President's Message
The Oriana Chorale is one of Canberra's leading choirs and performs a range of styles, from a cappella to works with orchestra.
Our Music Director is conductor and composer David Mackay. In 2011 David was the recipient of a Canberra Critics Circle Award for Music:
"for his dedication to the pursuit of excellence with his ensemble, the Oriana Chorale, a group of amateur singers encompassing a diverse range of ages and vocal qualities to consistently present concerts of an exceptionally high standard".
We rehearse weekly on Thursday evenings from 7:30-10:00pm at University House on the campus of The Australian National University (ANU). In addition to the three main concerts we perform each year, we also take part in a range of activities across the ACT and surrounding region.
We are delighted to have been invited once again to participate in the Canberra International Music Festival. In 2012 we will be participating in Australian première performances at the Albert Hall of:
- 'The Sealed Angel' by Rodion Shchedrin conducted by Roland Peelman, Wednesday May 16, 8:15pm BUY TICKETS
- Credo by Arvo Pärt conducted by Andrew Mogrelia as part of 'Credo, Credo' - Music from Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Australia - Friday May 18, 8:00pm
BUY TICKETS
- Mozart, Davide Penitente with the Song Company under the baton of Artistic Director Roland Peelman in 'Mozart's Forgotten Oratorio', Saturday May 19, 8:00pm BUY TICKETS
Membership of Oriana is through audition, held when there are spaces available in your voice part. We are currently welcoming enquiries from experienced tenors and basses and are expecting to have the next round of auditions in late May/early June.
We are an inclusive group of musicians dedicated to quality performances of diverse repertoire from across the choral manuscript. Please take a moment to go through this site to learn more about us and our history, as well as details on attending one of our concerts.
I hope to welcome you at a future Oriana event!
Paul Eldon
President
Email: orianapresident@gmail.com
About the President
Born in Hong Kong to a Scottish father and Peruvian mother, Paul moved to Canberra in 2009 from Beijing where he lived from 2001-2009. While there he sang with the International Festival Chorus under the baton of British conductor Nicholas Smith OBE. Prior to moving to China he was resident in the UK where he trained in the English choral tradition. He moved from treble through alto to bass before settling as a tenor as Head Chorister at The Oratory School in Woodcote, Berkshire. (Although he sang loudly and often at university, it was rarely in a concert hall.)
While in Beijing he sang in a number of China première performances including Bach St Matthew Passion and Constant Lambert The Rio Grande, and worked with some global figures in music such as Anne Randine Øverby, Artistic Director, Opera Bergen, Norway (Handel Messiah, 2004); Fan Tao, Principal Conductor, National Film Symphony Orchestra of China (Orff Carmina Burana, 2005); Dr Martin Ennis, Girton College, Cambridge, UK (Handel Messiah, 2007); and singers Justin Lavender (tenor), Ning Liang (mezzo-soprano) and Dame Emma Kirkby.
In Canberra Paul also sings with The Pocket Score Company and is a founding member of Coro. When not at a rehearsal (or enjoying a pint) he might be found running around the lake with his partner and their one year old Irish Setter Maximilian.
The President of The Oriana Chorale is elected by current choir members at the Annual General Meeting. Paul was elected in 2012 and takes over from Liz McKenzie.