Come along, have a listen and discover what it’s like to be part of the Melbourne Welsh Male Choir.
If you enjoy singing and have ever wondered what it would be like to join a male voice choir, the best way to start is simply to come along and meet us.
The Melbourne Welsh Male Choir (MWMC) rehearses every Wednesday evening in Ringwood. There is no need to audition before you walk through the door, and you don’t need to be able to read music.
Come along, listen to a rehearsal, meet some of the choristers and experience the sound and camaraderie of a Welsh male voice choir for yourself.
More Than Just a Community Choir
The Melbourne Welsh Male Choir combines the friendship and sense of belonging of a community choir with the musical standards and opportunities of an accomplished concert choir.
We perform quality concerts throughout Victoria and Australia, have a long tradition of international touring, and give our choristers the opportunity to perform in some memorable places.
At the same time, one of the things our members value most is much simpler: the camaraderie of singing together every Wednesday night.
For many men, joining MWMC becomes about much more than singing.
Joining the Melbourne Welsh Male Choir
Thinking about joining a choir raises plenty of questions, particularly if you haven’t sung in a choir before. Here are some of the questions we’re most often asked.
No. Our choristers come from a wide range of musical backgrounds.
Some have sung in choirs for many years, while others come to us with relatively little formal singing experience.
What matters most is an enjoyment of singing, a willingness to learn and the commitment to rehearse with the choir.
No.
Being able to read music certainly helps, but it isn’t a requirement for joining MWMC.
Choristers have access to extensive online learning materials to help them learn their individual voice parts, as well as support and mentoring from experienced members of the choir.
You won’t be expected to learn everything on your own.
No. You don’t have to arrive and immediately pass an audition.
You can begin rehearsing with the choir, learn the repertoire and become comfortable singing your voice part.
When you and the musical team feel you are ready, you will undertake an audition before performing publicly with the choir.
The idea is to prepare you for the audition rather than use the audition as a barrier to joining.
Absolutely. In fact, we encourage it.
MWMC rehearses every Wednesday evening in Ringwood.
Come along, have a listen, meet some of the choristers and experience a rehearsal without feeling that you’ve made a commitment to join.
It’s probably the easiest way to decide whether a male voice choir is for you.
Not at all.
The choir is proudly Welsh in its origins and musical tradition, but our members come from many different backgrounds.
You don’t need Welsh ancestry and you certainly don’t need to speak Welsh.
You simply need to enjoy singing and want to be part of the choir.
There isn’t a typical age at which someone should join a male voice choir.
Our choristers span different generations, and what they have in common is an enjoyment of singing and performing together.
If you’ve wondered whether joining a choir is something you’d enjoy, don’t let age be the thing that stops you finding out.
Come along to a rehearsal and see for yourself.
Quite possibly.
Although our Wednesday rehearsals are held in Ringwood in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, our choristers travel from across metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria.
We currently have members travelling from areas including the Mornington Peninsula, Bacchus Marsh, Traralgon and Moe.
Some travel considerable distances each Wednesday simply because being part of the choir is worth the journey.
More Than Singing
Friendship, Camaraderie and Belonging
For many members, camaraderie becomes one of the most important reasons they remain with the choir.
Rehearsing every week, preparing for concerts, performing together, travelling and touring create friendships that can extend well beyond rehearsals.
There is something particularly rewarding about a group of men of different ages and backgrounds working together towards a common goal — and having plenty of fun along the way.
Singing and Men's Wellbeing
Singing in a choir brings together music, social connection, learning and a shared sense of achievement.
For men, particularly as work and family circumstances change through life, maintaining strong social connections and having regular activities with a sense of purpose can be particularly valuable.
MWMC isn’t a mental health program. We’re a choir.
But the friendship, camaraderie, mental stimulation, enjoyment and sense of belonging that come from singing together are things many of our choristers value enormously.
The Welsh Male Voice Tradition
The Welsh male voice choir tradition has a distinctive and powerful sound created by singing in four male voice sections.
It is a choral tradition strongly associated with Wales, but its repertoire extends well beyond traditional Welsh music.
The Melbourne Welsh Male Choir proudly maintains that Welsh heritage while performing a varied repertoire for modern Australian and international audiences.
“The best Welsh choir heard outside of Wales.”
Alwyn Humphreys
Patron, Melbourne Welsh Male Choir
Former Musical Director, Morriston Orpheus Choir, Wales
Our other Patron is David Ashton-Smith OAM, a former Music Director of the Melbourne Welsh Male Choir who remains closely associated with the choir in Melbourne.
From Wednesday Rehearsals to the Concert Stage
MWMC isn’t simply about meeting once a week to sing. Members work towards quality public performances in Melbourne, elsewhere in Victoria and Australia.
MWMC is a concert choir rather than simply a rehearsal or social singing group.
We perform concerts in Melbourne and elsewhere in Victoria and Australia, ranging from our own major concerts to performances with other musicians and choirs.
Preparing for these performances gives rehearsals a purpose and provides choristers with the satisfaction of presenting music to a high standard before a live audience.
The Melbourne Welsh Male Choir aims to perform to a high concert standard, while remaining welcoming to men with a wide range of previous singing experience.
Our rehearsals are about much more than simply learning the notes. We work on blend, balance, dynamics, pronunciation, interpretation and the distinctive sound associated with the Welsh male voice choir tradition.
Not every new chorister arrives with the same level of musical experience. What matters is a willingness to learn, attend rehearsals regularly and work towards becoming confident in your voice part.
Our aim is to produce performances that both our audiences and our choristers can be proud of.
When you first join MWMC, you begin by attending Wednesday rehearsals and learning the choir’s repertoire alongside the other choristers in your voice section.
You will have access to extensive online learning materials that allow you to practise your individual voice part at home, as well as mentoring and support from experienced members of the choir.
There is no pressure to audition immediately. You rehearse with the choir, learn the music and build your confidence. When you and the musical team feel you are ready, you undertake an audition to demonstrate that you can confidently sing your part.
Once you have reached the required standard, you can join the choir in public performances — and begin enjoying one of the most rewarding parts of being an MWMC chorister: performing together in concert.
Sing With Us in Italy & Wales in 2028
International touring has long been part of the Melbourne Welsh Male Choir experience.
In 2028, we’re planning another exciting international tour incorporating Italy and Wales — giving choristers the opportunity to perform overseas, travel together and experience the Welsh male voice tradition in its homeland.
For someone thinking about joining MWMC now, there’s plenty of time to become part of the choir and work towards 2028.
Did You See Us in Concert?
Quite a few of our choristers first discovered MWMC by sitting in the audience.
If you’ve ever watched us perform and thought “I’d love to be part of that”, we’d encourage you to find out what it’s like from the other side of the stage.
You don’t have to decide to join. Just come along one Wednesday and have a listen.
Come and Experience MWMC for Yourself
You don’t need to be Welsh.
You don’t need to be an experienced chorister.
You don’t need to be able to read music.
Start by simply coming along and listening.
We rehearse every Wednesday evening in Ringwood and we’d be delighted to welcome you.
If you are interested in singing with us, please send your NAME and a CONTACT PHONE NUMBER by email to:
committee@melbournewelshchoir.com.au
One of our membership team will be in touch with you ASAP.
Alternatively you can just “turn up” at the Maroondah Federation Estate, (map) 32 Greenwood Avenue, Ringwood, on a Wednesday evening between 7:00pm and 10:00pm and introduce yourself to one of us.
Or … click on the button below to use our Contact form.
