A singing tradition

The first concert in the newly refurbished Dunedin Town Hall on Anzac Day is, appropriately, the RSA Choir's Anzac Revue. Charmian Smith reports.

When an Otago trooper at Gallipoli heard the Turks singing in a trench not far away, he resolved that if he ever got home he would form a choir of returned soldiers. Jimmy McNish, of the Otago Mounted Rifles, did survive and when he returned to Dunedin he founded the Returned Soldiers Choir, later becoming the RSA Choir.

They gave their first concert in Burns Hall in 1920, and because it sold out, repeated it the following evening, according to David More, president of the choir.

Still going strong after 93 years, the choir is presenting its annual Anzac Revue on Anzac Day, the first concert in the newly refurbished Dunedin Town Hall, which opens on April 24.

Members of the 64-strong male voice choir range from their 20s to their 90s. In fact some of the oldest members remember Mr McNish, who sang until the late 1940s or early 1950s, Mr More said.

Some years ago the choir extended membership to the sons of returned servicemen, but now membership is open to all men who enjoy singing and are happy to identify with the military traditions of the choir, according to Kevin Tansley, co-producer of the concert.

However, its main aim is to provide its members and the general public with enjoyment, although it also likes to support younger singers and provide opportunities for performance. In its upcoming concert the guest performers are Christchurch organist Martin Setchell, Kaikorai Metropolitan Brass, the colourful and energetic Dunedin Bhangra Company of Indian dancers, and Ben Madden, one of the choir's three scholars.

The choir is proud of its support for three voice students at the University of Otago with vocal scholarships of $1000 a year each for three years.

''It's nice to be able to do that. Our scholars might sing at Marama Hall to smaller groups, but we can get reasonable crowds along so it's a different performance opportunity for them,'' Mr Tansley said.

International bass-baritone Jonathan Lemalu had his first professional performance at one of the concerts.

''He got $25 or something when he had just left school. Jonathan's father is still a member and he and Jonathan sang the Gendarmes Duet at one of the concerts,'' Mr More said.

The Anzac Revue always includes a small memorial service with the Last Post, the Ode of Remembrance and Reveille. This year's revue will be the first outing for the choir's new uniform, a scarlet blazer with black facings that refers to the scarlet of military uniforms and will have a strong presence. Dunedin bespoke tailor Ivan Coward, formerly of Suit Surgeons, is making them.

The choir regularly sings at the Anzac dawn parade, Remembrance Sunday at St Paul's and Merchant Navy Day at Iona Church in Port Chalmers, as well as Anzac and Remembrance Day revues and two other subscription concerts in August and November. It is also invited to sing on other occasions such as at Montecillo rest-home, and in churches and at test matches. It has toured Australia and had hoped to sing at Gallipoli three years ago but could not fund the trip, although it had been approved by Veterans Affairs, which was organising it, Mr Tansley said.

As the only male-voice RSA choir in the country, it sang when the unknown soldier was entombed at the war memorial in Wellington.

Its usual repertoire is light classical and popular songs, including arrangements from the Beatles, Elvis Presley and Burt Bacharach, as well as hymns.

Over its 93 years, the choir has sung more than 732 different songs and performed with many people, including Danny Kaye, Vera Lynn, Russian Senia Chostiakoff in both 1934 and 1947, the New Zealand Army Band in 1979, Yolande Gibson in 1996, Jud Arthur in the late 1990s and the Royal Dunedin Male Choir at the opening of the Dunedin Town Hall in 1930 and on its 75th anniversary in 2005.

With its centenary looming, the choir is building its archives and oral history from long-serving members and plans to commemorate the event with a publication.