Throughout the 86 years of its existence, the Toowoomba Choral Society has become one of the city’s most treasured institutions.
Back in 1933, the Choral Society had its foundation when the Toowoomba Musical Union was formed. Seven years later, the Musical Union’s name was changed to the Toowoomba Choral Society.
Mansel Jones, who was awarded an Order of Australia Medal in 1997 and lived to age 89 before passing in 2008, formed the Toowoomba Junior Choral Society in 1946. In 1950, Mansel was appointed conductor of the Senior Choir and under his leadership the choir focused on the development of excellence in choral singing.
Competing in the Queensland Eisteddfod, the choir achieved unparalleled levels of success. During the period from the late 1950s to 1968, Toowoomba won the Chief Choir section 10 times in succession and by 1976 had won all four major choral competitions nine times.
A long lasting development in the TCS’s history came in 1955 after an approach from the Toowoomba Repertory Society proposing a joint presentation of The Vagabond King be performed. Following the decision by both societies to go their separate ways four years later, the Choral Society continued to present its now traditional musical annually. During this stage of its evolvement, the TCS purchased its first property, in Neil Street in 1958, which was its home until moving in 1983 to the former Bell Street squash courts building which was converted into a purpose built hall. Although the rehearsal and performance facilities were excellent, there was little room for expansion to provide adequate storage space for props and scenery. This led to the Choral Society buying, with considerable help from patron David Swan, the complex covering the Uniting Church and Manse on the corner of Bridge and Raff Streets in 1997. That was also the year the Heritage Building Society became the TCS’s major sponsor.
When Mansel retired as senior conductor in 1985, the position was taken over by John Penny, who began his association with the Choral Society at age eight when he became a member of the Junior Choir.
Robyn Morris was appointed conductor in 1996 when Penny stood down. Penny continued his involvement with the society as Director/Artistic Director of the Youth Choir Holiday Theatre Activity and the annual musical production until his untimely death in 2008. His daughter, Elizabeth Egan, who started as a junior chorister in 1986, took the baton of the Toowoomba Choral Society’s TCS Choir in 2014. “I know that my father would be extremely proud,” said Elizabeth, who relies on the skills of her husband Andrew Egan as accompanist for the choir. With a record of covering musicals such as Oklahoma, The Mikado, Camelot, Fiddler on the Roof, Les Miserables — a resounding success in 1994 and 1995 — and The Sound of Music, the TCS will this year present My Fair Lady. With award winner Kate Peters directing, My Fair Lady, which was last produced by TCS in 1997, will be performed at Empire Theatre on September 13, 14 and 15.
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