The Choir of St James'

 

The Choir of St James’, King Street, Sydney is one of the oldest musical establishments in Australia, and is linked to the earliest days of the colony of New South Wales. Indeed, some of its early members were convicts. For much of its almost two hundred years of ministry the Choir has been regarded as one of Australia’s foremost Anglican choirs.

This has continued to the present day where the Choir consists of around a dozen professional adult singers, and who are an eclectic mix of instrumentalists, vocal soloists, teachers, jazz musicians, composers, artistic administrators, musical theatre performers and lawyers. The Choir itself maintains a regular schedule of weekly choral services including Wednesday evensong and Sunday Choral Eucharist, as well as special services (weddings, funerals, state funerals and memorials) and recordings, broadcasts and interstate and overseas tours. It has become known and highly regarded for its artistically outstanding performances, from small choral pieces to large-scale choral and orchestral works and new Australian works. The Choir presents an annual series of three Orchestral Masses in January, a Concert Series of six concerts throughout the year, and a Bach Cantata series with BachBand@St James’, where, four times a year, a Cantata by J.S. Bach is performed in a liturgical setting, modelled on the Lutheran Service of Vespers.

The Choir enjoys regular collaborations with international groups such as The Tallis Scholars, The King’s Singers, The Gabrieli Consort, and works with Opera Australia, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Australian Baroque Brass, The Australian Haydn Ensemble, and soloists Yvonne Kenny, Greta Bradman and Teddy Tahu Rhodes. The Choir of St James’ made its debut at City Recital Hall in April 2017, performing J.S. Bach’s St John Passion, returning in 2018 to perform Handel’s Messiah with BachBand@St James’. In both 2017 and 2018, it travelled to Gallipoli to sing at the ANZAC Day Dawn Service, and in 2018 performed to critical acclaim at the Coriole Music Festival in Adelaide, and in Hobart at Festival of Voices.

Warren Trevelyan-Jones | Head of Music

 

Warren Trevelyan-Jones was appointed Head of Music at St James’ Church, King Street, Sydney in 2008, and is regarded as one of the leading choral conductors and choir trainers in Australia. He began his singing career as a Choral Scholar and Lay Clerk in Exeter Cathedral Choir, graduating in music at the University in 1988. In 1993, he qualified as a music therapist at Bristol University and became a Lay Clerk in Winchester Cathedral Choir, combining freelance singing with work in music therapy. Warren has had an extensive singing career as a soloist and ensemble singer in Europe, including nine years in the Choir of Westminster Abbey, and regular work with the Gabrieli Consort, Collegium Vocale (Ghent), the Taverner Consort, The Kings Consort, Dunedin Consort, The Sixteen and the Tallis Scholars.

He has appeared on over 60 CD recordings, numerous television and radio broadcasts, and in many of the world’s leading music festivals and concert halls. Warren founded the Gramophone award-winning group Ensemble Plus Ultra with Dr Michael Noone in 2001. In 2008 he founded The Consort of Melbourne with Peter Tregear, and has directed them in a series of concerts at the new Melbourne Recital Centre and for Music Viva Australia. In September 2017, Warren was appointed Chorus Master of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.

Marko Sever | Assistant Head of Music

 

The Australian organist, Marko Sever, has emerged as a powerful presence in the organ world. Equally at home in the concert hall and in the liturgy, his virtuosic performances have taken him to some of the most prestigious venues across Europe and Australasia.

Marko has recently returned to his home country of Australia, having spent six years working and studying in London, gaining experience at the highest level of the English Cathedral tradition. His time in the UK concluded with two years at Westminster Cathedral, where he regularly accompanied and directed the famed Cathedral Choir. While at the Cathedral, he recorded his debut CD, Symphonie-Passion, on the Cathedral’s world-famous Grand Organ, considered the crowning achievement of Henry Willis III.

A prizewinning Fellow of the Royal College of Organists, Marko’s repertoire spans five centuries of the finest music written for the organ.