AUSTRALIAN CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY - ST PATRICK'S CAMPUS CHOIR
Information current as at AUGUST 2005
CONTACT DETAILS
115 VICTORIA PARADE, FITZROY VIC 3065
Mr Andrew Wailes, Lecturer (School of Arts and Sciences)
Dr Ian Burk, Lecturer (School of Arts and Sciences)
The Australian Catholic University
(03) 9953 3204 (BH)
Choir's Email Address: a.wailes@patrick.acu.edu.au
Choir's Website:
DETAILS ABOUT THE CHOIR
Vision statement / Artistic goals: The Campus Choir seeks to provide students, staff and other interested choristers with the opportunity to rehearse and perform choral repertoire to a high standard, and to expose singers to a wide range of musical styles and musical traditions; the choir also provides opportunities for performance of new works, and through its activities adds to the cultural enrichment of University life; membership of the choir can contribute to academic studies in the BA and BMus degrees at the ACU; the choir also performs at major campus liturgies and at graduation ceremonies, as well as performing major concerts to the public throughout the year
Voice type: SATB
Choir performs: Both Unaccompanied & accompanied
Year Choir formed: 1990
No. of Singing Members - Currently: 45 Desired: 55
Musical Repertoire: Sacred and secular music of all periods from 15th century to present day
Musical Directors: Andrew Wailes - conductor and lecturer-in-charge; Former conductors - Roger Heagney and Geoffrey Cox
Previous musical experience:
Andrew Wailes - widely regarded as one of Australia's leading conductors specializing in choral and symphonic choral repertoire; has been Conductor of Melbourne University Choral Society (MUCS) since 1992, Music Director and Chief Conductor of the Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Choir and Orchestra since 1998, Principal Guest Conductor of the Australian Classical Players Orchestra, Musical Director of the Box Hill Chorale (since 1995), a former Conductor and Life Member of the Monash University Choral Society, Artistic Director and Conductor of the Australian Children's Choir (since 1999); currently directs ACU St Patrick's Choir and Monash University's Viva Voce Choir; Guest Conductor of ensembles such as Chamber Made Opera, Lyric Opera of Melbourne; has been chorusmaster for groups including Kirov Opera, Prague Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra Victoria, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Perth and Melbourne International Festivals, Australian Intervarsity Festival Choir (all states), Australian Youth Orchestra, etc; has appeared as Guest Conductor of orchestras including Orchestra Victoria, Camerata Academica Freiburg (Germany), Monash Chamber Orchestra, the Victorian College of the Arts Symphony Orchestra, Melbourne Sinfonia, the Christchurch Sinfonia (New Zealand), Melbourne Youth Orchestra, Stonnington Symphony Orchestra, and has directed student ensembles at Melbourne University, Monash University, Australian Catholic University and the Victorian College of the Arts; a regular Guest Conductor of various orchestras and choirs at summer schools around the country; he has appeared with major choirs from the USA, Sweden, Canada, England, South Africa, Ireland, Canada and New Zealand as Guest Conductor; founder and Artistic Director of the Melbourne Festival of Children's Choirs, and is in demand throughout Victoria as a workshop leader, guest conductor and adjudicator; as singer, he has performed with groups such as Opera Australia, National Youth Choir of Australia, Past Echoes Early Music Group, IHOS Opera, various RSCM choirs, and numerous professional recording ensembles
Geoffrey Cox - Organist & Director of Music at St Patrick's Cathedral (since 1999), Organist & Music Director at St Peter's Eastern Hill (Melbourne) (1980-94), Organ Scholar at New College (Oxford) (1975-78)
Roger Heagney - Director of Music, St Francis' Church (Melbourne) (1967-97)
Choir's past collaborations with other musical groups: Choir performed in MIFOH (1994), and ocasionally with orchestras for major works; recent collaborations with the Camerata Academica Freiburg (Germany), Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Orchestra, Monash University's Viva Voce Choir, Victorian Brass Consort
JOINING REQUIREMENTS
Audition: Enrolled as a student at ACU; sight-reading ability is essential; it is possible for non-ACU students to participate in the choir, but this is subject to invitation by the Director, or basic audition
Minimum Attendance policy - Rehearsals: Yes Concerts: Yes
Membership Fees: None
Ability to read music: Essential
Sight-reading ability: Essential
REHEARSAL ARRANGEMENTS
Av. No. of rehearsals/week: 1
Usual rehearsal night(s): Tuesday afternoons
Suburb: Fitzroy
Rehearsal venue: Recital Room, Central Hall, Brunswick Street
Off-street parking: Yes
PERFORMANCES
Performance Apparel: Women - All black; Men - Dinner suits White shirts and black bow ties, or all black for certain programs/liturgies
Av. No. of Concert Programs/year: 3
Av. No. of Performances/year: 6
Sample of the Choir's past Concert Venues: St Patrick's Cathedral (East Melbourne), Melbourne Town Hall, Central Hall (Fitzroy), Church of St Mary, Star-of-the-Sea (West Melbourne)
Examples of musical pieces performed: Requiem (Mozart), Jephte (Carissimi), Gloria (Rutter), Songs of Sanctuary (Jenkin - Melb premiere), Gloria in D (Vivaldi), excerpts from Liturgy of St John Chrysostom (Tchaikovsky), A Centenary Flourish (Nicholas Buc - World premiere, commissioned), Anastasis (Christopher Wilcock - World premiere, commissioned), Motets (Bruckner), Requiem (Faure), Rejoice in the Lamb (Britten)
Touring: No
CHOIR'S ADMINISTRATION
Administration / Governance arrangements for the Choir: Lecturer-in-charge directs choir, and is supported by a contact lecturer; there is also a student committee, formed mainly of second year ensemble students; Choir is administered within the School of Arts and Sciences, Australian Catholic University, and is also a member of the Australian Intervarsity Choral Societies Association (AICSA)
Types of Committees: Concert promotion, production, hospitality (as needed)
MUSIC LIBRARY
Own collection of music scores: Yes
Available for hire to other groups: By arrangement
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