For more than three decades, Choir Cecilia has brought singers together in the Adelaide Hills through a shared love of choral music, community and performance.

How Choir Cecilia began

Choir Cecilia was formed in 1991 when a group of teachers, parents and students in Mount Barker, inspired by their interest in and love of choral music, formed a choir that became known as Choir Cecilia.

Early rehearsals were held at the Waldorf School in Mount Barker under the baton of Lyndon Piddington.

In 1992, the choir staged a production of Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, which delighted the local community. Choir Cecilia went on to present concerts featuring choral music from around the world and across the centuries.

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Founded in 1991

Established by local teachers, parents and students with a shared passion for choral music.

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First major production

Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas was presented to the local community in 1992.

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A varied repertoire

Music from many countries, cultures and historical periods has remained central to the choir’s identity.

Our Musical Directors

Choir Cecilia has been guided by a succession of dedicated musical directors, each contributing to its musical development and performance tradition.

Lyndon Piddington

Lyndon Piddington conducted the choir during its formative years, including its early rehearsals at the Waldorf School in Mount Barker.

Tom Lambert

Tom Lambert subsequently led Choir Cecilia until 1997.

Peter Webb OAM · 1997–2022

Peter Webb OAM became Musical Director in 1997 and led the choir until his retirement in 2022. He nurtured and maintained a high standard of performance across a varied, but predominantly classical, repertoire.

Heather Elliott

Following Peter Webb’s retirement, Heather Elliott directed the choir for a short period.

Olga Strizhak and Janet Leitch · 2023

In 2023, Choir Cecilia combined with the Mount Lofty Singers to perform two concerts under Olga Strizhak. Janet Leitch subsequently conducted several performances.

Brian Chatterton OA · 2024

In 2024, Brian Chatterton OA flourished the baton as the choir presented several concerts featuring many opera choruses alongside other works.

Jeremy Tatchell · 2025–present

Jeremy Tatchell was appointed Musical Director in 2025 and continues to lead the choir in a varied repertoire with a strong emphasis on classical choral music.

Our Accompanists

The choir has been fortunate to work with many talented accompanists throughout its history.

Early accompanists
Gillian Middenway, Audrey Collins and Bronwyn Simpson

2001–2007
Cheryl Bayliss

2008–2015
Sarah Clay

2016 and 2018–2022
Heather Elliott

2017–2018
Brenna MacKay

2023–2025
Ruth Murcutt

From 2026
Damien Mansfield

Our Performances

Rehearsals

Rehearsals have been held at several sites around Mount Barker and are currently held at the Mount Barker Anglican Church Hall.

Repertoire

Choir Cecilia is an SATB choir performing a variety of works, predominantly classical, together with popular folk songs from different countries.

Performance locations

Performances have been presented in Strathalbyn, Victor Harbor, Murray Bridge, Mount Barker and at a number of venues throughout Adelaide.

Singing in the community

In addition to concerts held in the middle and at the end of each year, the choir has performed at Remembrance Day ceremonies, the Mount Barker Christmas market, retirement villages and residential care homes.

Choir Cecilia Today

Choir Cecilia is a not-for-profit incorporated body with approximately 30 to 40 singers who live throughout the Adelaide Hills and surrounding Adelaide areas.

We continue to pride ourselves on the professional standard of our performances. We enjoy sharing the joy of music with our audiences while belonging to a warm and friendly community of singers.

Members Area

Welcome to the Choir Cecilia Members Area. This section of the website contains information and resources for current choir members, including contact information, rehearsal materials, downloads, performance information and committee documents.

Chorister Contact Information Members Documents Downloads Rehearsal Tracks Performances

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Password Assistance

If you need to change your password, go to the member login page and select the password reset option. You will be asked to enter the email address connected with your choir account.

If you do not receive a reset email, check your junk or spam folder first. If you are still having trouble, contact the website administrator (Anne, 0413 990 613) for help.

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Choir Cecilia Youth Encouragement Award

Encouraging young musical talent in the Adelaide Hills

About the award

In the true spirit of community, the Choir Cecilia Youth Encouragement Award was instigated in 2013 to help fulfil one of the objectives of the Choir’s Constitution:

“To foster young talent”

The award is presented annually to a young Adelaide Hills person who demonstrates outstanding musical talent.

We hope that it will encourage them to pursue their love of music and to continue developing their musical ability.

Apply for the award

Download the application form using the button below.

Download Application Form

What the award includes

A certificate pesented in recognition of achievement

An monetary award (the amount is determined annually)

The winner's name on the Award Plaque (displayed at Mt Barker Library)

Selection criteria

The applicant must be a secondary school student who resides in the area of either the Mount Barker District Council or the Adelaide Hills District Council.

About Choir Cecilia

Choir Cecilia is a community choir based in Mount Barker in the Adelaide Hills.

Singers come from all over the Adelaide Hills and beyond and are bound together by their love of music and singing.

Choir Cecilia sings a varied repertoire leaning towards traditional and classical works, while also performing contemporary, folk and spiritual music from many cultures and centuries.

Musical Director

Jeremy Tatchell

Our Musical Director is Jeremy Tatchell, a New Zealand-born baritone who first began singing in choirs at the age of nine. In 1995, he joined the National Youth Choir of Australia for its inaugural season and continued to perform and tour with the choir until 2001.

Jeremy studied viola, voice, and choral and orchestral conducting at the ANU School of Music before joining Co-Opera in 2003, touring in major roles throughout Australia, Asia and Europe.

Since moving to Adelaide in 2011, Jeremy has sung numerous roles for State Opera South Australia and is much sought after as a concert, recital and National Anthem performing artist throughout Adelaide and Australia.

Jeremy teaches voice at a number of schools around Adelaide and is passionate about encouraging a love of singing across all generations.

Accompanist

Damien Mansfield

Our accompanist is Damien Mansfield. Damien studied piano with esteemed English pianist Lance Dossor in Adelaide while also studying medicine, and performed with many leading Australian musicians of his generation in chamber music concerts at National Music Camps.

While working in community child health in inner London, he continued to develop his musical experience in chamber music, accompaniment and vocal repertoire.

As a collaborative pianist, Damien has appeared in Australia, the USA, England, the Netherlands and Canada, receiving special praise from New York Times critic Robert Sherman for his “expressive intensity”.

After 40 years of medical practice in child health, Damien resumed active musical work in 2013 and quickly re-established himself as one of Adelaide’s most sought-after musicians.

Our patrons

Choir Cecilia is privileged to have the patronage of four of Australia’s highly esteemed singers.

Elizabeth Campbell

Elizabeth Campbell appeared regularly as a guest with Opera Australia at the Sydney Opera House, and with all the state opera companies and symphony orchestras.

Her opera roles include Azucena, Sesto, Carmen, Xerxes, Clairon, Fricka and Suzuki.

For her performances in State Opera’s productions of Dead Man Walking and Aida, she won Helpmann Awards for best supporting female performer.

Thomas Edmonds AM

Thomas Edmonds AM established himself as one of Australia’s leading lyric tenors.

His early training was with Arnold Matters at the Elder Conservatorium in SA. He performed some fifty operatic roles, as well as being a leading concert and recording artist.

In the 1982 Australia Day Honours he was awarded the Order of Australia medal for his contribution to music in the country. In 1991 he was honoured by South Australia with an SA Great award.