MSO Chorus

For more than half a century, the MSO Chorus has been the voice of the Orchestra’s choral repertoire, at the same time developing a reputation—under Chorus Director Warren Trevelyan-Jones—as one of Australia’s premier symphonic choruses.

The MSO Chorus is comprised of 175 volunteer members. Rehearsals take place once a week and in 2022, chorus members averaged a combined total of more than 19,000 hours of work throughout the year.

In 2022, the MSO Chorus appeared in 17 performances across 10 programs including Beethoven’s Ninth with MSO Principal Guest Conductor Xian Zhang, The Music of John Williams, Darkness and Light: Debussy’s Nocturnes, Metropolis: The Lost, Verdi’s Requiem, and in Sir Andrew’s Messiah with Sir Andrew Davis CBE. In Metropolis: The Lost, the MSO Chorus performed in the world premiere of a new arrangement by Mary Finsterer of Hildegard von Bingen’s O Euchari In Leta Via Alone, the MSO Chorus appeared in the 3MBS Tchaikovsky Marathon, Rossini’s Petite messe solennelle, the annual ANZAC Day Memorial Dawn Service (an MSO Chorus tradition) and a performance of Mahler’s Symphony No.2 with the University of Melbourne Orchestra and Melbourne Conservatorium Chamber Choir. The Chorus also presented a sold-out concert at St Patrick’s Cathedral featuring a number of a capella works and culminating with Faure’s Requiem.

On the road, the MSO Chorus appeared in the Ballarat performance of Handel’s Messiah, singing side-by-side with the Ballarat Choral Society, and in Frankston for another performance of Messiah, this time with the Frankston Music Society / Mornington Peninsula Chorale.

Supporting their choral training, in February, Chorus members took part in a weekend of activities focusing on their vocal technique and planning for the future. Some of the highlights included breaking into smaller groups to work with individual chorus conductors and then performing an impromptu concert for their colleagues. The Chorus Weekend is a key activity in professional development for the members and assists in building a culture of artistic excellence.

The MSO Chorus is proudly supported by the Estate of Halinka Tarczynska-Fiddian and Creative Victoria.

“The Chorus sound throughout the night was clean, clear, unforced and sounded like one voice per part. The Chorus had been wonderfully prepared by their director, Warren Trevelyan-Jones. The diction was first-rate with consonants at the ends of words, again, so clear. The Latin was pronounced correctly of course and all entries and stops were together. Very impressive. The Requiem would be nothing without a thoroughly excellent Chorus and the MSO Chorus shone. Musically the double chorus is very tricky but all parts kept together with accuracy, style and wonderfully wide-ranging dynamic contrasts.”

– Classic Melbourne, 29 October 2022 (Verdi’s Requiem)

175

19,360 MEMBERS

HOURS (average volunteer hours across all rehearsals and performances)

17

PERFORMANCES

6

Broadcasts

93% 92% AUDIENCE SATISFACTION SINGER SATISFACTION