GUEST ARTIST ALEXANDER RITTER

Alex Ritter is a Melbourne-based countertenor and alumnus of the Australian Boys Choir. He is thrilled to be performing as a featured soloist with his ensemble ‘Fiore’ in the final instalment of the ABCI concert season for 2023, ‘Sing of Christmas’ on December 10 at the prestigious Melbourne Recital Centre alongside the Melbourne Baroque Orchestra. See www.australianboyschoir.com.au/whats-on/concerts for more information.

Alex, when did you join the ABCI?
I joined in 2005 when I was 8 years old, after the choir came to my primary school to hold auditions. This means that every boy currently in the institute was born after I started Probationers - including Kelly Gang members!

What are you most looking forward to about this year's end-of-year ABCI concert?
Honestly, I’m really looking forward to just being involved in an ABCI Christmas concert again. These concerts have been such a consistent and enjoyable part of my life, and it’s going to be interesting to experience one from a different perspective. I’m also very excited for the Bach, and especially the last movement that we sing with the Squad and TVC - it’s an absolute rip-snorter.

What can the audience expect from this performance?
The audience can expect a real musical feast! From well-loved carols, to new versions of old carols, to little-known gems, to the spectacle of the Bach mass, there really is something for everyone.

What are the key things you learned when you joined the ABCI?
How to read music! But also much more than that - after being in the ABCI I was comfortable performing on stage, travelling away from my family, how to work within a group, how to be a leader among my peers. The choir really focused on making us well-rounded people as well as musicians, and I use so much of what I learnt here in all aspects of my life.

Why did you choose to sing with Fiore as a founding member of the ensemble?
I have always loved singing, and increasingly I have loved singing in one-to-a-part ensembles. When you sing on a line by yourself, you have the opportunity to use both solo singing and choral ensemble skills, and it gives you such musical freedom and a real sense of responsibility for the music. With Fiore, the four of us had all had similar experiences, and we’d sung together so much that it was just a no-brainer to start a quartet - it’s great fun to make high-quality music with friends!

What’s rewarding about performing choral music?
To perform choral music well you have to be incredibly connected to the other singers. You have to listen intently to each other, breathe together, and feel the music together. And when you invest that energy and it produces beautiful music that makes an audience feel things and react emotionally, it is an incredible experience.

Who are your favourite singers and why?
To name a few, Philippe Jaroussky, Monika Harris, Lizzy McAlpine, Rachel Price, Esperanza Spalding, Antwaun Stanley, Ella Fitzgerald, Becca Stevens. They span a range of genres, from classical to jazz via pop, folk, and soul, but they all have incredible conviction when they sing, and great vocal control - when they sing it is powerful, but in a way that sounds free and easy. I especially love the singers in that list who are great songwriters and storytellers as well: singing is communicating!

What have been your favourite concerts to perform in as a singer at the ABCI?
Many of my favourite concerts were on tours, and especially international tours. Singing with other singers you have just met, and sharing your own music with a new audience in an exciting place is always a thrill. Also, you have the rare chance to perform the same concert many times in a row, so by the end of the tour the choir is usually sounding pretty good! The Christmas concerts have also always had a special place in my heart - pounding out descants is the most exhilarating experience a young treble can have, and the yearly tradition really means a lot to me.

What do you do when you’re not singing?
I’m near the end of my PhD in physics, trying to work out what dark matter is! I also play bass in a band, and can often be found patting my cat while doing a crossword.

Finally, what advice would you give to boys in the Choir now – and those hoping to join?
Enjoy the music! It’s a wonderful experience, and the skills you develop will be ones you bring with you your whole life - not just musically, but in everything you do.