Choirmaster from Sydney Street Choir in Sydney's top 100 influential people
The Sydney Morning Herald has named Peter Lehner, choirmaster of Sydney Street Choir, one of Sydney's top 100 influential people.
Peter became choirmaster of the Sydney Street Choir in 2003, when his predecessor, Jonathon Welch moved to Melbourne to launch the Choir of Hard Knocks. Since then, the choir has gone from strength to strength, including touring their original music throughout the Northern Territory in 2008 with the Tour Hearts Tour and producing an acclaimed show Home is Where the Heart Is, at Belvoir St Theatre in 2009.
The choir perform numerous gigs throughout Sydney to finance and sustain their activities. Artists such as Mark Trevorrow, Little Patty, Normie Rowe and Jonathon Welch have supported their performances. In 2008, the choir received runner up for the Best Program for the Disadvantaged at the Music in Communities Awards and where represented by Accessible Arts at the Australian Performing Arts Market APAM as a key producer in arts and disability from NSW.
In 2010, the choir plans to take its stage show to Melbourne and record a new CD. Despite the punishing schedule, Peter has no plans to step down. "I will stay involved with the choir in some form for the rest of my life. It's so important to me."
Find out more information on Sydney Morning Herald's 100 most influential people.