ALEX RITTER

When Alex Ritter became the fourth Head Chorister of the Australian Boys Choir in 2011, he says, “I was shocked but also thrilled to be awarded this position”. It was the culmination of a journey that had begun 6 years earlier.

Alex’s career with the choir has been long and illustrious. He became a Senior Singer in 2007, attained the rank of Chorister in 2008 and enjoyed many tours and concerts before his voice changed in late 2012.

When recounting happy memories, he lists off concerts, performing, camps and choir friends and confides, “just about every special occasion was a highlight”. However, it was the tours to Tasmania (2008) and Singapore (2009) he enjoyed most.

“I loved the performances and enjoyed meeting families in the homestays. My most memorable experience was singing Past Life Melodies in a ruined church in Malaysia that had great acoustics.”

Alex has continued singing with the Kelly Gang, describing it as a “natural progression”, and welcomes the weekly rehearsals as a mental and physical break from Year 12 studies. “I loved singing with the choir…. I wanted to keep in contact with my friends.”

With a long singing career ahead, Alex says, “It has been amazing to have had such a world class musical education. Singing is part of who I am and I will be an active singer and chorister all my life. I cannot imagine myself as not having been a member of the choir. In fact, I realised this year that I have spent half my life with the choir.”

Since this article was written in 2014, Alex has gone on to become a valued member of The Vocal Consort. He is writing his PhD this year.