Sunshine Coast Choral Society History

Celebrating the Silver Anniversary of The Sunshine Coast Choral Society and the Noosa Chorale. Performing Verdi’s Requiem as a combined choir, accompanied by the Requiem Orchestra, and supported by 4 Soloists. Adrian King, Conductor brought out the very best in all performers. In Noosa the Choir had a standing ovation from a full house, as well as at Venue 114 Bokarina.

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‘John Gregson from Gregson & Weight Memorial Chapel in Wises Road Buderim was the stunning venue for our ‘Musical Treasures’ concert on Sunday 8th September 2019. The Choir, supported by the Sunshine Coast Chamber Strings and the very talented soloists Annika Hinrichs – Soprano, Debra Schneider – Alto, James Scott – Tenor and Henry Prinder – Bass performed the inspiring works of Schubert, Mozart and Pergolesi.

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Gregson & Weight Chapel, Buderim was filled to capacity both physically with our faithful supporters as well as the sounds of music from Bach’s Christmas Oratorio and Handel’s Messiah. Our very talented Natasha Koch accompanied the Choir and our incredible Adrian King conducted the Choir. The audience gave a standing ovation to the Hallelujah Chorus and wanted an encore. The concert set the scene and the tone for our own personal Christmas Celebrations.

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Karl Jenkins, in his Requiem, blends together the traditional form of the requiem or ‘mass for the dead’ with a fusion of western and eastern musical cultures, topping the classical charts in 2005.

Jenkins incorporated other surprises in the work too, including the driving pulsating, even menacing, rhythmic force of the Dies Irae as well as extraordinary tender and ethereal sections culminating in the hauntingly beautiful In Paradisum.

The Choir with conductor Adrian King and the Choral Society Chamber Orchestra performed at Gregson & Weight’s Memorial Chapel, Buderim on Sunday April 22, 2018.

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The hills of Maleny were alive with the sound of HMS PINAFORE on August 5th 2018. Natasha Koch displayed her amazing keyboard skills, depth of knowledge of the music and her ability to provide the orchestral parts on a keyboard when she accompanied the Choir in this performance.

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A celebration of John Rutter & Antoni Vivaldi’s ‘Gloria’s’ was held at Stella Maris Catholic Primary School, McKenzie Drive, Maroochydore on Sunday 4th November, 2018.

Accompanying the Choir was the Choral Society Chamber Orchestra and the Choral Society Brass Ensemble.

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Nine Lessons and Carols were performed at the Holy Trinity Kawana Anglican Church, 11 Meriden Street Bokarina on Wednesday 26th November, 2018.

Accompanist – Natasha Koch.

On 02 September, Caloundra Uniting Church was the venue for ‘Seascapes’. We performed pieces by mainly Australian composers like Stephen Leek, Lon Beery, Mary Lynn Lightfoot, Peter Sculthorpe and Dulcie Holland.

We were privileged to perform Jennifer Carr’s new suite of 5 pieces called ‘Seascapes’, which was the world premiere of this emotive work.

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2017 started in April with the performance of Mozart’s highly regarded Vespers and Requiem.

Lake Kawana Community Centre was filled to capacity with an audience keen to enjoy the performance presented by the Sunshine Coast Choral Society, the Sunshine Coast Chamber Orchestra, and Soloists from the Brisbane Conservatorium.

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‘Classical Treasures’ was the theme for the Concert in June, held at Lake Kawana Community Centre.

The Sunshine Coast Choral Society was pleased to present a performance of Classical Treasures which included Joseph Haydn’s Mass in D Minor (Nelson Mass) and Mozart’s Vespers with Soloists and Orchestra

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In September, Lake Kawana Community Centre hosted a fabulous performance entitled ‘American Treasures’

More information coming soon.

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In December, the Sunshine Coast Choral Society performed a selection of Christmas music at St Mark’s Anglican Church in Buderim.

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Placemarker for 2015. Info will be added shortly

Placemarker for 2014. Info will be added shortly

Placemarker for 2013. Info will be added shortly

Placemarker for 2012. Info will be added shortly

Placemarker for 2011. Info will be added shortly

Placemarker for 2010. Info will be added shortly

Rossini’s Petite Messe Solonnelle (Little Solemn Mass) at Lake Kawana Musical Centre, 7pm on Saturday 12 September.

At the end of June, the Choral Society joined with Stella Maris Choir and the Buderim Male Voice Choir in a benefit concert to support musical director of the BMVC, Ross Jelf, to study choral conducting at the London School of Music for two years.

The Q150 Celebration Concert highlighted Queensland’s 150 years of statehood, with a matinee concert in conjunction with Buderim Male Voice Choir and the Sunshine Coast Symphony Orchestra. From well known Australian folk songs such as Click Go The Shears through to classical excerpts, the Choral Society filled the hearts of audience with pride. Especially well appreciated was the performance of Together In Unity, composed by a member of the Choir, Keith Bartholomew.

