Connecting people of all ages, from all walks of life, through the universal language of music

Wayfarers Australia is founded on a shared love of music-making. We seek to create meaningful musical experiences through weekly singing and regular tours that include choral and instrumental music, theatre, and movement arts.

Our work is guided by a commitment to nurturing creative skills, supporting personal growth, and strengthening human connection. We strive to create performances, workshops, and community experiences that uplift, inspire, and enrich both participants and audiences.

Through Wayfarers, musicians (and those musically inclined) have been introduced to a wide variety of musical styles and periods, from medieval and renaissance, through to romantic and contemporary music. For many it has been their first encounter with such a breadth of musical compositions and styles, and has continued to shape their ongoing musical endeavours.

People of all ages and musical skill are encouraged to join Wayfarers and share in the joy of choral singing with a choir that now spans many countries.

In addition to choral singing, musical theatre and music education are also embraced by the Wayfarers community. Many of the music-theatre works are original compositions by Judy Clingan and fellow Wayfarers.

Underlying much of what Wayfarers does is the educational philosophy of Rudolf Steiner, and through performing and delivering workshops, the choir has built long-term relationships with Steiner schools and communities worldwide. It is through these relationships that Wayfarers has built a dynamic and diverse organisation of musicians and educators. Read more about Steiner education.

The musical leadership guiding Wayfarers draws on the rich history of Wayfarers activities with regards to music, performances, workshops, and organising tours for our community.

Wayfarers Australia began when Judy Clingan drew together students, parents and teachers from Steiner and Waldorf school communities in eastern Australia. The choir was created to help teenagers, especially boys, discover the pleasure and confidence of singing in four-part harmony. It began as a Steiner-based group, and is now open to anyone from around the age of ten who loves choral singing.

We are an inclusive choir. There are no auditions. All we ask is that singers are committed to learning and sharing music together, and that they make every effort to grow and learn with the choir.

Our repertoire reaches across sacred and secular traditions: medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, Romantic and contemporary works, alongside folk music from many cultures. Performances often widen into music theatre, with instrumental music, drama, movement, puppetry and visual art.

Tours are intentionally low-budget and community-minded. Wayfarers performs, teaches workshops and meets other singers in schools, churches, halls and local arts spaces, making choral music feel close, human and shared.

We believe that heartfelt choral music is one of the most important human activities for singers and listeners alike, and a joyful expression of common humanity. Providing the opportunity to sing together regardless of background, experience or ability is core to our philosophy.