Our History



Our History...began in 1933, when a group of people interested in forming a Choir to represent the City of Toowoomba in the Brisbane Eisteddfod met and this resulted in the formation of the Toowoomba Musical Union. In 1940, the name was changed to the Toowoomba Choral Society, later to become Incorporated.

Initially, the Choir was led by Mr Thomas Slatyer, who retired in 1950 and was replaced by Mr Mansel Jones, a youthful Queensland Education Music Specialist working in Toowoomba. He had, four years earlier, formed a youth Choir of the Society, assisted by his Accompanist, Gwenda Tomkins who later became his wife. Mansel now assumed control of both Senior and Junior Choirs and led them for the next 34 years to a string of successes in Competitions, as well as giving tremendous pleasure to the citizens of Toowoomba, attending the various Concerts and Stage Productions produced by the Society.

Mansel Jones retired in 1984 and was replaced by Mr John Penny, who also conducted the Youth Choir as had Mansel, but this joint control was discontinued and a separate Conductor was appointed for the Youth Choir. Currently our Musical Director for the Adult Choir is Robyn Morris, who was appointed in 1997, having previously been the Senior Accompanist for the Adult Choir for a number of years and earlier, the Junior Choir Accompanist for Mansel Jones. Robyn has since commenced a young Adults Choir, "Contemporay Choral" comprising initially, many of the members form the Society's very successful Stage Production "West Side Story". This Choir has become a great Ambassador for the Society and has continued to grow steadily in numbers and popularity with Toowoomba audiences.

This 'injection' of new young voices, has refreshed and changed the Choir's tone and augers well for the future of the Society, particularly as Toowoomba's Representative Competition Choir and a leader in the Choral Activities of this City.

 


Send mail to 

with questions or comments about this web site.
Last modified: March 13, 2004