Canberra Choral Society
Encyclopedia
The Canberra Choral Society (CCS) is a symphonic choir in Canberra
, the capital city of Australia
. It performs regularly with the Canberra Symphony Orchestra
. For nearly sixty years it has been a leading player the musical life of the city.
Works by Australian composers were commissioned by the Society for the Bicentennial Year in 1988 and for the Centenary of Federation in 2001, with support from national funding bodies. Premiere performances of works by resident Musical Directors have also been a feature of the choir's repertoire.
In 1992 the Society received a Canberra Critics' Circle award for its Fortieth Anniversary Concert program, which featured Carl Orff
's Carmina Burana
and the world premiere of Christopher Lyndon-Gee's Hymn for Sarum (Te Deum).
In August 1995, as part of the Australia Remembers 1945-1995 program, the Society performed Benjamin Britten
's War Requiem to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II, and in December 1996 presented George Frederic Handel's Messiah in celebration of the Australian National University's 50th anniversary. In September 2000, the Society participated with other major Australian and overseas choirs in the gala performance of Gustav Mahler
's Symphony No. 8 (Symphony of a Thousand) at the opening concert of 2000 Olympic Games Arts Festival.
In 2003 the Choral Society performed two versions of The Seven Last Words of Christ, by Haydn and by Dubois
, Stravinsky's Les Noces and Handel's Israel in Egypt. The Society also collaborated in with three other choirs, the Llewellyn Choir, SCUNA and the Oriana Chorale in Choralaid, a combined concert to raise funds for the Canberra Bushfire Appeal. In addition the Choir joined the Orange City Choir and Orange Symphony orchestra for a performance of works by Faure and Vaughan Williams.
In May 2004 it was invited to perform Britten's St Nicholas, in the Canberra Symphony Orchestra's subscription series. Other performances in 2004 included Duruflé's Requiem and Rutter
's Gloria, as well as Mozart's Vesperae Solennes de Confessore (the Solemn Vespers), K339 and Thamos, König in Ägypten (Thamos, King of Egypt), K345 in its final concert for the year.
Over the years, the choir has also participated in many opera productions in Canberra and the region including Verdi's Aida (televised on ABC TV), Vaughan Williams' The Pilgrim's Progress (the first performance in 25 years) and Bizet's The Pearl Fishers (most recently under the baton of Richard Bonynge).
In July 2010 the Society, together with Oriana Chorale, SCUNA and Llewellyn Choir, featured in a Grand Gala of the Canberra Symphony Orchestra to perform Verdi's Requiem under Nicholas Milton.
The Society has collaborated with the Canberra Symphony Orchestra
and Canberra Youth Orchestra in many presentations of major choral/orchestral works. It has also performed with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra
as well as the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
in major choral concerts, as well as working with many other groups including local adult and children's choirs and orchestras.
The Society also contributes to community events. It has performed at the Canberra Multicultural Festival and during Floriade, and on special occasions such as the opening of Parliament House. For many years, the Society provided the choir for the annual Anzac Day service held at the Australian War Memorial.
A national Choral Music Lending Scheme that facilitates provision of performing scores to over 100 member choirs across the country was instituted in 1965.
The Society has about ninety singing members, and usually presents at least three major choral concerts each year in Canberra's leading concert venues, the Canberra Theatre
and, since singing in its opening concert in September 1976, Llewellyn Hall at the Canberra School of Music. Its repertoire ranges from well-known masterworks by J.S. Bach
, Handel
and Mozart, to less-often performed works, especially those of the twentieth-century.
The Society had a proven record of performing new works by Australian composers. With assistance from the Federal Governments' arts funding body, the Australia Council
, large-scale choral-orchestral compositions were commissioned by the Society for the Australian Bicentenary
in 1988 (Richard Mills
's Five Meditations from the Poetry of David Campbell) and for the Centenary of Federation in 2001 (Peter and Martin Wesley-Smith
's Black Ribbon). Premiere performances of works by resident Musical Directors have also been a feature of the choir's repertoire. By invitation, the Society has performed in special concerts to mark significant events and anniversaries, including the opening of the new Australian Parliament House
, the 50th Anniversary of World War II, the Australian National University
's 50th anniversary, the 25th anniversary of the opening of the Sydney Opera House
, and the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
Guest conductors and soloists of national and international repute who have worked with the Society include Nicholas Braithwaite
, Joan Carden
, Margreta Elkins
, Gerald English
, Donald Shanks
, Clifford Grant
and Tobias Cole
. Over many years, the Society has collaborated with the Canberra Symphony Orchestra
and Canberra Youth Orchestra in many presentations of major choral/orchestral works. It has also performed with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra
and Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
in major choral concerts, as well as working with many other groups, including local adult and children's choirs and orchestras.
