Before a lunch time crowd at 1 Bligh Street in the CBD of Sydney entertaining them with some Christmas music.

Image supplied by Bianca Valerio.

After a total of 21 Concerts for 2024, our last concert was on Tuesday 26 November for the subscription series of “Lane Cove Music” before a full house and an appreciative and responsive audience with great feedback from their President.

Image supplied by Bianco Valerio.

Performing before 500 people at the “Frasers Property Group” 100th Anniversary at Carrriageworks on 20 November 2024

Singing with the Wagga City Rugby Male Choir to a packed house of 500 in the Wagga Wagga Civic Centre.

8 concerts in 10 days, over 1300 kms, singing to regional audiences with guest choirs from the area.

Reika Suzuki-Macklin has been appointed Accompanist to the Sydney Male Choir from June 2024.

She completed her high school studies at the Sydney Conservatorium High School in 2020, attaining her LMusA in 2019 for piano under the tutelage of Phillip Shovk, and learned violin under the guidance of Nadia Monastrysky. 

The Sydney Male Choir and a 63 piece Symphony Orchestra took part in the screening of “Pirates of the Caribbean” movie on Saturday 16 June before a Matinee audience in excess of 4,000 and an evening screening before about 8,000.

We were proud to have been invited to be the guest choir at the screening of the Movie “Pirates of the Caribbean” at the ICC Sydney Theatre where we performed alongside a 63 piece symphony orchestra.

The SMC has had a busy year with concerts in the Greater Sydney area and a very successful regional tour throughout the New England and Mid Western area of NSW.

Your support has been critical and we thank you for that and look forward to an even better 2024.

To all of you and your families, have a great break and a fruitful 2024 full of good health and happiness.

A number of choristers received long service awards for 20, and 25 years membership and also our newly instituted “Hero Award” for coming back from the “brink” and becoming an active chorister with the SMC.

Seen here receiving their award from SMC President Gerry Byrne.

Thursday 7 December saw us return to 1 Bligh Street for the 4th year to entertain the lunchtime crowds before an enthusiastic audience.

The sound in this building because of the Huge Atrium was fantastic and carried up to the 30th Floor.

Last Tuesday 5 December, SMC had it’s annual Christmas function where various choristers received Long Service Awards.

Amongst them was Harry Halliday our Assistant Music Director who was recognised for his 25 years with Choir. Harry was also admitted a a Life Member of the choir for his valuable contribution in many areas of the the SMC operations over that period.

Harry is seen here with SMC President Gerry Byrne.

Saturday 25 November we performed the first of 3 Christmas Carol engagements at the historic Queen Victoria Building in the CBD of Sydney. Both Gallery’s were lined with enthusiastic mums and dads and children who stopped shopping to listen to us sing a range of carols and a few other favourites.

The SMC did a concert in support of the Waratah Male Voice Choir on Sunday 12 November in the Hamilton Wesley Uniting Church in Newcastle.

An appreciative near capacity audience responded well to both choirs particularly when we did joint numbers. The WMVC has been singing since 1956 and would welcome new members into the choir.

Continuing a tradition of over 50 years the SMC sang at the Remembrance day ceremony in Martin Place to remember those who gave their lives in what was supposed to be “The War to end all Wars”.

Our annual Town Hall Concert was in August where we performed with our guest artists The Willoughby Band in front of an enthusiastic audience in excess of 800.

Every year the SMC is supported by the City of Sydney which allows this concert to be our major fund raiser for the year.

For the past 6 years we have made available to various institutions and charities within Sydney up to 140 tickets free of charge to allow people who otherwise would not be in a position to attend to come along and enjoy an afternoon of musical entertainment.

The SMC had an opportunity to do a workshop for the children of St. Lawrence’s Catholic Primary School during our recent country tour and for them to appear with us in Concert to sing “I still call Australia Home”.

It was a delight and the choristers got just as much a “buzz” out of it as did the kids in the choir.

We are delighted to announce the appointment of our new Music Director James Paul.

James is a Choral director and Music educator with over 25 years experience working with singers of all ages.  He runs choral programs at Sydney Boys High School, Sydney Girls High School, St Vincent's College and Inaburra School and he conducts the Sutherland Shire Choral Society and the Sydney Street Choir.  James has worked as a vocal coach with Sydney Theatre Company and has prepared choirs for Opera Australia and his compositions have been heard on ABC Classic FM.  He holds a Master of Music in Composition from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. 

On Tuesday 21 March the Sydney Male Choir (SMC) performed at the NSW Health 30th Anniversary Community Visitors Scheme Function, hosted in the Great Hall at Sydney University. The event was hosted by Health NSW and held to say thank you to the many volunteers who support Australian residents in nursing homes who because of their language or culture are socially isolated. These volunteers are then matched with residents from the same cultural backgrounds.

Twenty-one members of the SMC performed eight songs supported by our stand in accompanist Zenith Chae, saxophonist Tom Tyrell and Musical Director Warwick Tyrell. The SMC donated its time to the event waving its usual fee to support these volunteers who do such important work. The audience was greatly appreciative of the performance and left with smiles on their faces.

After an exhaustive search we are delighted to have appointed Dr.Brieley Cutting as the new accompanist for the Sydney Male Choir.

Raised on a farm in the Northern Rivers area of New South Wales, Brieley studied at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music in Brisbane, Australian National Academy of Music in Melbourne, and at the Royal College of Music in London courtesy of a David Paul Landa Memorial Scholarship, the Tait Memorial Trust and the Australian Music Foundation. 

At our annual Christmas dinner we took the opportunity to recognise the effort and support that some of the wives and partners of the choristers have given over many years with awards of Life Membership and Significant Contribution to the Sydney Male Choir.

On Sunday 6 November we were one of only 11 acts from 140 that made it to the Semi Finals and sang a Queen Medley that surprised both the Audience and the Judges with our enthusiasm and a great sound.

We were part of a choir of 172 male voices at the Town Hall today in a brilliant concert conducted by Paul Jarman and with the Willoughby City Band.

Choirs attended from Perth Western Australia, Melbourne, Canberra, Albury, Wagga Wagga, Orange, Wollongong and throughout Sydney and 15 blokes of the Sydney Male Choir contributed an enormous and glorious sound.

During the filming of AGT we were asked why we get together and obviously enjoy what we are doing. Apart from the friendships and sense of family, the blokes meet because “This gives them the opportunity to Sing” and make great music.

The Sydney Male Choir was recently invited to participate in the internationally televised program, Australia’s Got Talent. Our first performance was broadcast on Monday 10 October 2022 on Channel 7.

Following on from an afternoon concert with the Australian Welsh Choir and the Perth Male Voice Choir to an audience in excess of 500 we returned to our Hotel and had the final “Choir Dinner”.

Sydney Male Choir and “Voice Male” in a combined item in St Johns Anglican Church to a “full house”. A great concert with both choirs producing an entertaining programme of song.

Friday 23 September before a large appreciative crowd. On stage with the Australian Welsh Male Choir and the Perth Male Voice Choir for an Encore’.

Acknowledging the crowd after our rendition of “A Tribute to Queen” at the Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre”.

A great afternoon at St Thomas More Catholic Church sponsored by “Arts Margaret River” to a great audience with a standing ovation at the end of the concert.

On Saturday 13 August we had our Town Hall Concert after a 3 year delay with an audience of over 900 very satisfied and happy attendees. Mark Vincent was our special Guest Artist and as well singing by himself he joined the choir in 3 numbers to rapturous applause.