Andrew Wailes
Encyclopedia
Andrew K. Wailes is an Australia
n conductor and Music Director
. Winner of the Australasian International Choral Conducting Competition in Brisbane
in 1999, he is the current Music Director and Chief Conductor of the Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Choir and Orchestra
, Artistic Director of The Australian Children's Choir
, Principal Conductor of the Melbourne University Choral Society, Music Director and Conductor of the Box Hill Chorale, and Director of the Australian Catholic University
Melbourne Campus Choir. He is a former President of the Australian Intervarsity Choral Societies Association.
, Andrew Wailes was educated at Caulfield Grammar School
, where he was active as a student musician, performing in a wide range of ensembles as a flautist
and also as a singer in various church and community choirs. He began his early music education as a treble in the Choir of St George’s Anglican Church (Malvern
), where he eventually rose to the position of Head Chorister, and appeared with various Royal School of Church Music
-affiliated choirs.
s throughout his secondary and early university years. While studying Arts/Law at Monash University
, Wailes became heavily involved with the Monash University Choral Society (MonUCS), eventually accepting an invitation to become Assistant Conductor, and serving in a number of committee positions including several years as MonUCS President. He was subsequently awarded life membership of MonUCS for over ten years of dedication to the choir as singer, concert manager, assistant conductor, and briefly on two separate occasions as conductor pro tem. During this time he was also invited to take up the post of conductor at the Melbourne University Choral Society (MUCS), and was actively involved in the Australian National Choral Association (ANCA) as a member of the editorial committee of the National Choral Journal “Sing Out”, as well as the Australian Intervarsity Choral Societies Association (AICSA), serving as National President for a number of years, and convening the 49th Australian Intervarsity Choral Festival. Wailes also performed extensively as a soloist with various choirs and early music ensembles, including several seasons with the National Youth Choir of Australia, the Geelong Early Music Group, and The Australian Opera (Opera Australia). He made his debut with The Australian Opera as an apprentice in Wagner’s Die Meistersinger von Nuremberg in 1995.
Wailes was appointed Principal Conductor of Melbourne University Choral Society (MUCS) in 1992, and since that time has become its longest serving conductor in over 70 years. He was awarded life membership of MUCS in 2005, being only the second person to receive such an honour in the choir’s history. He has directed the choir in hundreds of performances, and in 2010 led it on its first international tour, conducting throughout Germany
, Austria
, Slovakia
and the Czech Republic
. He also directed performances at the Festival of Voices in Hobart, Tasmania.
Wailes took up his position as Assistant Conductor of the Royal Melbourne Philharmonic in 1995, and became Director of Music and Chief Conductor at the end of 1998, making him one of the youngest persons to hold that position in over 150 years. Since that time he has led the RMP Choir and Orchestra in hundreds of performances, including two concert tours of The People's Republic of China
with the RMP Orchestra. He was awarded Life Membership of the RMP, being only the third conductor to be granted that honour in over 150 years.
Artistic Director and Conductor of The Australian Children’s Choir since 1999, Wailes has led The ACC on numerous international tours, including several tours of New Zealand
, China
, England
, Austria, Czech Republic, and in 2011 will again direct the choir in performances in Germany, Austria and at the International Festival of Children’s Choirs at Canterbury Cathedral
in England.
Wailes has also conducted the Box Hill Chorale (formerly the Box Hill Choral Society) since 1995, and has directed Faculty Choirs at the University of Melbourne
, Melba Memorial Conservatorium of Music
, and the School of Music Conservatorium at Monash University. For four years he directed the Monash Faculty Choir Viva Voce. Since 2000, Wailes has also directed the Campus Choir at the St Patrick’s (Melbourne) Campus of the Australian Catholic University, where he has also lectured in conducting.
