Aims

Encourage the art and practice of singing with special emphasis on choral singing. To organise, manage, or sponsor entertainment of an educational or cultural character.

Membership

Approximately 90 members. There is an audition process to join the choir.

Rehearsals

Tuesday evenings from 7.15-9.45pm at the Cynthia Poulton Hall, St Peters Cathedral, 27 King William Road, North Adelaide. Additional rehearsals may be required prior to performances

Director of Music

Aldis Sils

Accompanist

Alexander Hanysz | website

Biography

The Adelaide Chorus was formed in 1980 and is one of Adelaide's largest choirs. It changed its name to Adelaide Philharmonia Chorus in 1997. The choir formed after two prominent Adelaide choirs, the Adelaide Choral Society and the Adelaide Philharmonic Choir disbanded in 1979.

The choir is committed to performing large scale choral works, singing a wide range of music from classical to contemporary works. Adelaide Philharmonia Chorus promotes local talent by supporting new and established artists, who perform as accompanists or soloists in their concerts.

With over 80 members, it performs several music events of its own each year, and receives contract employment with other performing organisations and festivals. It has collaborated with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, the Adelaide Art Orchestra, the Band of the South Australian Police, the SA Army Band, the State Opera of South Australia, and the Australian Youth Orchestra.

Highlights have included Orff's Carmina Burana and Faure Requiem with the Australian Ballet, the world premiere of Ross Edwards' Symphony No.4 "Star Chant" (released on CD by ABC Classics, and winning an award in 2007), the Messiah with Handel specialist Graham Abbott, and multiple performances with legendary Australian actor and singer Keith Michell.

The Chorus also featured in the first three award winning Music on the Murray events at Waikerie.

Previous Musical Directors of the Chorus have been Jonathon Draper, Elizabeth Silsbury, Graham Abbott, Russell Larkin, Timothy Sexton and Timothy Marks.

The current Musical Director is Aldis Sils, whose performances with the Chorus include the Rutter Requiem, Stainer's Crucifixion, Haydn's Nelson Mass, Orff's Carmina Burana and Rossini's Petite Messe Solennelle. Aldis was the chorus master for the bass section for the recent sell out performance of Mahler's Symphony Number 8 in the Entertainment Centre, with Adelaide Philharmonia Chorus forming part of the 400 voice choir.