In June of 2009, the Choir participated in three combined concerts. Nine choirs performed individual items in the annual Sunshine Coast Choral Festival. Then all combined to sing as a mass choir, concluding with Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus.

Vivaldi, being a perennial favourite, proved a good choice of composer by our musical director for the choir’s first major concert of 2009. Vivaldi’s Gloria in D led the program, followed by his rousing Double Trumpet Concerto, and finally the lesser-known Dixit Dominus. The choir and instrumentalist were all in fine form and the concert was a brilliant success.

2008 ended on a high, with a packed auditorium participating with the Choir and the Sunshine Coast Symphony Orchestra in a Best Of British evening. With guest soloist, Hans Georg Wimmer, this program was in the tradition of the BBC Proms with an international flavour. Flag waving, funny hats, streamers, and balloons – there was something for everyone, no matter from where they came.

In October, the Choir presented a rare Handel performance, the oratorio, Samson. This was a definite first for the Sunshine Coast. With a 26 piece orchestra and four professional soloists, this concert exuded pathos and drama and this well known Old Testament story kept the attention of the appreciative audience to the last note.

The first public concert for 2008 comprised two work’s by Contemporary English composer, John Rutter: his Magnificat, and Mass of the Children, in which students from Matthew Flinders Anglican College joined the choir. This joint venture proved very successful, and the audience’s appreciation of these modern works with their haunting melodies and reminders of past musical ideas was overwhelming.

At the time of rehearsals for the choir’s next concert, Conservatorium of Music lecturer and distinguished performer, Huguette Brassine, obliged as the choir’s accompanist for a year. Handel’s very familiar and much-loved oratorio, Messiah was performed at Lake Kawana Community Centre and again, at the Noosa Bicentennial Hall on the weekend 24-25 November 2007.

The choir’s first concert after appointment of our new conductor, Adrian King, was one of variety: Musical Treats From Around the World, in August 2007. Adrian brings with him a wealth of talent and experience from the English choral tradition, and he has quickly established a reputation for bringing excitement and fulfilment fro both choristers and the audience. Sincere thanks to local pianist and teacher, Fay Baker, for her accompanying this concert.

In 2007 the choir performed ‘The Creation’ by Haydn, with full orchestra and soloists. This was a wonderful performance and a fitting farewell to our musical director Rita Paczian, who contributed so much in her two years with us. We wish her well in her future musical pursuits. We also farewell our accompanist, Lyn Bartholomew, who contributed in so many ways to the success of the choir.

Our main concert of the year was a wonderful performance, in the original German text, of the (parts 1-3) by J S Bach. Our outstanding soloists included Martin Paroz, Christine Ferraro, and the celebrated German baritone, Hans-Georg Wimmer.

In September we performed Mendelssohn’s with many visiting choristers, in an International Weekend Workshop led by British conductor Dr Roy Wales,

A concert of ‘Opera Favourites’ in our new home, the Lake Kawana Community Centre, at Sportsman’s Parade, Bokarina.

2006 continued to be a great year for the choir, and we presented three major concerts. For ‘Mozart 250’, celebrating the 250th anniversary of Mozart’s birth, we filled the Nambour Civic Centre where the choir presented his famous , and the lovely Clarinet Concerto featured Graham Evans as soloist.

In April 2005, the Choir appointed the internationally-recognised musician, Rita Paczian, as our new Music Director/Conductor, under whose leadership we had recently recorded a very successful live Christmas Concert. In September we performed a Vivaldi/Rutter program, in November a Faure Workshop of Rutter’s Requiem, and in December gave two brilliant performances of Handel’s Messiah(at Caloundra & Gympie) In this period the choir also appointed Lyn Bartholomew as our Accompanist.

In May 2004 our Founder/Music Director, Neil Atkinson, died after battling cancer for several years. He will be greatly missed by the choir and by individual members. Since early in 2004 year rehearsals were taken by the Assistant Conductor, Ross Jelf, who conducted the choir for our Tenth Anniversary Concert at the Maroochy Baptist Centre, on October 2nd.

Since early in 2004 year rehearsals were taken by the Assistant Conductor, Ross Jelf, who conducted the choir for our Tenth Anniversary Concert at the Maroochy Baptist Centre, on October 2nd.