, Orchestra of Stuttgart University, and Camerata Academica Freiburg (Germany), the Victorian College of the Arts Symphony Orchestra, Yale Glee Club
, Harvard University Collegium Musicum (USA), Melbourne Sinfonia, the Christchurch Sinfonia (New Zealand
), Melbourne Youth Orchestra, Stonnington Symphony Orchestra, Geelong Philharmonic Orchestra, and has directed student ensembles at both Melbourne University and Victorian College of the Arts. Andrew is also a regular guest conductor of various orchestras and choirs at summer school
s around the country. He has conducted orchestras at the Melbourne Summer Music Camp, Geelong and State Music Camps, and for three years directed the award-winning orchestra program at Blackburn High School
.
Andrew has assisted Maestro Valery Gergiev
as backstage conductor and extra chorus director for the Kirov Opera’s acclaimed performances for the Melbourne International Festival of the Arts, and has prepared and directed choirs for the Perth International Arts Festival
’s performance of Schoenberg’s Gurrelieder with the Australian Youth Orchestra
. He co-conducted the world premiere season of Julian Yu's contemporary opera The Possessed, for Chamber Made Opera
and in 2005 he conducted Britten's
The Rape of Lucretia for Lyric Opera of Melbourne (receiving a prestigious Green Room Award
nomination for best opera conductor). Andrew has appeared with many leading Australian and international performers, including the legendary rock band 'Kiss
' and the MSO at the Telstra Dome
, and with popular artists such as Julie Anthony, John Farnham
, Delta Goodrem
, and Judith Durham
. He has directed choirs for many major televised events, including six AFL Grand Final
s, the opening of Stadium Australia, two AFI Awards, five International Comedy Festival Gala Concerts and at the Closing Ceremony of the Melbourne Commonwealth Games 2006. He recently conducted at the opening ceremony of the Parliament of World Religions.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n conductor and Music Director
Music director
A music director may be the director of an orchestra, the director of music for a film, the director of music at a radio station, the head of the music department in a school, the co-ordinator of the musical ensembles in a university or college , the head bandmaster of a military band, the head...
. Winner of the Australasian International Choral Conducting Competition in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
in 1999, he is the current Music Director and Chief Conductor of the Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Choir and Orchestra
Royal Melbourne Philharmonic
Royal Melbourne Philharmonic is a 120-voice choir and orchestra in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It was established in 1853, and is reportedly Australia's oldest surviving cultural organisation....
, Artistic Director of The Australian Children's Choir
Australian Children's Choir
The Australian Children’s Choir , founded in 1976, is a mixed-voice children's choir based in Melbourne, Australia, and consisting of some 200 boys and girls aged 7–18 in six different training ensembles...
, Principal Conductor of the Melbourne University Choral Society, Music Director and Conductor of the Box Hill Chorale, and Director of the Australian Catholic University
Australian Catholic University
Australian Catholic University is a national public university. It has six campuses and offers programs in five faculties throughout Australia.-History:...
Melbourne Campus Choir. He is a former President of the Australian Intervarsity Choral Societies Association.
Early life
Born in MelbourneMelbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Andrew Wailes was educated at Caulfield Grammar School
Caulfield Grammar School
Caulfield Grammar School is an independent, co-educational, Anglican, day and boarding school, located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Founded in 1881 as a boys' school, Caulfield began admitting girls exactly one hundred years later...
, where he was active as a student musician, performing in a wide range of ensembles as a flautist
Flautist
A flautist or flutist is a musician who plays an instrument in the flute family. See List of flautists.The choice of "flautist" versus "flutist" is the source of dispute among players of the instrument...
and also as a singer in various church and community choirs. He began his early music education as a treble in the Choir of St George’s Anglican Church (Malvern
Malvern, Victoria
Malvern is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 8 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Stonnington. At the 2006 Census, Malvern had a population of 9,422.-History:...
), where he eventually rose to the position of Head Chorister, and appeared with various Royal School of Church Music
Royal School of Church Music
The largest church music organisation in Britain, the Royal School of Church Music was founded in 1927 by Sir Sydney Nicholson and has 11,000 members worldwide; it was originally named the School of English Church Music. It seeks to enable church music in the present and invest in its future,...
