The Queensland Choir (formerly Queensland State & Municipal Choir) can trace its foundation directly to 1872 when one of its predecessor choirs gave its first performance - Romberg's Lay of the Bell - in December of that year. However, the choir’s origins reach back to the creation of Queensland itself. Throughout its long and illustrious history, the Choir is proud to have performed the Australian premieres of works such as Verdi’s Messa da Requiem (Requiem Mass) and Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius op. 38 and worked with a host of widely acclaimed soloists and orchestras. The choir is also proud to have worked with distinguished conductors such as Sir Thomas Beecham, Sir Charles Mackerras, Sir David Willcocks and Sir Malcolm Sargent as well as composers Arthur Bliss, Percy Grainger and Malcolm Williamson.
This is the choir that gave rise to the State of Queensland’s own first orchestra - now The Queensland Orchestra.
In more recent years, The Queensland Choir has had the pleasure of working with Muhai Tang, Marcello Viotti, Werner Andreas Albert, Dobbs Franks, Richard Mills, Yan Pascal Tortelier, En Shao, Isaiah Jackson, Graham Abbott, Antony Walker and Colin Harper.
Below is a chronological outline of the choir’s history. These facts give the choir a strong claim to being the oldest continuously operating musical organisation in Australia.
Date |
Historical Fact |
2006 |
Kevin Power OAM Celebrates 25 years as Music Director and Chorus Master of this choir |
2005 |
General Manager Appointed in September |
2003 |
Board of Directors Appointed |
2002 |
Queensland State Government granted and opened The Queensland Choir’s office in The Gabba Towers, Woolloongabba (Brisbane, Australia) |
2002 |
The Queensland Choir – new name (formerly – The Queensland State and Municipal Choir) |
2001 |
Centenary of Federation, the choir participated in State and National celebrations. |
2000 |
The choir’s subscription series included performances of Haydn's Mass in Time of War; Vivaldi's Gloria; Beethoven's Mass in C; Brahm's Song of Destiny (with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra); a celebration of Bach's 250th Anniversary by The Queensland Chamber Choir; participation in the Brisbane Festival, Australia Day citizenship ceremonies and the annual Joy to the World Christmas Concert in December. |
2000 |
The Queensland Chamber Choir (an elite vocal ensemble from The Queensland Choir) was formed. |
1999 |
The choir performed Mozart's Requiem, the Queensland premiere of Carl Vine's Choral Symphony; Beethoven's Choral Fantasia and Prokofiev's Alexander Nevsky, Mahler's Symphony No. 2 and Carl Orff's Carmina Burana. TQC presented Joy to the World Christmas Concert, in which other choirs from multicultural backgrounds in traditional costume were invited to perform with The Queensland Choir. |
1998 |
The choir gave eight performances to a total audience of more than 30,000 people, with programs which ranged from gospel music and traditional Christmas carols to a series of concerts with the Queensland Pops Orchestra, the Brisbane City Council's hugely successful 'Symphony Under the Stars' and performances of Verdi's Requiem, Poulenc's Gloria, Handel's Messiah and Mahler's Third Symphony with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra. |
1936 |
Brisbane Austral and the old Queensland State and Municipal Choir merged to form the new Queensland State and Municipal Choir – 200 choristers.
William Jolly – First President of the newly merged choir. He said, “Two great honours have befallen me in my lifetime. One was to be the first Lord Mayor of Greater Brisbane. The other is to be first president of this grand new choral organization – the official choir of Greater Brisbane.”
ERB Jordan – Conductor |
1936 |
Dr Malcolm Sargent – Conducted The Queensland State and Municipal Choir in the Grand Final Orchestra and Choral Concert for The Brisbane Music Festival. |
1935 |
Conductor – George Sampson F.R.C.O – The Queensland State and Municipal Choir (incorporating the Brisbane Musical Union) concert at Brisbane City Hall – 23 June |
1933 |
Conductor – George Sampson F.R.C.O – The Queensland State and Municipal Choir (incorporating the Brisbane Musical Union) presents Hiawatha first subscription concert at Brisbane City Hall – 30 May. Soloists – May Jordan (Soprano), M Crisp (Tenor), Les Edye (Baritone). Accompanied by the Queensland State and Municipal Orchestra. |
1932 |
Conductor – George Sampson F.R.C.O – The Queensland State and Municipal Choir (incorporating the Brisbane Musical Union) presents:
Mendelssohn’s Elijah - 17 May
Mozart’s Requiem Mass and Coleridge-Taylor’s A Tale of Old Japan – 30 August [Accompanied by the Queensland State and Municipal Orchestra. Soloists – May Jordan (Soprano), Freda Colquhoun (Contralto), W Ashlin (Tenor), Herbert Jones (Bass)]
…at the City Concert Hall |
1931 |
The name State and Municipal Choir adopted to acknowledge financial support given by State and local governments. |
1900 |
Choir sang for opening of St John’s Cathedral, Brisbane (Australia) |
1872 |
North and South Brisbane Harmonic Societies merge to form the Brisbane Musical Union – a choir of 112 members. |
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