Place card for 2 recitals

A 2 day ‘Elijah’ workshop was conducted by Richard Swann and Neil Atkinson,  prior to the performance of Elijah on Sunday the 20th October at Millwell Community Centre, Maroochydore. This was part of the Sunshine Coast International Choral Festival, the Sunshine Coast Choral Society combined with the Napier Civic Choir and the Sunshine Coast Symphony. The soloists were Leon Warnock – Baritone, Louisa Kennedy – Soprano, Dorothy Williams – Contralto and Matthias Lower – Tenor

Sunday December 01

The War Memorial Hall in Buderim was the venue for Carmina Burana on August 31

Faure’s Requiem and Vivaldi’s Gloria were performed on 3rd August. The soloists were Melinda Van der Meulen – Soprano, Julia Malczewski – Soprano, Ilse Brown – Contralto and Andrew Burns – Baritone

March 29-31

May 11

May 30

Workshops were hosted again in 2002 and 2003 and featured Mendelssohn’s “Elijah” (with the Napier Choir from New Zealand) conducted by Neil Atkinson and Haydn’s “Creation” conducted by Dr Roy Wales. In August 2004 the International Workshop choir under Dr. Roy Wales performed the Verdi “Requiem”. The accompanists for this performance were Jillianne Stoll and Fay Baker on two pianos and soloists were Louise Kennedy Soprano; Helena Mumford Mezzo Soprano Kenneth Collins Tenor; and Bill Cronk Bass.

In 2002 the Choral Society hosted the Sunshine Coast Choral Festival at the Coolurn Civic Centre. This festival brings together over 200 singers from many Sunshine Coast choirs for an afternoon of choral singing. The festival was not held in 2003 due to problems with insurance. These problems were sorted out by 2004 and the Sunshine Coast Choral Society again hosted the festival at the Baptist Centre, Maroochydore. A great time was had by all and it is hoped to continue with this festival on an annual basis.

Since 2001 the Society has performed Handel’s “Messiah” every year in November/December and this has proved very popular with “Messiah” enthusiasts. Also at this time we introduced the “Scratch Messiah” where we invited other choristers to join us in choruses from Messiah. This also proved to be a very popular event.

The Choral Society has continued to grow in numbers and experience over the years and has performed many major works such as “Elijah” by Felix Mendelssohn (1998 and a workshop performance in 2002), “Requiem” and “Gloria” by John Rutter (1999), Gabriel Faure’s “Requiem” and Vivaldi’s “Gloria” (2001). In 2000 we joined with the Bach Choir from Brisbane to perform Bach’s “St. Matthew Passion” with one performance in St. John’s Cathedral, Brisbane and one at the Immanuel Lutheran Church, Buderim. These major work performances have generally been accompanied by an orchestra made up of Sunshine Coast musicians.

Choruses from Opera were also introduced to the Society’s repertoire in 2002 and we have been fortunate in recent years to have international soprano, Louise Kennedy together with Susan Chapman and Geoffrey Ashenden from Opera Queensland, sing with us at a number of our concerts. The Sunshine Coast Choral Society has also been fortunate over the years to draw soloists from within our membership, notably, Carol Coggan, Barbara Groot, Sue Hornum Elizabeth Hood and Andrew Bums.

The Choral Society has performed regularly at community events such as Christmas Carols at various locations on the coast, the Organ Donors Thanksgiving Service in Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast Choral Festival as well as at various charity concerts with the Australian Army Band Brisbane at Caloundra Civic Centre and the Voices for Hospices 2003 at the Nambour Civic Centre.

The Christmas Concert – December 15

On December 09, Handel’s Messiah was performed at the University of the Sunshine Coast. The singers were supported by the Sunshine Coast Symphony and Opera Queensland Soloists : Jacqueline Mabardi – Soprano, Susan Chapman, Bernard Wheaton – Tenor and Mark Jowett – Bass

This event was held on November 24th.

A Charity Concert with the Australian Army Band Brisbane was performed on 03 November at the Caloundra Cultural Centre

Carmina Burana was performed on October 20

In 2001 the Society decided to host an International Choral Festival and Workshop. The workshop was conducted by Dr Roy Wales, a distinguished British choral conductor and Mozart’s “Requiem” was performed at the Sunshine Coast University on August 24, 25 and 26.

Mozart’s “Requiem” was performed at the Sunshine Coast University in August with Fay Baker on piano and the Sunshine Coast Choral Society with visiting choristers from other choirs in the region and from Brisbane.

These 2 favourites were performed on August 4th, 11th and 12th

We combined with the touring Sydney Male Choir to present concerts at Kawana. Community Centre and the Good Shepherd Lutheran Hall, Noosaville.

‘Magical Melodies from Opera and Operetta’ was the title of this concert on 01 June that featured some of the best known and loved choruses and solos. This concert was performed at 2 venues on the same day – the Baptist Church at Maroochydore, then at the CWA Hall in Caloundra. The soloists were Helena Mumford – Soprano, Louise Kennedy – Soprano, Andrew Burns – Baritone and Elizabeth Hood – Soprano.

