2017 Guest Ensembles

Ambrose Treacy College is a rapidly growing Catholic boys' school in the Edmund Rice tradition set by the Brisbane River at Indooroopilly, Queensland. The ATC Chamber Choir is an auditioned ensemble newly formed in 2017 for boys in Years 4-10 consisting of unchanged, changing and changed voices. Rehearsals create a supportive environment where an open dialogue about the male voice change is encouraged. The ensemble rehearses once per week exploring repertoire across a variety of styles and genres, ranging from traditional to contemporary choral music. The ensemble regularly performs for the school community and enjoys performing alongside other ensembles at events such as the Queensland Youth Music Awards and the Queensland Catholic Music Festival. The Choral Program at ATC plays an important role in leading the singing at school and local community masses and celebrations. 

Conductor: Jason Goopy

The Grammarphones has long been one of the signature choral ensembles of Brisbane Grammar School. It is an auditioned chamber choir for changed voices and consists of the finest tenors and basses at the School. Each year they share their music with a wide audience, performing at a range of community and school events. In 2010 they undertook a highly successful concert tour of Europe where they were awarded the City of Vienna Prize for being the outstanding choir at the Summa Cum Laude International Youth Music Festival. In May 2011 they were one of the featured ensembles at the Pemulwuy National Male Voices Festival. In 2014 they undertook their second overseas tour to Greece and Italy which culminated in singing mass in St Peters Basilica in Vatican City. In 2016 they were one of the featured choirs at the Festival of Voices in Hobart.
Conductor: Peter Ingram

The Brotherhood from St. Laurence’s has a strong reputation as a substantial Male Changed Voice School Choir in Queensland. The primary role of the choir is to lead the school in sung worship but the ensemble is also involved in concerts in the community. 

The choir is auditioned by attendance. The choir has toured interstate and overseas and enjoys working collaboratively with artists such as the Kings Singers, choral jazz expert, Pete Churchill, The Queensland Pops Orchestra, Brisbane Birallee Voices and Hungarian conductor Lila Gabor. 

Recently the choir toured England and Ireland, performing concerts at Yorkminster, Southwark Cathedral and singing Mass in Waterford, where the Christian Brothers were founded.  As well they collaborated with Brisbane Chamber Choir for the second time to perform the Widor Mass for Two Choirs and Two Organs. The Brotherhood participated in the last two Australian National Men’s Choral Festivals and is honoured to be involved again.

Conductor: Anthony Young

Established in 1998 Bunbury Men of Song are aged from 17 years to 87 years, directed by Ian Mills and accompanied by Greg Ross. In 2015 they successfully mounted their first Men of Song Male Voice Festival in Bunbury commissioning 6 Australian pieces for the Festival. In 2016 they participated in the International Choral Festival in the Pusteria Valley in Italy and then engaged in a 4 country sojourn performing to standing ovations in Prague, Austria, Belgium and France.

Following the success of our Men of Song Male Voice Festival in October 2015, Bunbury Men of Song moved to establish BMOS Boys, a Treble Voice choir. So far they have performed at Anzac Day Commemorations in Bunbury in 2016, with Bunbury Men of Song and other visiting choirs in the South West. 

Conductor: Ian Mills

Formed in April 2009 by Musical Director and Educator Jonathan Bligh, The Festival Statesmen Chorus is a dynamic all-male a cappella vocal group. The chorus exists to provide a platform for young Adelaide singers to achieve vocal and performance excellence. Membership ranges from middle school through to young adults. Among the ranks of singers are several small ensembles.

Performance highlights for the group include the Adelaide Fringe season of Festival Statesmen: Homecoming (2016), headlining the Festival of Voices in Hobart (2015), the Pemulwuy National Male Voice Choir Festival in Brisbane (2014), TocH 100th Anniversary Gala Concert (2015), the ANCA hosted Young Adelaide Sings and Adelaide Sings, the National Vet Conference (Adelaide), the Kodaly National Music Conference, the Installation of the Grand Master of the Freemasons for SA and NT, the Cultural Heritage Festival, the South Australian Training Awards Ceremony, and performing in Community Carol Services including the 2010 Elder Park Carols by Candlelight for an audience of thirty-five thousand people. The Chorus has also combined with a number of other groups including Young Adelaide Voices, St John’s Grammar, The Adelaider Liedertafel 1858, Saint Peter’s Boys College, and The Metropolitan Male Voice Choir and more.