The archives of the early years of the Society are held by the National Library of Australia.
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
, the capital city of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It performs regularly with the Canberra Symphony Orchestra
Canberra Symphony Orchestra
Canberra Symphony Orchestra is the principal professional orchestra of the Australian Capital Territory based in Canberra, the national capital of Australia....
. For nearly sixty years it has been a leading player the musical life of the city.
History
The Canberra Choral Society originated with a small group of people who, in 1952, began singing together for their own pleasure and musical advancement. This group became known as the Canberra Choral Group and was conducted in its foundation years by Ronald Penny, Peter Bailey and Jane Malone. From its earliest days, the organisation was recognised by government authorities as an important part of the cultural development of the Capital, which, at the time of the founding of the Choral Group, had been in existence for fewer than forty years. The name was changed to The Canberra Choral Society in 1960, and the Society became an officially incorporated association in April 1962.Works by Australian composers were commissioned by the Society for the Bicentennial Year in 1988 and for the Centenary of Federation in 2001, with support from national funding bodies. Premiere performances of works by resident Musical Directors have also been a feature of the choir's repertoire.
In 1992 the Society received a Canberra Critics' Circle award for its Fortieth Anniversary Concert program, which featured Carl Orff
Carl Orff
Carl Orff was a 20th-century German composer, best known for his cantata Carmina Burana . In addition to his career as a composer, Orff developed an influential method of music education for children.-Early life:...
's Carmina Burana
Carmina Burana
Carmina Burana , Latin for "Songs from Beuern" , is the name given to a manuscript of 254 poems and dramatic texts mostly from the 11th or 12th century, although some are from the 13th century. The pieces were written principally in Medieval Latin; a few in Middle High German, and some with traces...
and the world premiere of Christopher Lyndon-Gee's Hymn for Sarum (Te Deum).
In August 1995, as part of the Australia Remembers 1945-1995 program, the Society performed Benjamin Britten
Benjamin Britten
Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten, OM CH was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He showed talent from an early age, and first came to public attention with the a cappella choral work A Boy Was Born in 1934. With the premiere of his opera Peter Grimes in 1945, he leapt to...
's War Requiem to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II, and in December 1996 presented George Frederic Handel's Messiah in celebration of the Australian National University's 50th anniversary. In September 2000, the Society participated with other major Australian and overseas choirs in the gala performance of Gustav Mahler
Gustav Mahler
Gustav Mahler was a late-Romantic Austrian composer and one of the leading conductors of his generation. He was born in the village of Kalischt, Bohemia, in what was then Austria-Hungary, now Kaliště in the Czech Republic...
's Symphony No. 8 (Symphony of a Thousand) at the opening concert of 2000 Olympic Games Arts Festival.
In 2003 the Choral Society performed two versions of The Seven Last Words of Christ, by Haydn and by Dubois
Dubois
-People:Dubois is the name of several people:* Al Dubois, Canadian TV personality and hosted the game show Bumper Stumpers* Alexandra du Bois, American composer...
, Stravinsky's Les Noces and Handel's Israel in Egypt. The Society also collaborated in with three other choirs, the Llewellyn Choir, SCUNA and the Oriana Chorale in Choralaid, a combined concert to raise funds for the Canberra Bushfire Appeal. In addition the Choir joined the Orange City Choir and Orange Symphony orchestra for a performance of works by Faure and Vaughan Williams.
In May 2004 it was invited to perform Britten's St Nicholas, in the Canberra Symphony Orchestra's subscription series. Other performances in 2004 included Duruflé's Requiem and Rutter
Rutter
- As surname :* Barrie Rutter : English actor and theatre director* Brad Rutter : US quiz show host* Dale Rutter : birth name of US pornographic actor Dale DaBone...
's Gloria, as well as Mozart's Vesperae Solennes de Confessore (the Solemn Vespers), K339 and Thamos, König in Ägypten (Thamos, King of Egypt), K345 in its final concert for the year.
