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The following is an excerpt from The Chronicle, Saturday July 20 2002. Page 12
The Maryborough Choral Society was formed when two singing groups amalgamated.
With Maryborough set to host the Queensland Eisteddfod in 1952 - the two existing choirs, the male choir and the ladies choir - decided to amalgamate to form one choral group to enter the competition.
Hence the birth of the Maryborough Choral Society. More than 70 singers made up the choral group in its hey day.
Mr Horace J. (Horrie) Davies MLA took up the baton and remained conductor of the singers until his death in 1970.
Foundation member Jean Kenrick took over as conductor.
Another foundation member Gwenda Fox said that Horrie Davies was a master with the baton.
Mrs Fox said that Horrie tackled things that were not usually done outside Brisbane.
“He had impeccable music taste and a strict manner in establishing rhythms and brisk tempos,” she said.
Over the years the Maryborough Choral Society performed an annual musical production at various functions.
Some of their list of credits include The Messiah, The Pirates of Penzance, The Gondoliers, The Mikado, Show Boat, Naughty Marietta, HMS Pinafore, My Fair Lady, Yeomen of the Guards and the Gypsie Baron to name a few as well as cantatas performed in the district’s churches. They also backed special guest Toni Lamond, at the gala opening of the Brolga theatre.
New members are always welcome. Mrs Fox said it was not necessary to be able to read music to join the choral society as long as you could “carry a tune”.
The singers meet for practice each Friday night at 7.30 pm in the Canegrowers hall (next to the Salvation Army Church) in Bazaar Street, Maryborough.
Since 1960 only seven members have been awarded life membership:
- 1960 - Sid Harris
- 1963 - Tom Mathieson and Jean Kenrick
- 1973 - Madge Fulop and May Gott
- 1985 - Eno Stasinowski
- 1991 - Gwenda Fox
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