Conductor: Jonathan Bligh

The Newhaven Boys Vocal Group conducted by Kirk Skinner, is a group of ten boys with changed voices who perform at school functions and in the wider community. They regularly provide the music for the Naturalisation Ceremonies in the Bass Coast and perform at numerous carol services. Newhaven College is on Phillip Island and has a philosophy which prioritises strengthening self-esteem and the students’ sense of community; thereby equipping each individual with the qualities required for good citizenship and the confidence to contribute.
Conductor: Kirk Skinner

Eight men chock-full of fabulous A Capella music. Audiences love the passion and humour: their community cabaret shows draw capacity crowds. Crafted from seven enthusiastic years of singing the exquisite arrangements of Musical Director Dale Jones, their powerful sound delivers rich harmonic textures. The broad and deep repertoire includes ballads, rock, blues, and pop classics, soulful originals by talented members of the group and evocative settings of well loved poems. Let the Nightinguys take you on a musical journey with verve and vitality.  Director: Dale Jones

The Trinity College Junior Vocal Ensemble has been formed from boys in years 5 - 8 from Trinity College, Perth. The older boys meet weekly with Miss Athena Litis in the Secondary school, while the younger boys are conducted by Mrs Ann Clarke, also on a weekly basis. Both Choirs are active in the school calendar, performing for school events and concerts. They often perform for community events such as ANZAC memorials and special occasions, and travelled to Bunbury, October 2015 to sing at the Bunbury Men of Song Festival. Additionally, both choirs have participated in the Catholic Performing Arts Festival in W.A. receiving Honourable Mentions for their performances, and winning the Primary Choral section, including invitations to perform at the Perth Concert Hall at the winner's concert. This touring choir has been formed with boys from the two choirs, with approximately 28 boys chosen to perform in Queensland. They rehearse in addition to their regular school commitments and enjoy singing and performing at a high level.
Conductor: Ann Clarke & Kimberley Lloyd

The internationally acclaimed St. Mary’s Varsity Ensemble has made numerous concert tours to the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Austria, and Hungary; won top awards and honours at competitions and festivals in Japan and North America, have appeared on Japanese national radio and television, in concert with internationally acclaimed Japanese-American opera singer John Ken Nuzzo, perform annually for members of the Japanese Imperial Family, and as the invited ensemble for the Japan Choir Association’s Library Live concerts. They are involved in the Tokyo community through charity work, especially Refugees International.

The Ensemble has performed at the 2015, 2009, 2005 American Choral Director National Conferences and six regional ACDA Conferences. They were the selected opening ensemble for the 2014 EARCOS Convention and invited choir by the Japan Choral Association honoring the work of Maria Guinand. They have guest performed for and given workshop lectures at colleges and universities throughout the world demonstrating their unique performance “shaping” movement. The Varsity Ensemble is featured in the choral education video Movement and the Maturing Male Voice published by Hal Leonard Music.

The choir seeks to nurture a love for and global awareness of music from many cultures and the spiritual heritage
that embodies St. Mary’s International School.

Conductor: Randy Stenson

Launched in April 2013, this male voice ensemble is for boys and young men whose voices are changing. It gives them an outlet to sing through their voice change and emerge as young tenors and basses, adding to the fabulous sororities of the YAV ‘family’. In recent years, in addition to regular collaborations with the other choirs of Young Adelaide Voices, the Male Youth Choir has sung in massed choir performances of Vivaldi’s Gloria and Handel’s Zadok the Priest in 2015, and John Rutter’s ‘When Icicles Hang’ in 2016, alongside a range of local schools including St Peter’s College, Brighton Secondary School, St Mary’s College, Christian Brothers’ College and others.

Conductor: Jonathon Bligh