Over the years, the choir has also participated in many opera productions in Canberra and the region including Verdi's Aida (televised on ABC TV), Vaughan Williams' The Pilgrim's Progress (the first performance in 25 years) and Bizet's The Pearl Fishers (most recently under the baton of Richard Bonynge).
In July 2010 the Society, together with Oriana Chorale, SCUNA and Llewellyn Choir, featured in a Grand Gala of the Canberra Symphony Orchestra to perform Verdi's Requiem under Nicholas Milton.
The Society
While the membership of the Society is essentially amateur, members are regularly auditioned to keep up a high standard. A professional Musical Director is engaged, and soloists and orchestral players used in performance are drawn from the professional ranks. Orchestral musicians are principally Canberra-based, while guest conductors and soloists are artists of local, national and international repute.The Society has collaborated with the Canberra Symphony Orchestra
Canberra Symphony Orchestra
Canberra Symphony Orchestra is the principal professional orchestra of the Australian Capital Territory based in Canberra, the national capital of Australia....
and Canberra Youth Orchestra in many presentations of major choral/orchestral works. It has also performed with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra
Sydney Symphony Orchestra
The Sydney Symphony Orchestra , commonly known as the Sydney Symphony, is an Australian symphony orchestra based in Sydney...
as well as the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra is an orchestra based in Melbourne, Australia. It has 100 permanent musicians. Melbourne has the longest continuous history of orchestral music of any Australian city and the MSO is the oldest professional orchestra in Australia...
in major choral concerts, as well as working with many other groups including local adult and children's choirs and orchestras.
The Society also contributes to community events. It has performed at the Canberra Multicultural Festival and during Floriade, and on special occasions such as the opening of Parliament House. For many years, the Society provided the choir for the annual Anzac Day service held at the Australian War Memorial.
A national Choral Music Lending Scheme that facilitates provision of performing scores to over 100 member choirs across the country was instituted in 1965.
The Society has about ninety singing members, and usually presents at least three major choral concerts each year in Canberra's leading concert venues, the Canberra Theatre
Canberra Theatre
The Canberra Theatre Centre is the Australian Capital Territory’s central performing arts venue and Australia’s first performing arts centre, the first Australian Government initiated performing arts centre to be completed, that opened on Thursday 24 June 1965 with a gala performance by the...
and, since singing in its opening concert in September 1976, Llewellyn Hall at the Canberra School of Music. Its repertoire ranges from well-known masterworks by J.S. Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
, Handel
HANDEL
HANDEL was the code-name for the UK's National Attack Warning System in the Cold War. It consisted of a small console consisting of two microphones, lights and gauges. The reason behind this was to provide a back-up if anything failed....
and Mozart, to less-often performed works, especially those of the twentieth-century.
The Society had a proven record of performing new works by Australian composers. With assistance from the Federal Governments' arts funding body, the Australia Council
Australia Council
The Australia Council, informally known as the Australia Council for the Arts, is the official arts council or arts funding body of the Government of Australia.-Function:...
, large-scale choral-orchestral compositions were commissioned by the Society for the Australian Bicentenary
Australian Bicentenary
The bicentenary of Australia was celebrated in 1970 on the 200th anniversary of Captain James Cook landing and claiming the land, and again in 1988 to celebrate 200 years of permanent European settlement.-1970:...
in 1988 (Richard Mills
Richard Mills
Richard John Mills AM, DMus BA Qld, is an Australian conductor and composer. He currently works as Artistic Director of the West Australian Opera and Artistic Consultant with Orchestra Victoria...
's Five Meditations from the Poetry of David Campbell) and for the Centenary of Federation in 2001 (Peter and Martin Wesley-Smith
Martin Wesley-Smith
Martin Wesley-Smith is an Australian composer with an eclectic output ranging from children's songs to environmental events. He works in a range of musical styles, including choral music, operas, computer music, music theatre, chamber and orchestral music, and audiovisual pieces which bring words,...
's Black Ribbon). Premiere performances of works by resident Musical Directors have also been a feature of the choir's repertoire. By invitation, the Society has performed in special concerts to mark significant events and anniversaries, including the opening of the new Australian Parliament House
Parliament House, Canberra
Parliament House is the meeting facility of the Parliament of Australia located in Canberra, the capital of Australia. The building was designed by Mitchell/Giurgola Architects and opened on 1988 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia...
, the 50th Anniversary of World War II, the Australian National University
Australian National University
The Australian National University is a teaching and research university located in the Australian capital, Canberra.As of 2009, the ANU employs 3,945 administrative staff who teach approximately 10,000 undergraduates, and 7,500 postgraduate students...
