The Australian Welsh Male Choir (AWMC) is a choir of approximately 50 members who sing in the spirit of the great male choirs of Wales. They perform in four-part harmony in the traditional format and recently celebrated their 49th anniversary.
Members of the AWMC share a love of music, the pleasure of singing together, and the camaraderie that comes from being part of a great group of men. While individual songs are sung in various languages, predominantly, they perform in Welsh and English. Songs such as “Men of Harlech,” “Calon Lan,” “Pantyfedwen,” and “Gwahoddiad,” as well as other popular music from musical theatre, opera, gospel music, and other local favorites, are part of their repertoire.
In 1984, the choir toured the United Kingdom and became the first choir from outside Wales to sing at the 1000 Voice Festival of Male Choirs at the Royal Albert Hall in London. During the tour, members of the Association of Welsh Male Choirs were so impressed by the AWMC’s singing of traditional songs in the Welsh language that they invited the choir to become a member of the association. In doing so, the AWMC became the first choir from outside Wales to be offered such an honour.
The choir returned to the UK for a concert tour and an appearance at the Royal Albert Hall in 1988, where they performed for the first time ever as a solo Welsh Choir—a feat no other Welsh choir has done since. They have returned to the UK for concert tours in 2000, 2004, 2012, 2015, and 2018.
Another great highlight for the choir was in 2005 when they sang in the Sydney Opera House as part of a concert combining choirs from Australia and overseas. The choir was especially proud to be asked to perform two numbers solo. They were in the Opera House again in November 2007 as part of a massed international choir. In October 2008, they traveled to New Zealand.
The AWMC regularly provides concerts throughout Melbourne, Victoria, and interstate. They are involved in the Male Choirs Association of Australia and will be performing in Wollongong with a combined choir in October this year.
In recent years, the choir has toured China and Hong Kong, Scotland, England, and Wales, culminating in a performance with many other choirs at the Royal Albert Hall.
