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Choir History
A brief historyof Choir Cecilia.
The Choir was formed in 1987/88 as a community choir and held early rehearsals in the Waldorf School Mt Barker, under the baton of Lyndon Piddington and subsequently Tom Lambert and then Peter Webb OAM in 1997. Rehearsals have been held at various sites including, Mt Barker Primary School, Cornerstone College, Mt Barker Anglican Church Hall, subsequently in the Anglican Church Hall in Blakiston, and currently in the Mt Barker Anglican Church Hall.
We perform a variety of popular musical works from Classical, Popular and some African sources. Performances have been held in locations including Strathalbyn, Mt Barker and surrounds, and in a number of venues in Adelaide. Current performance locations are at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church Mt Barker and Newland Memorial Uniting Church Victor Harbor.
The Choir is a not for profit organisation, has a mixed membership of between 35 and 45 from the Hills and near Adelaide areas who love music and singing, and are committed to perform 2 or 3 concerts annually.
We pride ourselves in our professional delivery while enjoying the harmony of music and people. Our musical director Peter Webb has written and arranged a number of the items we perform.
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Youth Encouragement
Choir Cecilia – Youth Encouragement Award.
Choir Cecilia is a community choir based in Mount Barker in the Adelaide Hills. Singers come from all over the Adelaide Hills and beyond and are bound together by their love of music and singing. Choir Cecilia sings a varied repertoire leaning towards traditional and classical works but also perform contemporary, folk, and spiritual music from many cultures and centuries.
The Musical Director is Jeremy Tatchell, and the Accompanist is Ruth Murcutt.
In the true spirit of “community”, the Choir Cecilia Youth Encouragement Award was instigated in 2013, to help fulfil one of the objectives of the Constitution: “to foster young talent”.
The award is presented annually to a young Adelaide Hills person who demonstrates outstanding musical talent, in the hope that it will encourage them to pursue their love of music and to continue to develop their musical talent. The award consists of a certificate, a sum of money determined annually, and the recipient’s name engraved on the Youth Encouragement Award Plaque which is located in the Mount Barker Community Library.
The criteria for selection will be that the applicant is a secondary school student who resides in the areas of either the Mount Barker District Council or the Adelaide Hills District Council, and that they play an orchestral instrument.
Download Application Form here:

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Patrons
Choir Cecilia is privileged to have the patronage of two of Australia’s highly esteemed singers.
Elizabeth Campbell appeared regularly as a guest with Opera Australia at the Sydney Opera House, and with all the state opera companies and symphony orchestras. Her opera roles include Azucena (Il Trovatore), Sesto (Julius Caesar) Carmen, Xerxes, Clairon (Capriccio), Frika/Waltraute (Wagner’s Ring Cycle), and Suzuki (Madama Butterfly) for which she won two Green Room Awards. For her performances in the State Opera’s productions of Dead Man Walking and Aida she won Helpmann Awards for the best supporting female performer. In 2004 she repeated her roles in Wagner’s Ring Cycle for the SA State Opera company.
Thomas Edmonds AM established himself as one of Australia’s leading lyric tenors. His early training was with Arnold Matters at the Elder Conservatorium in SA. In 1970 he continued his studies in London. He then divided his time between Europe and Australia moving to and fro many times. He performed some fifty operatic roles, as well as being a leading concert and recording artist. In the 1982 Australia Day Honours he was awarded the Order of Australia medal for his contribution to music in the country. His services were further acknowledged in the 1987 Queen’s Birthday Honours when he was made a member of the Order of Australia. In 1991 he was honoured by his own state of South Australia with an SA Great award.
Thomas recently celebrated his 90th birthday by publishing his autobiography, Ev’ry Valley: a tenor’s journey.
Elizabeth and Thomas are both featured in the Adelaide Festival Centre’s “Walk of Fame”.
They enjoy their married life together in Mount Barker, SA, with some teaching commitments as well as having time to enjoy reading, cooking, gardening, entertaining, and of course supporting Choir Cecilia and attending their concerts.

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Musical Director
Jeremy Tatchell.
Our recently appointed Musical Director is Jeremy Tatchell, a New Zealand-born baritone who first began singing in choirs at the age of 9. In 1995 he joined the National Youth Choir of Australia for their inaugural season and subsequently performed and toured as a member until 2001.
Jeremy studied both viola, voice and choral & orchestral conducting at the ANU School of Music before joining Co-Opera in 2003, touring in major roles throughout Australia, Asia and Europe.
Since moving to Adelaide in 2011 he has sung numerous roles for State Opera South Australia and is much sought after as a concert, recital and National Anthem performing artist in Adelaide and throughout Australia.
Jeremy recently performed the role of Minskman in State Opera SA’s critically acclaimed production of Jonathan Dove’s “Flight”, and he will perform the role of Gregorio in Gounod’s "Romeo & Juliet" with the company later this year.
Jeremy teaches voice at a number of schools around Adelaide and hopes to further encourage the love of singing to all generations.
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