Pat McCaffrey. This name might not mean a lot to new choir families. However, the Choir would not be what it is today if it weren’t for his tremendous contribution. The PR McCaffrey Award is awarded annually to a boy who has shown exceptional promise while in training. His legacy endures.
In October 1998, the Academy Award Nominated film Elizabeth was released much to the excitement of the Australian Boys Choir boys. Only four months earlier a small group of the boys had been asked to learn and record some music for the soundtrack.
An enduring mystery gaining legendary status in the choir’s history is the operetta Kattaya – The Cunning One, written for the Australian Boys Choir by Australian composer, Eric Austin Phillips. Based on a Sri Lankan folk tale, the production and performance forged strong memories in the minds of all involved.
How times and technology have changed. Current choir members may not know what a “record” is, nor recognise the terms “vinyl” or “LP”. Even their parents may not have heard the terms “shellac” or “78”.
Looking through the list of the ten most performed songs, today’s audiences may not recognise many. The choir’s repertoire has changed significantly over the years. The following list was catalogued during the Choir' 75th anniversary year.
You’d expect the Australian Boys Choir to sing a lot of Australian music, wouldn’t you? But that was not how it was in the beginning. At last we can confidently call ourselves the Australian Boys Choir.
From the very first concert, dramatic works have played an important role in the repertoire of the Australian Boys Choir. Although this has sometimes meant the boys dressed up as girls in order to fill all the roles, the chance to act as well as sing has always been popular.
A list of the 10 interesting (non-musical) things that choir members have learned from their time with the ABCI.
Typically, communities have a hierarchy of membership in which seniority and experience are recognised. The ABC has a very clear training system where boys progress, at their own pace, through the seven different ‘ranks’ – Probationer, Tyro, Junior Singer, Senior Singer, Chorister and, when their voice changes, the Kelly Gang and The Vocal Consort.