The Queensland Choir is one of the premier large choirs in Australia and has led the development of choral performance in Queensland for more than a century.
The choir is made up of approximately 100 volunteer choristers from a wide range of backgrounds and ages who are auditioned annually and perform as a symphonic choir, the core of the Brisbane Sings Messiah Chorus, and at times as a large chamber choir.
Choral Workshops are organised for members of the choir and the public to improve their singing ability. Singers from the community are also invited to rehearse for the Brisbane Sings Messiah and to perform Handel’s magnificent oratorio.
The choir has performed regularly with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, the Sinfonia of St Andrew’s and other orchestras and instrumental groups and also collaborates with other choirs in concerts in and around Brisbane.
It sings a broad repertoire which ranges from the major works of the standard classical choral repertory through lesser known works to opera choruses, musical comedy and Christmas carols.
The choir has also taken part in performances for the Queensland Music Festival, the Brisbane Festival, the 4MBS Festival of Classics, QPAC, Opera Queensland and the Queensland Ballet.
The choir has contributed much to the Brisbane music scene, including the development of young soloists and they are included in performances as much as possible. Community orchestras are also invited to perform with the choir, giving them the chance to visit the major concert halls of Brisbane.
Beginning in 1872 as the Brisbane Musical Union , the choir changed its name to the Queensland State and Municipal Choir and more recently to the Queensland Choir. It has a strong claim to being the oldest continuously operating musical organization in Australia.
Below is a brief chronological outline of some of the events in the Choir’s history.
The Choir sang at the re-opening celebrations for the refurbished Brisbane City Hall
Brisbane Sings Messiah launched With a chorus of 160 singers performing Handel's great oratorio "Messiah" in Brisbane City Hall.
Kevin Power OAM celebrates 25 years as Music Director and Chorus Master
The Choir worked with schoolchoirs to put on a performance of African Sanctus.
The name of the Choir is changed to The Queensland Choir and the choir uniform is updated.
The Goodwill Games opening event in the Boondall Entertainment Centre was a wonderful event for the choir.
Queensland Performing Arts Centre is the venue for a celebration concert for the Choir's 125th year.
Kevin Power the Musical Director of the Choir is awarded the Order of Australia Medal for his services to music and choral music in particular.
120 Years of continuous performance celebrated with a performance in Brisbane City Hall.
The Choir premieres Malcolm Williamson’s "The Dawn is at Hand" based on the poetry of Oodgeroo Noonucal.
The Choir performs with the Queensland Pops Orchestra on river stage at Expo 88
Sir David Wilcocks conducts Elgar’s "The Dream of Gerontius"
The Choir sings two concerts for the opening of the Queensland Performing Arts Centre
Kevin Power is appointed as the Musical Director and Conductor of the choir. He was the official accompanist from 1970.
A celebration concert for the Choir's centenary.
Performance conducted by Ahti Tauri
Performance as part of the Royal Visit at the Exhibition ground.
Eugene Goosens conducted the choir for Mendelssohn's "Elijah" in Brisbane City Hall.
Sir Thomas Beecham conducts Handel’s "Messiah" with the Choir
Sir Malcolm Sargent conducts Mendelssohn’s "Elijah" with the Choir
The Brisbane Austral Choir merges with the Brisbane Musical Union to form the Queensland State and Municipal Choir.
First concert in the then new Brisbane City Hall. Haydn's "Creation".
The Queensland State and Municipal Orchestra was formed from George Sampson's Orchestra.
First performance of Brahms’ "Ein Deutsches Requiem"
First performance of Elgar’s "The Dream of Gerontius"
The Choir sings at the laying of the foundation stone for St John’s Cathedral
First concert in the then new Exhibition Building now known as the Old Museum Building
The Choir Sings Mendelssohn’s "Elijah" for opening celebrations of the Cathedral of St Stephen.
First performance of Haydn’s "The Creation"
First performance of Handel’s "Messiah" and Mendelssohn’s "Elijah"
Inaugural concert featured Andreas Romberg's "Lay of the Bell" in the North Brisbane School of Arts.
The Choir was formed when the North and South Brisbane Harmonic Societies merged to form the Brisbane Musical Union
The Queensland Choir is pleased to announce the appointment of our new patron, the Honourable Ian Callinan AC QC. A Justice of the High Court of Australia until 2007, Mr Callinan was appointed in 1978 as a Queens Council and his flourishing career included conducting public inquiries and governmental reviews, and became an ad hoc Judge of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for the proceeding Timor-Leste v Australia.
In 2003, Justice Callinan was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) for his services to the law, arts and the community.
More information on the Honourable Ian Callinan AC QC can be found here.
Kevin Power is a graduate of the Queensland Conservatorium where he studied piano with the celebrated Australian pianist Nancy Weir. After graduation he spent five years living in the UK studying with Swiss pianist Albert Ferber and chamber music with Walter Gerhardt, while working professionally as a solo pianist and accompanist. He has performed throughout the UK and also in Germany, Switzerland, France, Italy and Spain.
From 1979 to 1995 Kevin was a member of the teaching staff of the Queensland Conservatorium of Music while maintaining an active career as a solo pianist, accompanist and chamber musician.
He has appeared as soloist with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra and its predecessors and broadcast for the ABC as both solo pianist and accompanist. He was a founding member of the Southern Cross Soloists and has toured throughout Australia and internationally with them.
Kevin Power has been associated with the Queensland Choir since 1970 when he first became the choral accompanist. He has been Chorus Master and Musical Director of the choir since 1981 and has himself conducted many of their major performances including Bach’s St Matthew Passion, Haydn’s Creation, Orff’s Carmina Burana, Mendelssohn’s Elijah and the Requiems of Mozart and Faure.
In 1996 he was awarded an OAM for his services to choral music.
Mark Connors graduated from Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University (QCGU) in 2016 with a Bachelor of Music studying classical piano. As an undergraduate Mark assisted as a repetiteur for
QCGU’s 2016 production of Albert Herring, directed by Bruce Beresford.
During his studies he was the winner of the Hilda Woolmer Scholarship Prize for piano accompaniment at QCGU. This prize funded Mark’s participation in the 2016 International Art Song Academy at WAAPA, where he worked with the renowned accompanist, Dr Graham Johnson. He returned to participate again in 2017.
Mark was engaged by OperaQ as repetiteur for their 2017 season productions of The Pearl Fishers and Ruddigore, or the Witch’s
Curse. In 2018 he was a repetiteur for OperaQ’s Don Giovanni and Brisbane Festival’s Peter Grimes.
He has given a number of recitals in Brisbane alongside talented up and coming classical singers, presenting art song and opera repertoire. Mark is in demand as an accompanist for school and community choirs in
Brisbane, and performs throughout the year with the Underground Opera Company. In 2018 he commenced working as a studio accompanist for the classical voice department at QCGU.