's 50th anniversary, the 25th anniversary of the opening of the Sydney Opera House
Sydney Opera House
The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in the Australian city of Sydney. It was conceived and largely built by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, finally opening in 1973 after a long gestation starting with his competition-winning design in 1957...
, and the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
Guest conductors and soloists of national and international repute who have worked with the Society include Nicholas Braithwaite
Nicholas Braithwaite
Nicholas Paul Dallon Braithwaite is an English conductor. He is the son of the conductor Warwick Braithwaite.Braithwaite studied at the Royal Academy of Music, at the Festival masterclasses in Bayreuth, and with Hans Swarowsky in Vienna. In the 1960s, Braithwaite was associate conductor of the...
, Joan Carden
Joan Carden
Joan Carden AO OBE is an Australian operatic soprano. She has been described as "a worthy successor to Dame Nellie Melba and Dame Joan Sutherland" and was sometimes known as "the other Joan" or "The People's Diva"...
, Margreta Elkins
Margreta Elkins
Margreta Elkins AM was an Australian mezzo-soprano of great renown. She sang at Covent Garden and with Opera Australia and other companies, but turned down offers to sing at the Metropolitan Opera, Bayreuth and Glyndebourne...
, Gerald English
Gerald English
Gerald English is an English-born Australian-resident tenor. He has performed operatic and concert repertoire, is a recording artist, and has been an academic....
, Donald Shanks
Donald Shanks (bass-baritone)
Donald Robert Shanks AO OBE was an Australian bass-baritone singer who sang over 65 principal roles with Opera Australia and other companies in Australia and overseas....
, Clifford Grant
Clifford Grant
Clifford Scantlebury Grant is a retired Australian operatic bass singer.Clifford Grant was born in Sydney. In 1966 he joined Sadler's Wells Opera company and on 20 December 1974 he had his debut at the Royal Opera House in Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro, in the role of Doctor Bartolo...
and Tobias Cole
Tobias Cole
Tobias Martin Piers Trevor Cole is an Australian countertenor and leading artist with Opera Australia.-Early life:Cole was born in Leiden, the Netherlands while his father was working at the University of Leiden as a radio astronomer. In 1976 he commenced his education at Newington College. Aged...
. Over many years, the Society has collaborated with the Canberra Symphony Orchestra
Canberra Symphony Orchestra
Canberra Symphony Orchestra is the principal professional orchestra of the Australian Capital Territory based in Canberra, the national capital of Australia....
and Canberra Youth Orchestra in many presentations of major choral/orchestral works. It has also performed with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra
Sydney Symphony Orchestra
The Sydney Symphony Orchestra , commonly known as the Sydney Symphony, is an Australian symphony orchestra based in Sydney...
and Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra is an orchestra based in Melbourne, Australia. It has 100 permanent musicians. Melbourne has the longest continuous history of orchestral music of any Australian city and the MSO is the oldest professional orchestra in Australia...
in major choral concerts, as well as working with many other groups, including local adult and children's choirs and orchestras.
The archives of the early years of the Society are held by the National Library of Australia.
Musical Directors
- 1952-1957 Ronald Penny
- 1958-1961 Jane Malone
- 1962-1972 Wilfrid HollandWilfrid HollandWilfrid Holland was a British born composer, choral and orchestral conductor, pianist and teacher who spent the last 45 years of his life based In Canberra, Australia....
- 1972-1976 Ayis Ioannides
- 1976-1985 Donald Hollier
- 1985-1989 Hans Günter Mommer
- 1989-1993 Christopher Lyndon-Gee
- 1994-1999 Robyn Holmes
- 2000-2001 Piroska Varga
- 2001 Christoph Moor
- 2002-2003 Thomas Burge
- 2003 John Gilbert (Acting)
- 2004-2005 Judith Clingan
- 2006-2010 Peter Pocock (since 2010 with Tobias Cole as Associate Director)
- 2011- Tobias ColeTobias ColeTobias Martin Piers Trevor Cole is an Australian countertenor and leading artist with Opera Australia.-Early life:Cole was born in Leiden, the Netherlands while his father was working at the University of Leiden as a radio astronomer. In 1976 he commenced his education at Newington College. Aged...
External links
- 02 6282 1267
- http://canberrachoralsociety.org/
- http://choirmusichire.info/