloist at the church my family attended for many years. I also enjoyed entertaining at rest homes.
In my early working life, I faced redundancy a few times. Then came Scott and Georgia, and I mainly worked two part-time jobs, one of which was as Secretary of the Christchurch Civic Music Council (CCMC). The CCMC office was located at The Music Centre of Christchurch. It was during this time that I became familiar with The Christchurch Competitions Society, which held vocal festivals at the venue. I began attending many competitions over the years and especially enjoyed The Aria event in The Chapel. Nan Anderson and Mrs. Barton noticed my interest and invited me to join their team of volunteers.
My career path shifted towards property management, which I’ve been doing for about 25 years. After the Christchurch Earthquakes, I lost my property management job but was fortunate to secure a contract with the Waimakariri Earthquake Support Service. This role lasted for four years, where I helped people throughout the Canterbury region navigate the challenges of the earthquakes.
Music and singing have remained a constant love in my life, though, in recent years, I’ve faced difficulties with my singing voice, which has been heartbreaking. Losing your singing voice feels like a ballet dancer losing the ability to dance.
A funny memory I have is from a 15-day cruise I took with Scott and Georgia, which we all thoroughly enjoyed. I entered the onboard karaoke competition and made it to the final with my performance of "The Rose" by Bette Midler. For the final, I chose to sing "My Heart Will Go On" from Titanic, but because of its associations, they wouldn’t allow me to perform it!