Wollongong German-Australian Choir performs at a variety of events. Photo: Supplied.
Wollongong German-Australian Choir, the first male choir of a German-speaking community in NSW, celebrated its 60th anniversary last year by expanding to a mixed choir – and is now seeking new members.
The choir began as German Male Choir Sanssouci before being renamed and has done everything from the opening of the Wollongong Town Hall to a Radio BBC program and appearing on national TV talent show New Faces.
Wollongong German-Australian Choir president Jake Prstec said that on 13 August, 1963, nine singers performed for the first time at Coniston Hotel, with one of those original members still a regular at practice at The German Club in Kembla Grange.
“We have one original member who was a founding member of the choir still with us – he rarely misses a practice,” Jake said. “We’re very lucky to have him.
“We sang in Canberra a couple of years ago and many of the other singers in that festival said you have the best bass German vocalist in the country with him.”
Jake said after the choir started in the ’60s, The German Club at Kembla Grange was then established in the ’70s, attracting German migrants who had settled in the Illawarra.
“Unfortunately, there’s not many of that generation left with us, but their children often frequent the club and us who are left continue to maintain that aspect of the culture,” he said.
“It would be a shame to see it die off with the previous generation.”
Much has changed since those early days, including last year’s introduction of female members to mark the group’s 60th anniversary, popular music now a part of the mix and having also sung in Italian, French, Greek and Maori.
“Wollongong is a very multicultural environment, so that’s why we changed to the Wollongong German-Australian Choir to acknowledge the diversity of Australia and the Illawarra in particular,” Jake said.
However, members still carry on the tradition of sharing songs of German culture and their homeland.
“Choral singing is a very big part of German culture, and a lot of the German migrants wanted to establish some of that culture in Australia, and particularly in the Illawarra, as there were other choirs forming around Australia,” Jake said.
“Starting off, they were more interested in the traditional German choral songs and folk songs.
The choir, which rehearses at The German Club, now includes female singers. Photo: Supplied.
“But gaining popularity within the Illawarra meant increasing our English repertoire after appearances on New Faces on TV in 1968 and then they featured in various local performances, national singing festivals and competitions.
“Nowadays, we tend to sing ’70s pop songs and international hits, but we still like to maintain the repertoire of folk songs and the classics of the choral singing that they like.”
Jake said those opportunities to gain in popularity over the years had been wide-ranging, including Mardis Gras through to Radio ABC and BBC recording programs of German and English songs.
He said when the choir appeared on Sydney TV show New Faces it won first prize, and then in the nationally broadcast New Faces was runner-up to a then-young comedian, now national treasure Paul Hogan.
German songs, often centred on the homeland and the beauty of nature, now helped connect them to their past, he said.
“Many of them were raised in Germany or moved to Australia at a young age, so it reminds them of childhood,” he said.
“It’s always reminding you of a simpler time and that nostalgia and sentimental feeling that it brings, especially singing and music in general, is always quite emotional.”
Jake said the choir had played an important role within the German community in the Illawarra.
“Particularly with Australia’s English-speaking nature, it’s a critical connection to the German culture and the German language,” he said.
“The male choir is also almost like a band of brothers, I would say. They were always really close.”
One of its next big events is a concert with other choirs on 8 September at The German Club in Kembla Grange.
Wollongong German-Australian Choir rehearses weekly at The German Club at 636A Northcliffe Drive, Kembla Grange, on Tuesday evenings from 6:30. New members are welcome to drop in or contact Jake on 0400 904 317. Members don’t need to speak German or read music, with musicians and language experts available.
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