KELLY GANG SINGERS LIAM & HARVEY

Liam and Harvey are members of the Kelly Gang, the Australian Boys Choral Institute outstanding ensemble of teenaged voices. They are thrilled to be performing in the next program of the ABCI’s 85th anniversary concert season in 2024. ‘To Chase the Stars’ will be performed in September and October in Melbourne, Regional Victoria and on tour throughout the North Island of New Zealand. Please see www.australianboyschoir.com.au/whats-on/concerts for more information.

Liam and Harvey, when did you join the ABCI?
Liam: I auditioned in 2015. My older brother (already a member of the Choir) was an inspiration to me. I then started 2016 at the age of six.

Harvey: I also joined the Institute around the same time in 2015, when I was in Year 1.

What do you enjoy most about coming to Choir?
Harvey: What I enjoy most about choir is the opportunity to rehearse and perform with the same group of people I’ve grown up with.

Liam: I enjoy coming to Choir to grow my musical skills with like-minded people. The music we do is very engaging. Everyone wants to be there, versus participating in a compulsory school sporting activity. This means that everyone puts in lots of effort to support and help each other grow.

How is choir different from school?
Liam: Choir is very different to school. I believe this is because we are all there united in the love of music. We all develop a passion for music. This helps connect us in what we do. The values that the choir upholds and practices have been carefully thought out. This helps everyone have an enjoyable experience.

Harvey: At choir, we're also taught very different skills compared to school, including a huge range of performance, aural, and social skills. Choir is also different because members are promoted based on ability and competence of skills, not on age.

What are you most looking forward to about the Choir’s upcoming tour to New Zealand?
Harvey: I am most looking forward to travelling to a new country and being on tour at all, because the last tour I was on was 5 years ago. I’m also excited for all the performances we’re doing.

Liam: I think travelling overseas is always an interesting learning opportunity to experience different cultures and the way things are done in different countries. It is an absolute privilege to be selected for the tour and I can't wait to sing lots of music with the Squad as well.

What's rewarding about singing in a choir?
Liam: All of the boys in the choir strive for excellence and take great pride in a high level of attention to detail when it comes to the quality of the music we sing. Not many people aged as young as 7-8 can pick up a piece of music and sing it by just looking at it the first time. Let alone at age 11-13 pick up a piece of Bach and get through that fairly reasonably. We work very hard at the ABCI and I guess seeing the final product is very rewarding for me.

Harvey: I think singing in choirs is rewarding because you could also meet possibly lifelong friends, there are opportunities to mentor (or be mentored) and collaborate with other singers and musicians. Putting the combined preparation together and performing in a concert, especially in a large group, is also very rewarding.

What have been some favourite pieces you have performed with the ABCI?
Harvey: Some of my favourite pieces with the ABCI have included the Six Voice Requiem by Victoria which we performed in 2021, and Mozart’s ‘Sparrow Mass,’ and Haydn’s ‘Little Organ Mass' we sang with the Australian Romantic & Classical Orchestra in 2022.

Liam: I also enjoyed singing the Victoria Requiem when first joining the Squad, and 'Past Life Melodies' by Sarah Hopkins is a particular favourite too. This piece includes a vocal technique called harmonic overtone singing. I was fascinated by how I could make my voice sing multiple notes at once. I got to do the harmonic overtone solo at The Edge theatre in Fed Square last year, and am now looking forward to singing it again on tour.

Can you tell us a bit about your hobbies and activities outside singing?
Liam: Outside of singing I love to do a range of sports such as tennis, AFL, ping pong and swimming. I am also a big fan of the piano and organ. Apart from that I enjoy collecting and listening to old vinyl records.

Harvey: I’ve been playing the piano for as long as I’ve been in the Choir, and I’m very passionate about listening to, playing in and composing in different music genres.

What do you hope to do with your singing after you move on from the Performing Squad?
Harvey: I plan to become a recording artist after school, alongside a few other music jobs/hobbies, like making song covers and busking.

Liam: After I move on from the Kelly Gang I hope to continue as a member of The Vocal Consort. I am currently a Cantor at one of the local churches near home. I hope to continue that also.

What is the most important thing you’ve learnt in the ABCI about being a singer?
Liam: One of the most important things I have learned as a singer has been how to sight read music. I use this skill in singing outside of Choir as well as when I am playing piano. Also, to bring the music alive, not just standing there and staring from their music to the conductor. It is vital to be actively engaged in the music. Telling a story while singing - not just singing the words. I find telling the story with my facial expressions works best.

Harvey: Aside from technique and posture and all of the technical stuff that I’ll probably use for the rest of my life, I’d say the most important thing is that it requires time, dedication, and confidence, and I feel like, through the choir, I’ve truly experienced the joy of singing.

Lastly, what advice do you have for boys hoping to make it to the rank of Chorister?
Harvey: Of course, if you want to and can become a Chorister, by all means, go for it, but make that decision yourself - do it for you. Also, don’t rush it, and still enjoy the time you have before becoming a Chorister.

Liam: For boys aiming for this rank my best piece of advice is to never give up. It can be hard sometimes at such a young age to put so much commitment into one thing. But hard work pays off when it comes to the ABCI. Always do your best to be as kind and helpful to other boys. This is very important because nothing you do in this choir goes unnoticed. Integrity is one of the key things needed to become a Chorister. Boys looking to fulfil that role should always make sure they demonstrate that too, by being honest and reliable.