The internationally acclaimed Choir of Trinity College is the flagship of Trinity’s musical life.
During term-time, the Choir is primarily involved in the singing of services in the College Chapel. Evensong is sung twice a week, with the exception of two Sundays a year, when the Choir sings a Choral Eucharist.
The Choir has collaborated with various orchestras, instrumental ensembles and conductors, including performances of JS Bach’s St Matthew Passion with Jeremy Summerly in 2011, the St John Passion with Stephen Layton in 2012 and Handel’s Messiah in 2016. In 2018 the Choir performed the role of the semi-chorus in Edward Elgar’s ‘Dream of Gerontius’ with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Sir Andrew Davis, and will release the latest in a long line of CD recordings, a disc of Carols.
The Choir has undertaken nine international tours, most recently to Spain, France and the UK during July 2018. Over the past ten years the Choir has also visited Germany, Singapore, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Baltic States, Russia, Canada and the United States.
Trinity College is particularly interested in championing new music by Australian composers. Recent performances include works by Alice Chance, Richard Mills, Daniel Riley, Brett Dean, Lachlan McDonald, Joseph Twist, Calvin Bowman, Nigel Westlake and Brooke Shelley. The Choir recently recorded a Mass by Ross Edwards and 2019 will see first performances of works by Brooke Shelley and Alice Chance.
The Choir is comprised of students studying a wide range of subjects, many of whom are residents at Trinity College, but with others drawn from other Universities in Melbourne.
Choral Services during term time:
Thursday 5.45pm Evensong (without sermon)
Sunday 5pm Evensong (with sermon)
Click here to view Trinity College Chapel page
Click here to view the current music list
Click here to listen to live recordings from this year on Soundcloud
Click here to browse published tracks on iTunes
Interview with Jonathan Grieves-Smith, Director of Music 2014-2016
Choral and organ scholars
Soprano
Phoebe Edwards
Beatrice Hart
Kate Kirby
Bria Rechner
Ruby Smith
Phoebe Thomson
Marion Wilson
Alto
Clara Daley
Hannah Johns
Eliza Kelly
Stephanie Macindoe
Phillipa McQuinn
Emma Warburton
Tenor
Will Carr
Jonathan Glenning
Oliver Hendriks
George McPharlin
Daniel Riley
Christopher Roache
Bass
Sean Cutter
Joshua Erdelyi-Gotz
Zac Hamilton-Russell
Paul McDonald
Daipayan Mukhopadyay
Alasdair Stretch
Organ Scholar
Tom Baldwin
DIRECTOR OF MUSIC
Christopher Watson
Chris is a former member of the Tallis Scholars and Director of Music at St Edmund Hall, Oxford.
FORMER DIRECTORS OF MUSIC
Jonathan Grieves-Smith (2014–2016)
Former Chorus Master of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Chorus
Michael Leighton Jones (1997–2014)
Former Choral Scholar at King’s College, Cambridge, Lay Vicar at Westminster Abbey, member of the vocal quintet The Scholars, and founder of the sextet Jones & Co
Michael Fulcher (1994–1997)
Former Director of Music, Cathedral of St Paul, Wellington, New Zealand
Dr Christopher Dearnley LVO (1992–1993)
Former Organist at St Paul's Cathedral, London
Emeritus Professor Peter Godfrey CBE (1990–1991)
Former Chorister and Choral Scholar (and later Guest Director of Music) at King's College, Cambridge
Bruce Macrae (1985–1989)
Professor Peter Dennison (1976–1985)
Professor of Music at the University of Melbourne
ACTING DIRECTORS OF MUSIC
Sam Allchurch (Semester 2, 2016)
Conductor, Artistic Operations Manager, Gondwana Choirs
Tom Healey (Semester 1, 2016)
Former Director of Music at Geelong Grammar School and St Andrew's Anglican Church, Brighton
Jonathan Grieves-Smith (Semester 1, 2014)
Chorus Master of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Chorus
Michael Leighton Jones (December 1996 to August 1997)
Vocal Staff, University of Queensland
Julian Liberto (Semester 2, 1993)
Tim Smith (Term 2, 1986)
Dr Geoffrey Cox (Terms 3 & 4, 1979)
Former Organ Scholar at New College, Oxford