About The Choir

“A chorus of singers is like a company of brothers; the heart is opened, and in the stream of song they feel themselves of one heart and of one mind”

— Herder

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“If Thomas Charles Miller hadn’t lost three fingers in an accident, it is quite conceivable that he would have developed his talent as a violinist rather than form and conduct his own choir – and there would have been no direct connection between him and the group that is known today as the Sydney Male Choir” (from the Choir’s history). Charlie formed and built the Petersham Glee Club from a men’s quartet in 1913, up to a popular and disciplined group of thirty singers. By 1919, Charlie renamed the choir as the “Sydney Male Choir” with a major concert in the City of Sydney.

Charlie Miller retired and passed the baton on to Christian Kellerman by 1929. There have been fourteen Musical Directors in SMC’s history. Lyndon Jones led SMC from 1948 until 1974, and Alan Thrift led the Choir from 1990 until 2010.

The Choir has sung all genres of music. Purcell, Elgar, Vaughan Williams, Wagner and Verdi were listed in various concert programs. For many years the Welsh tradition of male choral music won popular appeal with pieces such as ‘Gwahoddiad’, ‘Canon Lan’ and ‘Myfanwy’. Choruses from Opera included ‘Soldiers Chorus’, ‘Pilgrim’s Chorus’ and ‘Sailor’s Chorus’ were always successful inclusions. Spirituals were also well appreciated, as was music from shows.

There were songs that were popular at a particular time, but subsequently waned. In the 1920s, for example ‘The Viking Song’ and ‘Song of the Quarrymen’, and later, ‘Song of the Jolly Roger’ appeared and disappeared. In the 1930s, the choir complemented vaudeville and films. For the former, they were even joined by pugilists, football playing dogs and comedians, and for the latter, they appeared at matinee and evening performances of some of the films of the day.

In the mid twentieth century, the Sydney Male Choir was frequently very successful in the leading Eisteddfodau in Sydney and its surrounds. The choir also combined with leading singers of the day, with many of these performances being broadcast live on the radio. The final retirement concert with Peter Dawson is possibly the most famous.

Over recent years, in a decade of Sydney Town Hall concerts, the Choir has been joined by the famous Australian jazz artist, Don Burrows, Kamahl, David Hobson, Marina Prior, Michael Cormick, Rachel Beck, Peter Cousins and Yvonne Kenny.

“The Sydney Male Choir has maintained a constant commitment and enthusiasm for high quality choral singing, in which Choristers have taken great pride. ”

As each decade passes, the Choir has adapted its musical styles according to the interests of Musical Directors and appeal to its audiences. However, the Sydney Male Choir has maintained a constant commitment and enthusiasm for high quality choral singing, in which Choristers have taken great pride.

Integral to our psyche, since 1933 the Choir has been a fixture at the ANZAC Dawn Service, held in Martin Place, Sydney each year.

The Sydney Male Choir has always taken enormous pride in the standard of its musical performance. The Choir has received many accolades over the years, and we always strive to perform with precision, musicality and the soaring harmonies that are achievable with the male voice. At the 2012 Sydney Eisteddfod, where it received an Honourable Mention, the Choir caused the Adjudicator to put down his pen, and join the young audience and other choirs to cheer as the Choir performed ‘What Shall We Do with a Drunken Sailor’ to rapturous applause from a very diverse audience.

Overseas in April 2013, under the baton of Dr Houston Dunleavy, the Choir managed to still attendees at the pre-dawn official service with its rendition of ‘There is no Death’ at the Australian Villers Bretonneux Service. The Choir was privileged to be the first adult choir in the six-year formal history of this ceremony. The Saturday Service at the Arc de Triomphe on that same tour was a privilege and a milestone in the colourful history of the Choir.

In Cornwall, as in other areas in England, the Choir offered its distinctive style, eliciting the comment from an English chorister in the audience that “if this choir was here, I’d have joined it!” The formal results in competitions may not have been the top result, but the communication through music remains strong and unique. We received many standing ovations for our endeavours more often than not.

SMC sang under the direction of Keiren Brandt-Sawdy from 2016–2020. Keiren, who joined the Choir as Musical Director at age 25, successfully improved our presentation, singing and repertoire, and delivered on our motto of “bringing joy through song”.

James Paul is our recently appointed Music Director and brings enthusiasm, energy and a new way of singing to the Choir.