Rob come up from Bathurst to chat with Gerry Faulkner about a big year ahead — one that includes a joint choral spectacular, a sentimental mid-year show, and an ambitious end-of-year concert built around one of the greatest pieces of music ever written.
Gerry kicks things off with the obvious question — just what does the choir’s name mean? Rob grins. “It means lively,” he says. “It was also the name of a 16th and 17th century Italian composer — Gregorio Allegri, best known for his masterpiece, Miserere.”
The name suits them. Rob describes a choir that takes its music seriously but doesn’t take itself too seriously. Their musical director, Bill Moxey, is a well-known figure in the Central West music scene. One of his core mantras stresses the importance of conveying meaning and emotion in musical performance, both visually and audibly. The choir, around 30 strong, rehearses every Tuesday evening from 6:30pm to 8:30pm during school terms in Walshaw Hall, right next door to All Saints’ Cathedral in Bathurst.
New members are always welcome, and no, there’s no terrifying audition process. “We’re not scary,” Rob says with a laugh. The main expectation is simply that you can carry a tune. Being able to read music helps, but it’s not a dealbreaker. Anyone curious can check out the website at allegrisingers.org.au or just turn up to a Tuesday rehearsal.
The first big event of the year is coming up fast. On Saturday the 21st of March, the Allegri Singers will join forces with the Orange Male Voice Choir and the Australian Rugby Choir for a joint concert titled “A Choral Kaleidoscope,” to be held at All Saints Cathedral in Bathurst. Doors open at 1:30pm for a 2:00pm start, and tickets are $35, which includes afternoon tea. PURCHASE TICKETS LINK
Rob is candid about how the invitation came about. “It was presented as a fait accompli,” he says cheerfully. “We looked at the calendar, it didn’t clash with anything, and we were flattered to be asked.” The Allegri Singers haven’t performed with either of the other choirs before, which adds a certain novelty to proceedings. The program is shaping up to be a genuinely varied mix — two male voice choirs alongside the four-part Allegri Singers (sopranos, altos, tenors and basses), with piano accompaniment.
As for whether the Australian Rugby Choir will be dipping into the kind of songs that get sung in post-match sheds, Rob is diplomatic. “Who knows? Afterwards, maybe.” The Allegri Singers, for their part, will be opening the concert. Good behaviour guaranteed — at least during the performance.
Tickets can be purchased at the door or through the Orange Male Voice Choir’s appointed outlet https://events.humanitix.com/a-choral-kaleidoscope/tickets with further information on the choirs’ websites. Given the cathedral setting and the expected interest, it’s worth getting there at 1:30pm.
Later in May, the Allegri Singers will present their annual mid-year light concert under the working title “Sentimental Journey.” Rob is quick to clarify that this isn’t just a trip through the choir’s greatest hits. “We will be revisiting some old favourites,” he says, “but we’re also bringing in some great new material. If you like sentimental — be there.”
The concert will be performed on Saturday the 16th of May at the Uniting Church Hall in Oberon — a venue Rob speaks fondly of, partly for its intimacy and partly for the “smashing afternoon tea” that the locals put on. The following day, Sunday the 17th of May, the concert moves to the Ponton Theatre on the Charles Sturt University campus in Bathurst — a charming 80-seat space that Rob describes as a former hub for the Bathurst arts scene, now quietly waiting to be rediscovered.
And then there’s November. This is the one Rob is most animated about, and it’s easy to see why. In an all-Bach program, The Allegri Singers will perform a program built around Bach’s Christmas Oratorio — one of the monumental works of the choral repertoire — alongside organ music and orchestral accompaniment. Performances are scheduled for Friday the 28th of November in Orange and Saturday the 29th in Bathurst.
The idea has its origins in a European holiday. Musical director Bill Moxey and his wife Lorraine were in Germany, and visited Bach’s own church in Leipzig, to hear his music performed in its original setting. That experience apparently settled the question. Bathurst, Bill decided, should have its own Christmas with Bach.
Rob is under no illusions about the scale of the undertaking. “It’s serious music. An awful lot of notes,” he admits. But he’s been here before. He recalls a similar sense of apprehension when the choir tackled Mendelssohn’s “Elijah” some years ago — a project that had plenty of members muttering “this is so hard” in early rehearsals. By a happy coincidence, Rob was in London, visiting family, during ‘The Proms’, and was able to catch a brilliant performance of the piece at The Royal Albert Hall. He came back home inspired, and eventually so was the rest of the choir. The performance was a hit.
Before that, there was the equally ambitious staging of Karl Jenkins’ “The Armed Man”, performed in Orange and Bathurst to great acclaim. Bill Moxey, it seems, has a gift for setting the bar high and then inspiring the choir clear it.
More details on the Bach concerts will be announced closer to the time, and Gerry has promised to have Rob back on air as rehearsals progress.
As the interview wraps up, Gerry confesses that his own relationship with choral singing has been complicated since a run-in with the Franciscan Brothers at school, where singing too loudly and too enthusiastically earned him a rap on the knuckles. Rob’s response is immediate: “If you can’t sing, come along and listen.”
Whether you’re after an afternoon out in March, a sentimental sing-along in May, or one of the great choral experiences of the year in November, the Allegri Singers have something on the calendar for you. For details on all upcoming events, visit allegrisingers.org.au.
A Choral Kaleidoscope
Saturday 21 March — All Saints Cathedral, Bathurst. 1:30pm arrival for 2:00pm start. Tickets $35 (incl. afternoon tea) at the door or PURCHASE TICKETS LINK
Sentimental Journey
Saturday 16 May — Uniting Church Hall, Oberon | Sunday 17 May — Ponton Theatre, CSU Bathurst. Details at allegrisingers.org.au
Christmas with Bach
Friday 28 November (Orange) & Saturday 29 November (Bathurst). Details to be announced.
Join the Allegri Singers
Tuesdays 6:30–8:30pm, Walshaw Hall, Bathurst (school terms). No auditions. allegrisingers.org.au
Bringing together three of Australia’s distinctive choral voices for A Choral Kaleidoscope — a collaborative concert that showcases the breadth and variety of choral music performed across New South Wales. The event will feature the Allegri Singers together with the Orange Male Voice Choir and the Australian Rugby Choir, each group bringing its own history, repertoire, and character to the programme.
The Allegri Singers are gearing up for an exciting and ambitious year in 2026, with a program that celebrates both community and artistry. Here’s what’s on the horizon.
2025 is drawing to a close, and it’s been another wonderful year for the Allegri Singers in Oberon, Blackheath, Orange and Bathurst.
Handel’s magnificent masterpiece, ‘Messiah’, is coming to Orange and Bathurst this November, promising audiences an unforgettable musical experience.
Gabe has a particular passion for consort singing, and can be found working with quality Australian ensembles such as the Luminescence Chamber Singers, Cantillation, St Mary’s Cathedral Choir and more.
