3 December 2016
Reflection on 20 Years with the Australian Rugby Choir - and one choristers most memorable gig - by Rod Mackay.
Over 20 years (I've been here for 19 of them) the ARC has performed many gigs at many venues and provided many memories for both choristers and audiences alike. Early on there were the school fetes and Rotary dinners, and busking in places like the Monaro Mall, Woden Plaza and the Jamieson Trash and Treasure markets. (A little later there was an attempted busking event at Sydney's Darling Harbour - an appreciative audience had gathered and we managed a couple of numbers before we were ushered on by unappreciative security guards).
We have been praised by politicians and Governors-General. We have performed at famous places like the Canberra Theatre, Llewellyn Hall and Parliament House, and the even more famous Sydney Opera House and Carnegie Hall.
Our national anthem has featured prominently in our repertoire, being sung at numerous War Memorial plaque dedications as well as Anzac Day and Remembrance Day services, and even at a dinner at the Commonwealth Club hosted by PM John Howard - the PM left his place and shook hands with each singer as we exited the venue, commenting "That was fabulous".
We've sung the anthem at Australia Day citizenship ceremonies, at a junior international touch footy carnival and an international Polo game at Bungendore (along with the Kiwi anthem on those occasions).
We have shared the stage with entertainment celebrities like Judith Durham, Marina Prior and Aled Jones, and done "Walk a Country Mile" with Slim Dusty.
Those of us who were at the Super Rugby final in 2000 will never forget the response from the Canberra Stadium crowd when we entered the arena. After being "sacked" by the Brumbies management we were re-instated to sing at the final following a ground swell of public support, along with a few words in someone's shell-pink ear from Bill Stefaniak.
Neither will we forget our "Songs of the Trenches" with the RMC Band prior to a Brumbies Anzac Day match at Canberra Stadium.
However (perhaps appropriately) Remembrance Day 1997 stands out as my most memorable moment with the Choir. The occasion: the Fred Hollows Foundation Ball The venue: the Hyatt Hotel, MC: Ray Martin, Guest of Honour: Gabi Hollows. The driving force was Mark Wallace, Canberra Times journalist and choir member at that time - Mark returned for the 20th anniversary concert in October this year.
The choir's role was to provide the function with the pre-dinner drinks entertainment and we kicked off with, from memory, "I am Australian", featuring solo verses from our late mates David Lazarus and Wal Cooper, also Peter Scott - very well received by an appreciative audience growing more appreciative with every drink!
We followed this up with "Danny Boy" and a solo performance of "Bring Him Home" by then MD Colin Slater, sung as well as you would ever hope to hear it sung. Our final number was "O Sole Mio" complete with waving white handkerchiefs, and that really brought the house down. Colin had said there would be no encores so off we marched to cheers and applause. Imagine our surprise when during Colin's post performance address Ray Martin appeared: "Hey fellers, Gabi wants another number"! So out we marched again - more thunderous applause - and (again from memory) we sang "Anthem". Unforgettable.
Our performance that day may not have been as "polished" as it would be today, but what we lacked in "polish" we made up for with pride, passion and enthusiasm. And ain't that what the Rugby Choir is about?
Cheers Rod Mackay