Launceston Male Choir
Making Music in Launceston Tasmania
HISTORY OF THE CHOIR
The Launceston Male Choir was formed in 1935 but went into recess from late 1936 until 1945 when it was reformed and has been meeting continuously for the last 70 years.
The first public performance was at the Grammar School Ball in July 1935 at the Albert Hall, Launceston in the presence of His Excellency, the Governor (Sir Ernest Clark) and Lady Clark. As the climax to a grand symbolic procession featuring "Britannia", Land of Hope and Glory was sung by the choir together with soloist "Madame Nora Webster" and with the audience joining in accompanied by the grand organ.
This theme was chosen to mark the Silver Jubilee of the reign of King George V.
1935 was also the year that the ABC launched the radio station 7NT in Launceston. The official opening took place on 3rd August at the Brisbane Hotel. The Launceston Male Choir contributed an item to the first broadcast during the opening.
In later years the choir received payment for participating in live broadcasts from 7NT, in particular 3 such engagements in 1950. Rival station 7EX also made use of the choir's talents.
The next engagement in August 1935 was at Whitemore ( a small village south west of Launceston) in support of a fundraiser for the British and Foreign Bible Society. As well as the choir items were a number of solos by members of the choir including Bill Robinson, father of one of our present choir members.
The first major choir concert was held at Kings Hall on Wednesday 4th September 1935 and was reported in the Launceston Examiner newspaper - see below. The program included the songs:
Comrades in Arms
The Rosary
Drink to me only with thine eyes
Mosquitoes
Hark the Merry drum
The little Church
Deep River
Old Folks medley
In a Gondola
Wood Chuck Chuck
Passing By
The long day closes
In September 1946 The Examiner reported on the reformation of the choir under the heading:
"MALE CHOIR ASSET TO CITY MUSIC"
"No public appearances were made until December 11 when an invitation concert was held at Kings Hall. This year has seen the choir progress rapidly. Two broadcasts have been given for the ABC and items were rendered over Radio 7EX in conjunction with a Chinese Relief appeal.
Recently the choir, with the assistance of musicians provided a program for a concert for the Mothercraft Home Committee of the War Memorial Community Centre Association.
The choir has regretfully refused offers of public appearances as its policy is to endeavour to maintain a high standard of work and weekly practices do not permit of many programs being undertaken."
One of the more unusual settings for a choir performance was at the First Basin (Cataract Gorge) on Tuesday March 10, 1953 as reported here in this extract from the next day's Examiner newspaper.
At the time of its formation the choir was led by musical director Mr. A. J. Wilson. Shortly after the Kings Hall concert Mr. Wilson took ill and Dr. F.R. Tyson took on the duties of conductor. Due to a drop in numbers of available singers the choir went into recess from August 1936 with Mr. Wilson nominally retained as conductor but he died in January 1938.
The choir resumed its activities in February 1945 with a new musical director - Mr. Arthur (A. J.) Ride who continued in this role for 20 years until 1965. His wife Rita filled the role of principal accompanist.
Later musical directors have been:
John Krutulis 1966 - 1975
Barry Birtwistle 1976 - 2006
Robert Clark 2006 - 2019
Alan Telford 2019 - 2023
At the 60th anniversary of the choir, in 1995, a 50 page booklet was produced which details much of the choir's history to that point. The following is largely extracted from that source.
Up until 1973 an "Annual Invitation Concert" was held in December. From 1974 it was referred to as the "Annual Concert", still in December, but more recent annual concerts have been held in early October.
From 1950 onwards the concert was held at the National Theatre, corner of Paterson and Charles Sts. until that was sold in 1969 ( now houses the printing firm Foot and Playsted). With the move from the smaller Library Hall, the number of programs printed was increased to 600 from the usual 350.
The annual concert was for a time held in the Pilgrim Hall, then in the City Baptist Church with the most recent ones at the Salvation Army citadel in Elizabeth St.
During the tenure of Barry Birtwistle as musical director it would appear that the choir was rather less conservative in undertaking a range of activities. In 1988 ( Australia's bicentenary year) the annual report states:
this was an extremely busy year for the choir with fifteen different performances given.
These were:
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Good Neighbour meeting at the Launceston Town Hall
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recording of choir tapes
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a pleasant bus trip to East Devonport Uniting Church for their Centenary
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Masonic Lodge Harmony Night
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Royal Society for the Blind and Deaf Concert
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Launceston City Mission
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Masonic Garden Village Concert
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Australian Bicentenary dinner at the Albert Hall ( what a crowd)
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Colonial Concert at Royal Park with approximately 10,000 present !
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the memorial Broken Years at the Velodrome ( 2 performances) on the Anzac weekend
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Bi-centennial Ecumenical service at the Church of the Apostles
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and other small concerts.
Land of Hope and Glory was again sung at the 60th anniversary concert; the photo shows four stalwarts of the choir from the time - Barry Birtwistle, Bob King, Max Brain and John Moir.
Bob King wrote in 1998 of his reminiscences. He recalled that the choir had made many trips to various country venues over the years including Bridport, Scottsdale, Winnaleah, Legerwood, Smithton and Burnie.
More recently the choir had the pleasure of joining with the Hobart based choir Men in Black for a concert on 1st August 2010 at City Baptist Church, Launceston and then at St James' Church, New Town on 22nd August, with conductor Robert Clark and accompanist Noreen Gibson (LMC) and conductor Margot Lampkin, accompanist Ben Young (MIB).
In 2014 at the Annual Concert we shared the stage with Chiilingham Singers from northern NSW, some songs being sung by the combined choirs.
The contribution of a number of members to the choir over an extended period has been recognized by the presentaion of Life membership, as follows:
Walter Merry 1956
Arthur Ride 1967
Keverall McIntyre 1967
( records 1968-75 unavailable)
Archibald Reid 1976
Harold Barnard 1976
Thomas Wilmot 1977
Geoff Hutchinson 1979
Ronald Ramsden 1985
Barry Birtwistle 1985
Keith Yost 1985
Alan Broughton 1990
Harry McRae 1990
Aileen Smith 1991 accompanist
John Moir 1993
Rick Waters 1962
Robin Gregory ( current member since 1976)
Bill Robinson 1980
Roy Mason 1988
In 2006 after 40 years with the choir, 30 as conductor, Barry Birtwistle ( at left) received a well-deserved Australia Day Citizenship award for his services to the choir.
More photos can be seen on the "CHOIR PHOTOS" page