Cath Mundy OAM & Cath's Choirs

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Cath has been a professional performer for over 30 years and attained a Bachelor of Arts  in Drama and Music from QUT. 

In 2024, she was awarded an OAM for her Service to Performing Arts and to Choral Music.

READ 2023 INTERVIEW WITH CATH: https://ourlogan.com.au/artsandculture/27259/

HERSTORY

In 1993, she co-founded acclaimed acappella trio Sister Moon Ensemble with Julie Robson and Lisa Smith, releasing a 5-track EP-CD 'New Country' in 1994.

In 1995, she combined forces with UK singer-songwriter Jay Turner to form duo Mundy-Turner, touring the folk festival and acoustic-music circuit internationally and releasing seven full-length albums.

Passionate about harmony singing since childhood, Cath has over 16 years specialist experience in conducting community choirs.  

She is the founding conductor of

Freedom Train (2008-current) , 

Mixed Beans multicultural choir  (2009-2022) and With One Voice Brisbane (2014-2022).  

For nine years, she directed all three choirs concurrently on a weekly basis, steering them successfully through the COVID years, at a time when many choirs shut down.

She & Jay are regularly engaged in facilitating short-term singing, songwriting and choral projects with various community groups, such as Micah Projects Lotus Place, Jigsaw Qld, World Vision Australia and Mob23.

Cath was contracted by Queensland Music Festival as premier Choral Conductor and Arranger for the large-scale production 'Under This Sky' (2015) and her work on that project was featured in SBS documentary 'The Logan Project'.    https://www.sbs.com.au/programs/the-logan-project

She directed the youth chorus for the closing ceremony of the Commonwealth Games 2018 and  co-won Best Musical Director Gold Coast Theatre Awards 2013  for her work with Jay on original musical 'Billy Buckett - A Rock 'n' Roll Love Story'.

To celebrate 10 years anniversary of Mixed Beans, Cath directed and conducted the recording of the choir's second album 'DecaDance' at Alchemix Studios which was also filmed by videographer Pascal Burger.

During the COVID years, Cath led her choir Freedom Train choir  to release its debut album entitled 'Iso'  in December 2021 and in 2015 they celebrated the choir's 15th anniversary with a filmed concert at Logan's Living Museum.

In 2023 and 2024, she conducted two community singing projects: Sing for Yes/Let's Say Yes and Sing on the Dugulumba Balun: Blackfella/Whitefella which was shown on ABC TV nationally.

Since undergoing major surgery for a large, non-cancerous brain tumour in 2022, Cath is conducts Freedom Train and other short-term projects while focussing on her health and a gentle recovery.

She is also in the early stages of writing a cabaret/musical about her recent life/death experiences as a brain tumour patient.

PHOTO BY VINCENT SWIFT PHOTOGRAPHY

ISO is available for download and streaming on all major digital platforms. Check out https://gyro.to/iso

ISO, the debut album release by Freedom Train choir, was recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic in response to the various lockdowns, isolations & restrictions on group singing that have affected choirs in Australia since March 2020.

Each chorister recorded their parts individually at home on their phones, singing along to Cath's conducting videos.  

The vocals were then emailed to choir leaders Cath & Jay who brought all the voices together in their home-recording studio.  

The results are astonishing.  It's a seriously ROCKING collection.

ISO features 11 tracks, each showcasing unique choral arrangements of rock classics, African hymns, country-folk songs and funky modern pop.

The album is being launched at the Logan Art Gallery on Saturday 4 December 2021.

It is available to purchase on CD directly from Mundy-Turner for $20/CD (contact: cathjay@mundyturner.com) or by mail-order from our SHOP page.

 The ISO CD will also be available after the  from the Logan Art Gallery shop.

TRACKLIST & SONGWRITING CREDITS

1. LET IT GO

Words by Michael Leunig

Music by Suzann Frisk

2. BRING ME LITTLE WATER, SILVY

Words & Music by Huddie Ledbetter

3.  HAPPY TOGETHER

Words & Music by Gary Bonner & Alan Gordon

4. BETTER BE HOME SOON

Words & Music by Neil Finn

5. SENZENINA

Traditional Arranged Catherine Mundy & Jay Turner.

