The Hobart Orpheus Choir –
Our Links to the Past
1877 - Today
The Hobart Orpheus Choir has been rehearsing and performing regularly for the last 134 years. It is possibly Australia's oldest continuous choir.
In 1877 the Hobart Trinity Church in Warwick Street needed a new set of bell ropes and, as funds were not too plentiful, it was decided to form a small group of male singers selected from the Church choir to perform in the 'Christy Minstrel' style to raise the money needed.
The first choir master was Mr W C Eltham who, with the accompanist Miss J Lynch, gave the group a try-out performance at New Norfolk. It was received so well that they had no hesitation in performing again, this time in the Church school rooms. It was a sell-out performance. The church got its bell ropes and the small group became the Hobart Orpheus Club. Mr Eltham later married Miss Lynch and together they led the Orpheus Club for 30 years.
The club maintained regular rehearsals on Monday evenings (and still does rehearse on Mondays) with subsequent performances in and around Hobart and occasionally further afield. It has survived the heady times around the turn of the 20th century, several major economic depressions, two World Wars and is now in its 134th year of making music.
The Choir continued to be an all male choir up till its centenary in 1977. Two years earlier a women's choir under Margaret Raward had formed and sang at the men's concerts as The Orpheus Singers. The amalgamation which followed opened up a new repertoire for SATB works. Since then the Choir has been able to present countless major works as well as anthems, spirituals, madrigals, ballads, classical and light musical songs.
Over these 134 years the Hobart Orpheus Choir has encouraged promising young artists by providing a platform for their performances. The choir has also supported charitable needs in the community including a performance of Handel's Messiah during 2009 to support those who suffered during the Victorian bushfires and a performance of Cherubini's Requiem in April 2011 which supported the Queensland Flood Appeal.
Hobart Orpheus Choir has been actively involved in Festival of Voices concerts during 2009 and 2010 as well as presenting its own concerts regularly throughout the year. The choir is currently preparing for a concert in July which includes repertoire from across the ages and features 2 young performers – Alice Buckmaster (on viola), a Grade Eleven student and scholarship holder from St Michael's Collegiate School and Louise Snell (on trumpet) a Grade Eleven student from Guildford Young College and 4th place in the Brass solo open section at The National Band Competitions held at Easter 2011. Both performers play in the Tas Youth Orchestra. This concert will feature choral masterpieces through the Ages, both Sacred and Secular.
The Hobart Orpheus Choir was established in 1877. The Choir's repertoire covers a wide range of works, including traditional, sacred and classical, as well as opera and operetta. New members welcome.