In the back rooms of the Murray Park College of Advanced Education and as part of their Community Outreach programme, a small group of eight Choristers under the direction of Cathy Weber, sang their first notes together as the “Murray Park Singers”. The year was 1978, and the month was May.

 

The College funded the Director of Music, Accompanist, the music, and provided the venue for rehearsals as part of their Community Outreach programme. The Dean of the College was the Patron of the Choir, which performed annually at the College AGM.

 

Over the years, the choir flourished to reach almost 70 choristers in the early 1990’s.

 

Some highlights (or fond memories) of the Murray Park Singers have included:

 

1984 participating in the Adelaide Festival Chorus, performing Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, under the baton of Vladimir Ashkenazy.

 

1986 they were chosen to sing before Pope John Paul in the Adelaide Festival Theatre.

 

1988 they travelled by bus to Bankstown, Sydney to perform with the Bankstown choir.

 

1990 after months of planning and saving, they completed a two-week concert tour of New Zealand.

 

In 1992 a transition of the “Murray Park College of Advanced Education” to the “Magill Campus of the University of South Australia” resulted in a change of circumstances for the choir.

 

As a result of a withdrawal of financial support, the affiliation between the University of South Australia and the Murray Park singers ceased. Thus it was necessary for the Murray Park Singers to become an independent incorporated body, and financially independent with its own Board of Management.

 

St George's Anglican Church Hall was chosen as the new venue for rehearsals, and the new home of “Cantabile Singers”.

 

Some highlights of Cantabile Singers:

 

1996 the Choir performed in Red Square, on the parade ground as part of the Festival of Arts. About 50 choristers sang Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus while hanging out of Morris Minor cars, as they drove into the square, leaping out to stand beside the cars to complete the final chorus, headlights and indicators flashing!

 

During a rehearsal, Dame Roma Mitchell, who was Governor of S.A. at the time, wandered down from Government House to see what was going on and to chat with the singers.  She apparently commented, “I just live next door”.

 

1996 was also the year that Cathy Weber decided to step down as Music Director, after nearly twenty years. She left behind a wonderful legacy.

 

...more of the story to come.