About Wangaratta Choristers

Wangaratta Choristers was founded by David Carolane OAM in 1985 and has grown to become the leading and busiest choir in a region of Victoria that is blessed with much fine music-making.

In its 25 years it has had just three Musical Directors - David Carolane, John Rivers and, currently, Benedict Wilson of Albury.

It is a mixed choir of 18 permanent members and up to a dozen occasional singers.

Wangaratta Choristers gives several performances a year in north east Victoria, southern New South Wales and Melbourne. Our calendar includes autumn and spring concerts, participation in the annual Three Choirs Festival and the presentation of highly popular Christmas performances, many of which are staged at the imposing Holy Trinity Cathedral in Wangaratta.

In 2005 the Choristers made their debut in Melbourne, with an acclaimed concert at the Basilica of Our Lady of Victories in Camberwell to honour St Cecilia, the patron saint of music.

The Choristers are also available to sing at private functions. Recent events have included concerts at wineries and hotels in the North East of Victoria, singing at a Civic Reception in Wangaratta for the Governor of Victoria, and staging a charity concert for victims of the 2004 tsunami.

We believe the Choristers is the only choir in Australia to own a portable pipe organ. Our instrument, built by celebrated organ maker Knud Smenge, was purchased in September 2003 with the benefit of widespread financial support from individuals, organisations and philanthropic trusts, and has gone on to give much pleasure to music-lovers in the region.

Wangaratta Choristers meets for rehearsals on Wednesday evenings from 7.30pm in the Music Room at Wangaratta High School. Membership is by audition and we are always keen to hear from women and men of any age who may wish to join us.

Wangaratta Choristers Inc is a registered charitable organisation.

Our Musical Director

Benedict Wilson

Born and raised in Albury, NSW, Benedict received his musical education from Sisters Mary Therese and Mary Helen at the Convent of Mercy. Benedict then studied Piano and Organ at the Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music and Harpsichord at the Canberra School of Music. 

Throughout his career,  Benedict has been associated with a large number of vocal and instrumental ensembles in south-eastern Australia. For many years he was the repetiteur for the Beechworth Singers and the Murray Conservatorium Choir. Since 2000, Benedict has been the Musical Director of the Wangaratta Choristers. He is also responsible for the liturgial music of the Classical Roman Rite at St Patrick's Church, Albury. In 2007, Benedict and Ursula Genaehr formed the ensemble Non modo sed etiam to preform recorder and harpsichord music of the Renaissance, Baroque and Early-Classical periods.

Some Excerpts from our CD's

Folk Songs

All Through The Night               Drink To Me Only With Thine Eyes               

Waltzing Matilda                       O My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose

                            Caleno Custureme

Sacred Music

Ave Maris Stella                        Ave Verum Corpus

Tota Pulchra                             Ubi Caritas

Christmas Music

In The Bleak Mid Winter            Coventry Carol

Il Est Ne, Le Divin Enfant

Photo: Wangaratta Choristers, current and former musical directors and guest soloists at the St Cecilia concert at Holy Trinity Cathedral, Wangaratta on 13 November 2005. In the foreground is the Choir’s Knud Smenge portativ pipe organ and to its left is Choir founder David Carolane OAM.