Choir History

It was my privilege to be organist and choirmaster at St Oswald’s from July 1996 to Christmas 2002. I was welcomed into the parish community with open and loving hearts and I have many happy memories of my time with you. The choir were a particular joy, we made beautiful music together and worked diligently, but there were also many hilarious moments when we collapsed in fits of laughter during rehearsals. There was fellowship and generous hospitality as we shared dinners, BBQ’s, and social evenings with good food, wine, and impromptu singalongs!

Together we journeyed through the liturgical year singing a variety of music: Victoria’s Passion and Reproaches, Stainer’s God So Loved the World, Purcell’s Rejoice in the Lord, Rutter’s For the Beauty of the Earth, Fauré’s Cantique de Jean Racine, as well as masses by various contemporary composers. Mozart’s Ave verum accompanied by our own string quartet was especially prayerful. Who could forget our most ambitious (almost perfect) performance of Allegri’s Miserere?

Each year the service of Nine Lessons and Carols increased in popularity as the choir letter box dropped the surrounding streets and parishioners invited their family and friends. Along with familiar arrangements by Willcocks of Once in Royal David’s City, Hark! The herald Angels Sing, O Come, O Come Emmanuel and O Come all ye Faithful, choral highlights included Taverner’s Today the Virgin, Gardner’s Tomorrow Shall be My Dancing Day, Palestrina’s sublime Alma redemptoris mater, and the Australian carols Orana to Christmas Day and Carol of the Birds.

Dion Henman, Cathedral Organist,

St Patrick’s Cathedral, Melbourne