April 13-14 in Maryborough

The University of the Sunshine Coast was the venue for Handel’s Messiah on the 15th December. The Sunshine Coast Choral Society was accompanied by the Sunshine Coast Symphony. The soloists were Rebecca Collins – Soprano, Kate Spence – Mezzo Soprano, Geoffrey Ashenden – Tenor and Thomas Keenan – Bass

Commemorating the 250th anniversary of the death of J.S. Bach, the “St Matthew Passion” was performed at St. John’s Anglican Cathedral in Brisbane om 3 June. The Sunshine Coast Choral Society, The Bach Choir and the Sunshine Coast Regional Youth Choir were supported by a 28 piece orchestra. lead by Elaine Fox. The soloists were Neil Mason – Tenor, Peter Axford – Bass, Melinda van der Meulen – Soprano, Anne Fulton – Alto, Geoffrey Ashenden – Tenor and Jason Barry-Smith – Baritone. This concert was performed again the following day at Immanuel Lutherin Church, Buderim.

The Theatre Restaurant in the Kawana Community Centre was the setting for a Christmas concert on December 18

Handel’s Messiah was performed at Nambour Civic Centre on Sunday December 5. The singers were accompanied by a 24 piece orchestra. The soloists were Julia Malczewski – Soprano, Susan Chapman – Contralto, Geoffrey Ashenden and Peter Axford – Bass

John Rutter’s “Requiem” and “Gloria” were performed on Saturday August 14, 1999. The Soloists were Katy Drake, Debbie Freeman and Carol Coggan, and the singers were accompanied by a 16 piece ensemble

Five of the younger female members of the choir (Jenny Young, Trish Baker, Debbie Freeman, Desley MacDonald and Helen Peters) formed a small group and called themselves “After Five”. They performed at several of our concerts in 1999/2000 and were a great hit with our audiences performing light pop music from the 1930s through to the 70s. Unfortunately after about eighteen months their lives moved in different directions and the group is no longer in existence.

Mendelssohn’s “Elijah” was performed on Saturday September 12, 1998 with Orchestra lead by Elizabeth Rigby. The soloists were James Coady – Baritone, Sally McHugh – Soprano, Paula Ford-Simpson – Mezzo Soprano and Neil Atkinson – Tenor and Conductor.

Handel’s Messiah with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra

Charity Concert with the Australian Army Band Brisbane

We attended the Eisteddfod again in 1997 and were again Champion Small Choir. In 1997 the Queensland Symphony Orchestra toured Queensland to celebrate their 50th anniversary. Choirs from the different regions visited were invited to sing with the orchestra under the baton of Ola Rudner. The Sunshine Coast Choral Society was very proud to be invited to form the nucleus of the choir that performed with the Orchestra in the Nambour Civic Centre.

John Rutter’s Requiem was performed at Noosa and at Buderim

Charity Concert with the Australian Army Band Brisbane

In 1996 we decided to branch out and attended the Queensland Eisteddfod in Ipswich and came home as Champion Small Choir. This year we also made a recording and introduced a “uniform” for the ladies after a lot of hard work by June O’Flynn (Wardrobe) and Carol Coggan and many others who helped with the cutting out. Also in 1996 the Spanish choir “Hodeiertz” visited our area and the Choral Society joined with them in a concert at the University of the Sunshine Coast.

Haydn’s “Creation” was performed with full orchestra in the Lecture Theatre at Matthew Flinders Anglican College in August 13, 1995 with soloists Miriam Gordon – Soprano, James Coady – Baritone and Neil again taking on conducting and singing the Tenor roles.

On the 9th April 1995, we ambitiously took on Handel’s “Messiah” and gave a performance at Easter time in St. Mark’s Anglican Church in Buderim with soloists Rachael Duncan – Soprano, Therese Hayden – Mezzo Soprano, James Coady – Baritone and Neil Atkinson who had to conduct the choir and sing the Tenor solos! This performance was accompanied by Jean Conwell on the keyboard.

The Sunshine Coast Choral Society was founded in 1994 by the late Neil Atkinson with assistance from Bruce Ramm, Sharon Coles and Jean and Alan Conwell. Jean was the accompanist for the Society until her retirement in 1999 which was followed by the appointment of Fay Baker, who capably filled the position until early 2005, at which time she became Assistant Musical Director until relinquishing that post in December 2005. Alan was the Treasurer for the Society from its inception until 1998. Auditions were held in May/June and rehearsals started in July with forty seven members.

Rehearsals were held in the Lecture Theatre at Matthew Flinders Anglican College. At that time the college was relatively new to the area and they were most supportive of the Choral Society as we struggled to get a financial footing and increase membership.

In these first few months we were able to prepare a few pieces for two charity concerts (Concert for Rwanda and the Drought Relief Concert) and the Mayor’s Christmas Carols. In December 1994 we held our first concert in the Buderim Hall and performed John Rutter’s “Gloria” and “The First Nowell” by Ralph Vaughan Williams.