2024 END-OF-YEAR APPEAL

Excellence as learning.

Determining the influence that the Australian Boys Choir has had on my life is, to be honest, quite a difficult thing to do. Joining the ABCI when I was eight has been, I think, the most life-changing event of my life, and so weighing up its effect seems like too large of a task to accomplish. The Choir’s indelible imprint can be found in every part of my life - it has taught me not only about music, but also about confidence, performance, discipline, commitment, community and, most importantly, the ability to resist scratching an itch while on stage.

There are, of course, some very clear ways in which the choir has changed my life. I work in part as a professional singer, mainly as a countertenor in small vocal ensembles and also as a soloist. The world of one-to-two-per-part chamber vocal groups in Melbourne is a niche one, but an undeniable fact is that it is absolutely full of ABCI alumni. This is a testament to the choir’s incredibly high quality of the musicianship training, which gives you not only an appreciation of music, but the skills to perform it to a high standard. 

These skills provide an excellent musical base that extends beyond choral singing - I also sing with a jazz a cappella quintet, I conduct a church choir, and have even picked up the bass guitar and joined a band with some friends. Even though my fingers may be plucking strings, my mind is still filled with a steady stream of solfa.

However, I think that one of the strengths of the choir is that through teaching you how to be an excellent musician, it teaches you how to pursue excellence itself. It teaches attention to detail, which was essential in my studies outside music, where I’ve just completed a PhD in Physics. 

The choir also focuses on maintaining high standards, even in the smallest things. One of my proudest moments as a Chorister was organising the choir at the Installation ceremonies to sit and stand perfectly together, without a conductor, just by following a single breath. This may seem like something very tiny, but it represents the level of care that is expected and fostered in this organisation - for kids who like trying hard, the Institute provides a safe place to unashamedly care deeply.

And I think it is this level of care that allows the ABCI to operate at such a world-class standard, despite the fact that it is still an independent, grass-roots organisation. This level of care is shared by the talented and committed music staff, the tireless administration, and especially by the generous army of parent volunteers that keep the whole thing ticking.

So, as the season of giving approaches, I encourage you to share the gift of your support with this excellent organisation. The ABCI has changed my life, just as it has changed the lives of so many others, and with your help it can continue to change the lives of many more.

Alex Ritter
ABCI Alumnus

The Australian Boys Choral Institute/The Australian Boys Choir Fund is an endorsed Deductible Gift Recipient. Donations over $2 are tax deductible.