Information current as at JULY 2023

Jesse Fraser, President

Choir's Email Address: committee@monucs.org.au

Choir's Website: monucs.org.au

Vision statement / Artistic goals: MonUCS is dedicated to allowing both students at Monash University and members of the wider community the opportunity to learn and perform both major and minor choral works in a friendly, open and relaxed environment

Voice type: SATB

Choir performs: Both accompanied & unaccompanied

Year Choir formed: 1962

No. of Singing Members - Currently: 30-40 Desired: as many as possible

Musical Repertoire: MonUCS performs a wide range of musical styles - Mozart, Whitacre, Gilbert and Sullivan productions, comedy and cabaret, and contemporary pop music

Musical Director: Evan Lawson

No. of years in current post: since 2023

Previous musical experience: Evan J Lawson is a composer, writer, curator and conductor, chiefly as Artistic Director of interdisciplinary company Forest Collective and Content Producer for Victorian Opera; Evan has been composing music since the age of 10, is a graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts, the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, and developing artist programs with Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Malthouse Theatre and Gragenegg Festival; he has studied with Benjamin Northey, Richard Gil, Kevin March and Johanna Selleck, and internationally with David Aronson and Matthias Pintscher; Evan was composer-in-residence at Billilla Mansion and a member of the Academy of Festival d’Aix-en-Provence in 2020 and 2021

Choir's past collaborations with other musical groups: MonUCS is always open to new collaborations, and has enjoyed building and strengthening relationships with other groups through concerts in the past; they regularly collaborate with university choirs around Australia through the Choral Intervarsity Festivals; they have had collaborative concerts with Habeas Chorus and the Melbourne Lawyers' Orchestra, the Victorian Youth Symphony Orchestra, and many more

Audition: No

Minimum Attendance policy - Rehearsals: Yes - members are asked to attend as many rehearsals as possible for a concert, but absences for good reasons are understandable Concerts: No

Membership Fees: $10 for current Monash students with a further $5 discount if they are also MSA members, others $40

Ability to read music: Desirable but not necessary, all welcome

Sight-reading ability: Desirable but not necessary, all welcome

Av. No. of rehearsals/week: 1

Usual rehearsal night(s): Tuesday

Suburb: Clayton

Rehearsal venue: Monash University Religious Centre

Off-street parking: Yes

Performance Apparel: Concert blacks

Av. No. of Concert Programs/year: 2

Av. No. of Performances/year: 2 major concerts, plus Christmas carolling and occasional guest performances

Sample of the Choir's past Concert Venues: Wheelers Hill Secondary College, St Paul's Cathedral (Melbourne), Ormond Uniting Church, Phoenix Theatre (Elwood), Oakleigh Hall, St John's (East Malvern)

Examples of musical pieces performed: Requiem (Mozart), Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, music by Vaughan Williams, Eric Whitacre

Touring: Yes - Melbourne Metro Area

Administration / Governance arrangements for the Choir: MonUCS operates under Monash Clubs and Societies constitution

Types of Committees: Voting committee members are the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and General Representatives (must be Monash Clayton students); non-voting members can be any society members who are assigned portfolios such as Concert Manager, Camp Officer, Fundraising Officer, Publicity Officer, Resources Officer

Own collection of music scores: Yes

Available for hire to other groups: Yes

Hiring fees apply: Yes