The Portland Choral Group was formed in 1990 after a public meeting called by June Roberts. Owen Roberts, Nancy Malseed, Muriel Beale, Tony Elias and others were among the founding members.
It was a rebirth perhaps of the earlier "Portland CEMA Choir" which began in the early 1950s under Frank Bellis, and continued into the mid 1960s until Frank's death.
Members of that original choir included: Harold Salmon, Nancy Malseed, Reg and Jim Pitts, Audrey Wade, Dorothy Woolcock, Rita Albertson, Betty Rattenbury, Owen Roberts and Eric Stevenson. Accompanist Elsa Langley.
During the years in which the CEMA Choir lapsed, between the mid 1960s and 1990, a few Gilbert and Sullivan shows were put on under Eddie Warhurst as the "Portland and Heywood Singers". These groups were under the auspices of CEMA but not officially the Portland CEMA Choir.
Since the reformation in 1990 we have done the usual attendances at Eisteddfods and Western District Choral Festivals, Carol Singing and Annual Concerts in our own right. Some of the special highlights have been:
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"Choral Music on the Hill", a full concert in our own right in Casterton in 2006. |
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"Songs of Sea and Shore", 2 full concerts with the Mozart Choral Group from Warrnambool in 2003, performed in Portland and Warrnambool. |
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Participating in Hamilton's "Promenade of Sacred Music", giving half a concert in our own right in 2001 in Hamilton. |
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A full concert of Victoriana pieces in period dress and Modern Musicals in 1999 at the (then) CEMA Arts Centre. |
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JS Bach's Cantata "Christ Lay in Death's Dark Prison" and Handel's "Let God Arise" with the Portland Ecumenical Choir in 1998 at St Stephens Church. |