The magic of Pub Choir and event founder Astrid Jorgensen | Australian Story

Key Concepts

• Pub Choir: A large-scale, participatory choir event where untrained strangers learn and perform songs in three-part harmony.
• Audiation: The ability to hear and manipulate music internally, even when it's not physically present.
• Horizontal vs. Vertical Listening: Horizontal listening focuses on the linear progression of music, while vertical listening involves perceiving the layers and textures of a song simultaneously.
• Transformation: The shift in Pub Choir events from Astrid as the performer and the audience as passive listeners, to a collective experience where everyone participates.
• Couch Choir: A virtual choir initiative created during the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing people to participate remotely by submitting recordings of themselves singing.

1. Astrid's Relationship with Sound and Music

• Astrid Jorgensen, the founder of Pub Choir, has a complex relationship with sound. She experiences misophonia, an aversion to specific sounds, particularly human-made noises.
• Despite this, her favorite sound is the collective singing of people at Pub Choir.
• Astrid describes her brain as her instrument, emphasizing her ability to understand and manipulate music conceptually rather than through traditional instrumental skills.

2. Pub Choir: Concept and Execution

• Pub Choir aims to make music accessible to everyone, regardless of their training or experience.
• Astrid deconstructs popular songs and rearranges them into three-part harmonies, teaching them to large groups of untrained singers.
• The goal is to create a transformative experience where the audience becomes the performer, fostering a sense of community and shared joy.
• Astrid uses a call-and-response method to teach the songs, singing each line and having the audience copy her.

3. Astrid's Early Life and Musical Journey

• Astrid's family moved to Australia from New Zealand to escape anti-Asian racism during the rise of Pauline Hanson.
• She had a negative experience with a violin teacher who was critical and discouraging, leading her to dislike music for a period.
• Despite this, Astrid had a passion for pop music and would call radio stations to rate songs, even creating alter egos to win free CDs.
• She entered a school talent contest and performed "A Thousand Miles" on the piano, which was a pivotal moment that showed her the power of music to connect with people.

4. Mental Health and Finding Purpose

• Astrid struggled with mental health issues, including an eating disorder, during her teenage years.
• She considered becoming a nun and spent two months living in a convent in Zambia, where she was deeply moved by the communal singing in church services.
• This experience influenced her understanding of music as a form of community expression and improvisation.

5. University and Discovering Audiation

• Astrid was not accepted into the opera course at university but took aural musicianship classes where she excelled.
• She discovered her ability for audiation, which is the capacity to hear and manipulate music internally.
• This realization helped her understand that musicality doesn't require playing an instrument.

6. Career Path and the Birth of Pub Choir

• Astrid initially became a high school teacher but found the job unfulfilling and stressful.
• She considered becoming an air traffic controller but ultimately cancelled her interview to lead a compulsory choir at a school in Townsville.
• This experience led to the creation of Pub Choir, which started as a small gathering at a bar in Brisbane.

7. Pub Choir's Growth and Challenges

• Pub Choir quickly gained popularity, with each gig doubling in size.
• Astrid initially managed all aspects of the business herself, even creating a fake assistant to handle complaints.
• She eventually hired John Patterson as her manager to help with the growing demands of Pub Choir.
• A planned international break at South by Southwest was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

8. Couch Choir: Pivoting During the Pandemic

• During the pandemic, Astrid and John created Couch Choir, a virtual choir initiative that allowed people to participate remotely.
• The first Couch Choir video featured "Close to You" by the Carpenters and involved over a thousand participants from 18 countries.
• Couch Choir helped Pub Choir reach new audiences and express its message of community and connection during a time of isolation.

9. Post-Pandemic Success and Kate Bush

• After COVID-19 restrictions lifted, it was initially difficult to get people to buy tickets to live events.
• A Pub Choir performance of Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill" went viral after Bush shared it, leading to sold-out shows and renewed interest in Pub Choir.

10. Pub Choir's Impact and Astrid's Reflections

• Pub Choir has grown to include thousands of participants at events in Australia and the United States.
• Astrid reflects on the authenticity of Pub Choir and the joy of being able to be herself on stage.
• The success of Pub Choir is attributed to its ability to create a sense of togetherness and provide a unique, real-life experience for participants.

Synthesis/Conclusion

Astrid Jorgensen's journey from a sound-sensitive individual with a complicated relationship with formal music education to the founder of the global phenomenon Pub Choir is a testament to the power of authenticity, community, and the transformative potential of collective singing. Overcoming early negative experiences with music and mental health challenges, Astrid discovered her unique ability for audiation and her passion for creating inclusive musical experiences. Pub Choir's success lies in its ability to break down barriers to participation, foster a sense of belonging, and provide a joyful, shared experience that resonates deeply with people from all walks of life. From the initial small gatherings in Brisbane pubs to the virtual Couch Choir during the pandemic and the sold-out shows following the Kate Bush endorsement, Astrid's story highlights the importance of finding one's authentic voice and using it to connect with others through the universal language of music.