The University of Newcastle Chamber Choir
The University of Newcastle Chamber Choir a award=winning Australian choir based at the University of Newcastle, Australia. The Musical Director is Dr. Philip Matthias.
About the choir
The University of Newcastle Chamber Choir has been in its current format since its inception in 1995, consisting of students and other members of the community, all of whom have a love of singing and who enjoy performing challenging and varied repertoire. Over the past few years the Choir has had many successes, including major wins in national competitions, performances in many of the world’s great venues and the release of four compact disc recordings.
Director of Music
Born in Sydney, Philip was Organ Scholar at Sydney University and Assistant Organist at St James' Church. He completed his Bachelor of Music (Honours) Degree in 1975 and in 1975 and 1976 was highly commended in the ABC Instrumental and Vocal Competition State finals playing Copland's Organ Symphony and Dupré's Organ Concerto.
Philip Matthias is Director of Church Music studies at the Conservatorium, and Organist and Director of Music at Christ Church Cathedral, Newcastle. He is active as a composer, choral director, organist and adjudicator, working professionally on an international basis. He is a Vice President of the Guild of Church Musicians (UK) and an Area Representative for RSCM Australia.
Organ recitals he has given include Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's Cathedral, London and King's College, Cambridge. Recitals in Australia have included Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane Anglican Cathedrals, Sydney University and Sydney Town Hall. He has broadcast live for ABC Radio and performed with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.
He has directed the University Chamber Choir in two tours of the UK, including performances in Canterbury Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's Cathedral, London, and eight live broadcasts for BBC Radio. Under his direction the Chamber Choir also performed in Notre-Dame Cathedral, Paris. The Choir has recorded two compact disc recordings, with a third one due for release in 2002.
Philip Matthias is interested in the development and promotion of Australian church music. In this regard students are encouraged in the area of composition and performance of Australian works. Church music students are also given the opportunity for the performance of much music from the sacred repertoire, both as part of church services and in other performance situations.
From 1977 to 1979 he undertook a two year post-graduate course at the Royal College of Music (London) studying organ with Nicholas Danby and conducting with John Forster. He was choir tutor to the London Boy's Singers and won the John Brook Memorial Prize for the Royal College of Organist's choir-training Diploma (CHM), also gaining the Fellowship Diploma from that College. On completion of his course he became Director of Music at Ewell Parish Church, Surrey, Conductor of Ewell Choral Society, and teacher at Fitznell's School of Music. He gave many recitals in England including King's College, Cambridge and St. Paul's Cathedral, London.
He was appointed Organist and Master of the Choristers at Newcastle Cathedral in 1983. In addition to overseeing the Cathedral Music programme, he has instigated developments that have included the formation of the St. Nicholas Choir and Choral Scholars, and the founding of the Friends of Newcastle Cathedral Music. In addition the Cathedral music program now includes a regular series of orchestral masses, French Masses (Vierne, Widor, Duruflé, Langlais and Fauré) and The Glory of Music concert series.
In 1988 he inaugurated the Newcastle Cathedral Festival, a four day event held annually in September which has seen performances of works such as Purcell's Dido and Aeneas, Tallis' Spem in alium, Bruckner's Mas in E minor, Bernstein's Chichester Psalms and David Fanshawe's African Sanctus. The Festival incorporates a Schools' Choir Festival, regularly attracting over 300 primary-aged children, a Choral & Orchestral concert, Music on the Move, the Great Hymn Festival, a choral concert with the Cathedral Choir and guests artists.
Philip Matthias is on the staff of The University of Newcastle as Director of the Church Music Division at the Conservatorium. In 1995 and 1996 he travelled to England and America to study Church Music departments at various institutions. In 1996 he set up a Church Music Division at the University, and established links with the Guild of Church Musicians (UK). The Faculty and Conservatorium now offer the Guild's Archbishops' Certificate and Fellowship Diploma in Church Music, along with the B. Mus degree and postgraduate degrees in church music.
Philip Matthias is an Area Representative for RSCM Australia and a Patron of the Hunter District Organ Music Society. In 1995 he was awarded an honorary Fellowship of the Guild of Church Musicians, and in 1996 was appointed a Correspondent for the Royal College of Organists (UK) and a Representative of the Friends of Cathedral Music (UK).
In February 1999 he spent a month in the UK, giving recitals of Australian organ music at venues which included Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's Cathedral, London, Chester Cathedral, and St. Asaph Cathedral, Wales. In April 2000 he took the University of Newcastle Chamber Choir to the UK, conducting 24 performances, including St. Paul's Cathedral, London, Canterbury Cathedral, St. Alban's Cathedral, Winchester Cathedral and the Anglican and Metropolitan Cathedrals in Liverpool.
In 2002 The University of Newcastle Chamber Choir returned to the UK, performing in Westminster Abbey and St. Paul's Cathedral, London, and undertaking numerous recordings and live broadcasts for BBC Radio. They also toured to France, performing in Notre-Dame Cathedral, Paris.
Philip Matthias has adjudicated many organ compettions, including the Sydney Organ Competition on three occasions. He has composed anthems and mass settings, and has been published in the new Australian hymn book, Together in Song. In January 2001 he was Director of the national RSCM Australia Summer School held in Canberra, and Director of the annual RSCM School held in Hamilton, New Zealand.
He has recorded "Festive Organ Music" and "Songs from Christ Church Cathedral" (with Jennifer Barnes, Soprano), and released Cathedral Festival Highlights compact disc recordings from the 1992, 1993 and 1994 Festivals. Current projects for Philip Matthias include recordings for the Artworks label (a Trumpet and Organ CD of 20th century music with Daniel Mendelow, Principal Trumpet, SSO), and a CD of Australian organ music. The Cathedral Choir and Chamber Choir are also currently undertaking recordings.
The Church Music Division at the University of Newcastle is in the process of forming links with several national and international theological institutions whereby courses may be offered on a wide and ecumenical basis. Philip Matthias is undertaking PhD studies at the University of Newcastle.
He has recently been appointed as a Vice President of the Guild of Church Musicians (UK)
Membership
The choir currently has 37 members consisting of students of the University of Newcastle and members of the wider public.
Recordings
The choir has released a number of recordings including those made on various overseas tours.
Battle of the Choirs
In 2008, the University of Newcastle Chamber Choir succedded in getting a place in the heats of Channel Seven/Granada Production's Battle of the Choirs.