The Metropolitan Choral Honours Program brings together over one hundred students from across the region to participate in this advanced choral program.
Accepted students will be placed into 1 of 2 choirs and will also come together to sing in a massed choir. The first 2 days, students will have intensive choral workshops with guest conductors. On the final day, students rehearse at The Old Museum before they present an evening performance in the Old Museum Concert Hall.
We encourage school communities across Metropolitan region to nominate their advanced Year 6 choral students for this very special regional activity. Parents and caregivers wishing their children to become involved in this activity will need to contact their school music teacher or choir director.
2021 program
| Caters for | Students in
Years 6
|
| Event type | Regional Honours Program |
| Entry | Via online nomination by the school classroom music teacher or choral director according to specific criteria. Selection of students is completed by the guest conductors for the choirs. |
| Cost | $110 per student |
| Nominations open | Term 2 (nominations are completed by the school, after requesting permission from parents/caregivers) |
| Nominations close | 23 August 2021
|
| First round offers | 30 August 2021 (second round offers follow if applicable) |
| Event dates | Tuesday 26 October to Thursday 28 October 2021
|
Venue
|
The Old Museum, Gregory Terrace, BOWEN HILLS QLD 4006 (25 March 2020) |
| Further information | Contact the Head of Curriculum for Enrichment at the Music Resource Centre by email
mrc@qed.qld.gov.au or phone (07)3354 0234
|
Guest conductors
In 2021 we welcome back Clare Finlayson and are excited to welcome Paul Holley as our guest conductors.
Clare Finlayson
Clare Finlayson is a music director, conductor, teacher and vocalist. Her joyful energy and passion in rehearsal creates an inclusive, collaborative environment that supports her chorister's education and wellbeing. Clare holds a double Bachelors degree in Music and Education and is currently the Coordinator of Choirs at Brisbane Girls Grammar School, President of the ANCA Qld/NT Chapter and Assistant Conductor of Resonance of Birralee.
Clare has 15 years experience working with choirs as both a conductor and chorister. During this time she has worked with singers of all ages in school and community settings as a director, guest conductor, workshop facilitator and adjudicator. Clare has also been fortunate enough to have toured to France and Belgium as a part of the ANZAC Centenary Commemorative Services with the Department of Veteran Affairs, Austria, New Zealand, America, Canada and South Korea.
Performance highlights include the Australian production of "He's Not the Messiah (He's a Very Naught Boy)" with Eric Idle, "You're the Voice" Massed Choral Concert as a part of the Queensland Music Festival featuring John Farnham, the world premier of "Encounters of the Third Kind in Concert" as a part of the World Science Festival and ANZAC services in Fromelles, Poziere, Allonsville and Polygonwood.
Paul Holley OAM (Choir)
Presently Paul is the Artistic Director of Voices of Birralee and conducts 2 of the signature ensembles, The Birralee Blokes and Resonance of Birralee and directs the training choir Birralee Singers. In 2006, the Birralee Blokes won the ABC Classic FM Choir of the Year competition before performing to acclaim at the 3rd International Male Voice Festival in Cornwall in 2007. In 2012 they were awarded Choir of the World at Kathaumixw in Canada. Resonance of Birralee, a youth choir for young adults has toured nationally and internationally and were gold medallists at the World Choir Games in Graz, Austria. Resonance has since gone on to make several recordings and performed with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra.
Since 2007 Paul has been a co-conductor of Gondwana Chorale, the national youth choir that has toured the UK, US and the Baltics.