History of the St Mary’s Singers

The St Mary’s Singers was formed in 1991 by David Russell, Director of Music at St Mary’s Cathedral.
During his time as Director of Music, Mr Russell had been keen to broaden the scope of the cathedral music and this was being discussed at the end of 1990 and the beginning of 1991 – about the time the St Mary’s Cathedral Choir undertook a big European tour accompanied by many parents. A few months later an advertisement appeared in the Cathedral Sunday bulletin calling for interested men and women to form a new choir to be directed by Mr Bernard Kirkpatrick, the then Assistant Cathedral Organist.

A new choir was formed with a number of the St Mary’s Cathedral Choir parents joining as original members. The new choir was named the St Mary’s Singers.

When the first St Mary’s Singers Committee was formed, Avril Badder was voted President and held the office until the 2017 AGM when she decided to step down. It was mainly due to Avril’s hard work and dedication that the choir continued to grow and evolve.

Under Bernard’s direction, the choir regularly sang Vespers on Feast days and Mass on the third Sunday of each month.

To help establish the choir, a number of fundraising events were organised by its members. This included raising funds by catering for events – (as Cathedral choir parents were well used to the ‘bringing a plate’ routine), and singing at weddings, often with Peter Kneeshaw playing the organ. The choir’s first venture was at choir member Ray Palmer’s wedding. The wedding gigs were mostly at the cathedral, though the choir also travelled to many parts of the city including the Cardinal Cerretti Chapel in Manly, Riverview, North Sydney and Rose Bay.

In 1993 the Singers joined the Cathedral Choir, the Sydney Conservatorium Choir and Chorale, and the Jubilee Orchestra as part of a big Jubilee choir marking the St Mary’s Cathedral choir’s 175th anniversary. The concert included one of the first masses sung by the Cathedral Choir- John Albert Delany’s Mass in A flat and Ave Maria and Charles Gounod’s Troisieme Messe Solennelle (de Paques). Two CD’s were made of this concert.

In 1998, following Bernard Kirkpatrick’s resignation, Michael Hissey, a well-known musician who had sung at many big occassions with the Saint Mary’s Cathedral Choir, had expressed an interest in becoming the Singer’s Director of Music. Following discussion with David Russell, Michael became the Singers’ second director. He began on Monday, May 4 1995; at this time the choir consisted mostly of women. Michael planned to increase the choir members and have a full SATB choir by Christmas of that year. The choir also started its own music Library, as until then it was a case of raiding the Cathedral Choir’s music.

The choir continued to sing the 9am Mass on the third Sunday of every month and also the 10:30am Solemn Mass when the Cathedral Choir was on holiday. It also joined the Cathedral Choir for the annual Festival of Christmas Carols.

During 1999 weddings were still a fundraising opportunity though there were occassional outside performances including Handel’s Messiah at Newington College.
Michael Hissey resigned from the choir on September 1, 2002 and Elizabeth Swain was engaged to take over which she did until 2003. During a brief period while Elizabeth was overseas Margareth McLachlan conducted the choir.

Michael Hissey then returned to direct the Singers in 2003 and was at the helm until the end of 2010.

At the 2017 AGM, Chrissie Goldrick was voted President up until the 2022 AGM.

Today, the St Mary’s Singers provide Liturgical Music on the Second Saturday of each month for the 5:30pm Vespers followed by the 6pm Vigil Mass. The Singers would also sing on special occasions such as Christmas and Easter, performing concerts and ‘Come and Sing’ events throughout the year.

Currently the President is Peter Gluyas who was voted in at the 2022 AGM.