The Hellenic Choir is a place of heartwarming Christian community spirit and laughter. At the end of a long day, even tired weary souls will be uplifted, not only by the presence of sweet soulful melodies chosen by our dedicated, kind and long-suffering choir mistress, Effie, but also by the constant light-hearted banter and humour amongst the familiar faces of our beloved choir family.

Being part of the CT Hellenic choir has given me the invaluable and inspiring opportunity to learn and sing all the beautiful Greek songs which keep one connected to the very rich cultural Greek heritage. And it is also such fun to be a member of our wonderful Greek choir family - we really do enjoy ourselves together both in the practice sessions and when singing for functions!

I have been a member of the Hellenic Choir of Cape Town for a very long time, which I consider an honour to serve and by extension, the Greek community -as a whole. From performances for various Greek and other ethnic community events performed in collaboration, to important holy church days, we have, as a group, been blessed to offer our best and adorn each hall in which a performance took place, with our loving music.

We have spent hours in the evenings after work converging at the church hall in Woodstock, practising endlessly with a view to perfecting or bettering our previous results for a community which we all love and want the best for at all times.

Personally music has played a very important part of my life since a young boy at school in Greece where I was part of the school choirs, then onto university choirs, the city of Cape Town choir, St George’s choir under the direction of Barry Smith, to mention a few. In addition, my family instilled in me the beauty and value of music as a fundamental part of my education and insisted on me learning to play the piano and attend music theory classes.

I would like to extend my thanks and gratitude to Mrs Effie Saridakis ,a close friend of mine since my first arrival in Cape Town in 1988, for her passion , energy , inspiration and gifts of love for the art of higher vibration through our Hellenic Choir of Cape Town and pray for her continued health and support for many years to come, in which our Choir and its involvement will grow from strength to strength and continue to touch the hearts and souls of us all.

The Hellenic Choir of Cape Town under the guidance of Efi Saridakis has been my home away from home. Making music with my choir family enriches my mind and soothes my soul. I have learnt much about Greek  history and culture and the beauty of the Greek spirit.  We have also sung with others from a different culture and shared the joy of music as a common language for all.

What the choir means to me? ❤️Joining the choir has been a transformative experience for me. As one of the newest and youngest members, I initially felt a surge of nerves stepping into a group so deeply bonded by years of shared melodies and memories. But from the moment I walked into the church hall for my first practice, I felt an overwhelming sense of belonging. Choir practice feels like a family reunion, and in every note we sing, I see the warmth, joy, and wisdom that ties us together as a true family.The pride I feel singing for our choir is indescribable. It’s a profound honour to represent my Hellenic heritage and contribute to our community through the power of music. Each practice fills me with immense joy, and seeing Effie’s radiant passion and unwavering dedication is nothing short of angelic. She inspires me deeply, as does every single member of our choir.I am profoundly grateful to be a part of this group. Thank you, Effie, and my wonderful choir family, for embracing me with open arms. I eagerly look forward to the many memories and celebrations we will share together. Here’s to countless more harmonious moments!

Being a part of the Hellenic Choir family is like being enveloped in a big fat musical hug!

Many of us enjoyed music and singing from our days at school.  The business of adult life doesn’t usually allow much opportunity to sing the way we used to. This wonderful community choir, gives us all a space to come together and express ourselves in harmony with one another, re-creating beautifully composed music that transports us and our listeners to a different time, space and story. I am deeply grateful to Effie Saridakis for her commitment and dedication to being this choir to life! I don’t think I would have sung much without this choir over the last 20 years. Thank you Effie and I hope more of you will join us.