A QUEST TO INSPIRE

Zac Hamilton-Russell is the ABCI’s newest tutor. Starting with the Choir in early 2020, year of the pandemic, Zac’s first ABCI experience was online. Now he is out from behind a screen and focused on his favourite aspect of tutoring: helping boys become more comfortable with, and confident in their voices. “When you give someone an exercise to work on, or even just a tip, and they come back having made big improvements, it is very satisfying to have been a part of that development,” he says.

His own choral experience stretches back to a starting point familiar to many ABCI boys and their families. Zac recollects “I began singing when I did an early childhood music program, similar to Probationers, back home in Newcastle, and from there I started singing in school choirs and taking piano lessons.”

Zac subsequently studied piano at the University of Melbourne Conservatorium and continued his choral journey as a chorister with the Choir of Trinity College. This led to some of his favourite choral experiences, including singing at London’s St Paul’s Cathedral and St George’s Chapel, and performing The Dream of Gerontius with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.

In his journey as a tutor, Zac most enjoys observing boys’ progression from Probationers to Senior Singers. He believes there is no secret or short-cut to achieving this outcome – they need to work hard and follow the program. “You might be struggling with something like echo clapping or identifying metre, and not being able to pass a skill can be disheartening. However, the only thing that will help you keep moving forward is to work hard. Don’t give up!”

Zac highlights the warmth, welcome, and encouragement he has found in the ABCI community, with knowledgeable and supportive staff striving to achieve the best outcomes for the boys. “Parents are also enormously helpful in keeping the boys motivated during the week and assisting where needed around Choir house,” he notes, adding that the boys are a delight. “It’s such great fun getting to know all the different characters we have at the Institute – the curiosity they have about music is everything a teacher could want and their efforts in tutorials impress me.”

When it comes to musical training, Zac says the ABCI’s program is exceptional. “It provides an excellent music education for the boys,” he says, adding that their musical maturity astounded him. “Part of this is due to well-designed training programs that teach them skills that are valuable throughout their musical life. I also think it is a great environment for those who have a common passion for choral music to bond and to become a part of something great.”

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