6. MY ISLAND HOME

 Words & Music by Neil Murray & George Rrurrambu Burarrwanga

7. DOWN IN THE RIVER

Traditional Arranged by Catherine Mundy and Jay Turner

8. HAVANA

 Words & Music by Camila Cabello, Jeffrey Williams, Brittany Hazzard, Pharrell Williams, Adam Feeney, Brian Lee, Ali Tamposi, Andrew Watt, Louis Bell, Kaan Gunesberk

9.  CAN'T HELP FALLING IN LOVE

 Words & Music by Luigi Creatore, George David Weiss, Hugo Peretti

10. PEOPLE GET READY

Words & Music: Curtis Mayfield.  Based on Choral Arrangement by Val Regan  

(Community Voiceworks, Oxford University Press)

11.  SHOSHOLOZA

Traditional Arranged by Catherine Mundy and Jay Turner

Mixed Beans 10th anniversary album 'DecaDance'  @ Alchemix Studio: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvIA25IgTk8XqWrW2vTedJto3aNITfLlE

Mixed Beans during lockdown, singing Korean folk-song 'Arirang':

https://youtu.be/ZmOqLXy9WE8

Freedom Train's tribute to former chorister, Meryl Voss and also an early mix of Track 1 on the ISO album:

https://youtu.be/ClQuixCmJDk

With One Voice Brisbane singing Jay/Cath original 'Getting Stronger' during lockdown:

https://youtu.be/_EfYr6fLGpA

Freedom Train's 15th Anniversary Concert: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDn-QYQQxIs13ZRgGv1RBZuQGIMlVXlIF&si=tFfT0UzQWcVeDkLc

Sing for Yes: LET'S SAY YES

Sing on the Dugulumba Balun: BLACKFELLA/WHITEFELLA

Freedom Train's 16th Anniversary Concert:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDn-QYQQxIs13ZRgGv1RBZuQGIMlVXlIF

Freedom Train is more than a choir; it's a community.  We recently celebrated sixteen years of choir-dom, proudly based in Logan, south-east Queensland in Yugambeh Country.

Freedom Train is an adult non-auditioned community choir suited to "intermediate" level singers onwards with a focus on fun and inclusivity.  And it's serious fun!

We love to sing choral arrangements songs from pop, musical theatre, gospel, rock, world and folk music genres.  

Our passion is getting more people in our community singing!  We believe the singing is a human right.

All are welcome to come along for a free trial to see if we are a good fit.  Children are welcome as long as accompanied by a participating adult choir member.

We have performed every year at City of Logan Carols for a six years, numerous Queenland Music Festival events and at the Festival of Voices in Hobart in 2018 & 2019.

Funded by monthly membership subscriptions.

Rehearsals are live-streamed for members and are available to watch live and later.

Potential new members please contact

 cathjay@mundyturner.com for further information before attending.

REHEARSALS

WHEN: Monday evenings, 6-8pm, during school terms (sometimes Thursdays).

VENUE: Marsden State High School.

FACEBOOK:

https://facebook.com/freedomtrainchoir

YOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/@freedomtrainchoir796

INSTA:https://instagram/freedomtrainchoir

Cath is deeply beloved by her choirs for the warm, fun & abidingly patient way she invites even the most inexperienced to find their voice whilst enjoying the company of a caring, supportive community.  

"The most creative person I know is my choir director, Cath Mundy.  She has an accomplished career in the arts, particularly music.  While she is an incredible musician and singer, I think what makes her most creative as a choir director is her ability to connect people and make us feel creative.  

She encourages us to connect with the music we are singing, not just with our voices, but with our hearts, bodies and minds. She creates something new every time we sing with her, and I think she is a genius!"  

~ Rebekah Brammer

"What a joy singing with the Freedom Train choir is.  I really love the practice sessions and look forward to sharing all the other activities you have planned."

~ Lynne Deller, new member 2024

"Rocking up to choir tonight, I didn't even feel I'd have the energy to sing. You know when your very soul is tired? Well it's been a really challenging month and it's really nice to have a couple of hours a week when I can just forget about it and sing. 

Aside from singing, I get to be greeted by smiling faces, unwavering encouragement, good humour and warmth. 

I also get to listen to such beautiful voices and musical talent along with contagious positive energy. I always leave feeling like a million bucks. 

What a truly beautiful group to be a part of. I'm really grateful and am looking forward to sharing in celebrating the 16th year of such a wonderful community, who's heart is overwhelmingly evident in the mere months I've been a member. Thank you all."

~ New Freedom Train Member, 2024