CONSORT SINGERS OWEN & TOM

Owen Trumble and Tom Hall are current members of The Vocal Consort, as well as both being alumni of the Australian Boys Choir. They are thrilled to be performing in this year’s mid-season gala as part of the ABCI’s 85th anniversary concert season in 2024. ‘Mystical Songs’ will be performed on August 3 & 4 in both Ballarat and Melbourne. Please see www.australianboyschoir.com.au/whats-on/concerts for more information.

Tom and Owen, what are you most looking forward to about this year's mid-season gala performance of 'Mystical Songs'?
Tom: I think 'Mystical Songs' will be one of those timeless ABCI concerts littered with Institute classics and works of choral mastery. Britten’s ‘Hymn to St Cecelia’ will always hold a special place in my heart. Having performed it as a boy and now as an adult, this piece is an absolute masterpiece. Britten’s unparalleled skill bring’s the lyrics of W.H Auden’s poem to life with a score that appears to almost dance on the page and when sung.

Owen: I’m also excited about performing the 'Hymn to St. Cecilia’ but also the other Britten piece on the program, ‘Rejoice in the Lamb.’ I look forward to delivering these works to a high standard with the rest of the group, having worked hard on the repertoire in the past weeks. I think it will also be particularly special to sing with Lachlan McDonald, an Old Boy and a tutor for me when I was in the Choir.

What can the audience expect from this performance?
Tom: The audience can expect to experience the full range of the emotional spectrum, being transported through time and told stories of historical and internal significance.

Owen: I agree. The concert will be performed with the usual outstanding choral sound of the choir and with the inclusion of strings and soloists like Lachie and the accompaniment of Calvin Bowman. The audience can expect a captivating performance.

What are the key things you learned when you joined the ABCI?
Owen: When I joined the ABCI, one of the key things I learned was the importance of independence and teamwork. My experiences on summer camps and tours to places like Central Australia and Europe taught me how to manage my own responsibility while working closely with the other boys. These trips were not just about performing, they were about learning to take care of ourselves, support each other and adapt to new environments. The skills I developed during my time in the choir have been invaluable, helping me grow as both a musician and an individual.

Tom: The ABCI is a life-changing institution. It’s impossible to move through the various training and performing groups in the institute without an appreciation and understanding of the values of teamwork, collaboration, excellence and hard work. The institute is built on these pillars and it’s amazing how often I rely on these attributes in my day to day life that, without my involvement in the ABCI, I would not appreciate.

What's rewarding about singing choral music?
Owen: I would say the collaboration and unity you achieve. There’s something incredibly special about working with others, singing with members of all ages from the Institute. For me, being able to work as a collective to perform music has built a sense of camaraderie and belonging within the Institute is pretty special.

Tom: There really is something so special about making music with other people. The connection and trust you develop with those you perform with, oftentimes without talking about it, is incomparable. Singing choral music reflects an historical fine art whilst also engaging with contemporary talents.

What have been your favourite concerts or pieces to perform?
Tom: That's hard to pick (such is the wide range of the repertoire the Institute performs). I have to say my love for choral music was confirmed when I first sang the Agnus Dei from Vaughan Williams’ ‘Mass in G minor’ and Georgio Allegri’s ‘Miserere’. But other notable pieces include William Byrd’s ‘Ave Verum Corpus’, Ola Glejio’s ‘Ubi Caritas’ and, of course, Britten’s ‘Hymn to St Cecilia’. One of my favourite concerts was actually not really a concert but the flash mob in Federation Square for our 75th anniversary.

Owen: Throughout my time at the ABCI, I have had the privilege to sing in many concerts in a range of wonderful places I would not have had otherwise. The two highlights however have to be singing in Bach’s church (St. Thomas Church, Leipzig) during our Europe 2018 tour and in complete contrast but equally exciting at the time, getting the opportunity to carol with the Hawks in the streets of Hawthorn.

What are The Vocal Consort like behind-the-scenes?
Tom: Consort is a great time. A group of well-trained people who love singing getting together once a week for a sing and a catch up. It’s a remarkable group, composed of institute veterans spanning generations. Each of us leads busy lives, but it means so much to all of us to come together once a week for a couple of hours. It’s a great detox, but it’s also a great opportunity to continue honing our skills and striving for excellence as a performing group within the ABCI.

Owen: Although The Vocal Consort may seem like a very serious group of gents, behind the scenes, we are simply just older versions of the kids in the Choir. We are likeminded in the way that we are music loving, enthusiastic and energetic. We are also known for our recent obsession of exploring experimental new types of Twisties during rehearsal breaks.

Who are your favourite singers and why?
Tom: In TVC I’m very fortunate to sing in the first tenors alongside the magnificent Jack Jordan, a name that will no doubt become well known in years to come given his enormous talent and charisma as a performer. Beyond the ABCI I’m personally a massive Vance Joy fan.

Owen: Without a doubt my favourite singers would have to be my fellow members of The Vocal Consort. Having the privilege of working with such talented singers is one of the reasons why I enjoy the group so much.

Finally, what advice would you give to boys in the Choir now – and those hoping to join?
Owen: My advice would be to enjoy the bits in between the music. The music of the Choir is a major component, but it is the pick-ups, drop-offs and the break times when parents and the boys are together that reflect the strong community within the Choir. I strongly urge the boys of the Institute and the parents as well to appreciate this community. That is the reason that so many have stayed with the ABCI for such a long time.

Tom: As part of the ABCI you receive so much more than a world class musical education. You are learning so much more than how to sing and read music. You are learning discipline, learning how to socialise, developing some independence, developing a work ethic, mastering the art of collaboration and so much more. In many ways, the ABCI prepares you for life as well as for musical performance. To those already in the institute I would encourage you to embrace the challenges and to continue striving for excellence. To those hoping or considering joining the ABCI I would say that the institute is a worthy investment in your son, and that the institute will instill in your son a sense of community and a drive for hard work and excellence whilst also providing them with a world class musical education from world class educators throughout each training or performing level in the ABCI.