-affiliated choirs.
Middle years
Wailes continued to pursue a passion for choral music in various choirs upon leaving school, and played in various amateur orchestraOrchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
s throughout his secondary and early university years. While studying Arts/Law at Monash University
Monash University
Monash University is a public university based in Melbourne, Victoria. It was founded in 1958 and is the second oldest university in the state. Monash is a member of Australia's Group of Eight and the ASAIHL....
, Wailes became heavily involved with the Monash University Choral Society (MonUCS), eventually accepting an invitation to become Assistant Conductor, and serving in a number of committee positions including several years as MonUCS President. He was subsequently awarded life membership of MonUCS for over ten years of dedication to the choir as singer, concert manager, assistant conductor, and briefly on two separate occasions as conductor pro tem. During this time he was also invited to take up the post of conductor at the Melbourne University Choral Society (MUCS), and was actively involved in the Australian National Choral Association (ANCA) as a member of the editorial committee of the National Choral Journal “Sing Out”, as well as the Australian Intervarsity Choral Societies Association (AICSA), serving as National President for a number of years, and convening the 49th Australian Intervarsity Choral Festival. Wailes also performed extensively as a soloist with various choirs and early music ensembles, including several seasons with the National Youth Choir of Australia, the Geelong Early Music Group, and The Australian Opera (Opera Australia). He made his debut with The Australian Opera as an apprentice in Wagner’s Die Meistersinger von Nuremberg in 1995.
Wailes was appointed Principal Conductor of Melbourne University Choral Society (MUCS) in 1992, and since that time has become its longest serving conductor in over 70 years. He was awarded life membership of MUCS in 2005, being only the second person to receive such an honour in the choir’s history. He has directed the choir in hundreds of performances, and in 2010 led it on its first international tour, conducting throughout Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
and the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
. He also directed performances at the Festival of Voices in Hobart, Tasmania.
Wailes took up his position as Assistant Conductor of the Royal Melbourne Philharmonic in 1995, and became Director of Music and Chief Conductor at the end of 1998, making him one of the youngest persons to hold that position in over 150 years. Since that time he has led the RMP Choir and Orchestra in hundreds of performances, including two concert tours of The People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
with the RMP Orchestra. He was awarded Life Membership of the RMP, being only the third conductor to be granted that honour in over 150 years.
Artistic Director and Conductor of The Australian Children’s Choir since 1999, Wailes has led The ACC on numerous international tours, including several tours of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Austria, Czech Republic, and in 2011 will again direct the choir in performances in Germany, Austria and at the International Festival of Children’s Choirs at Canterbury Cathedral
Canterbury Cathedral
Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury, Kent, is one of the oldest and most famous Christian structures in England and forms part of a World Heritage Site....
in England.
Wailes has also conducted the Box Hill Chorale (formerly the Box Hill Choral Society) since 1995, and has directed Faculty Choirs at the University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
, Melba Memorial Conservatorium of Music
Melba Memorial Conservatorium of Music
The Melba Memorial Conservatorium of Music was a school of music located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. During its early days it was closely associated with opera diva Dame Nellie Melba, after whom it was later named. In 1994 it became affiliated with Victoria University...
, and the School of Music Conservatorium at Monash University. For four years he directed the Monash Faculty Choir Viva Voce. Since 2000, Wailes has also directed the Campus Choir at the St Patrick’s (Melbourne) Campus of the Australian Catholic University, where he has also lectured in conducting.
Awards and honours
Wailes was the inaugural winner of the Australasian International Choral Conducting Competition, in Brisbane, held during the National Choralfest, presented by the Australian National Choral Association. He is a life member of the Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Choir and Orchestra, the Melbourne University Choral Society, and the Monash University Choral Society. He is listed in the inaugural edition of the Who’s Who in Victoria, and the International Edition of the Strathmore’s Who’s Who.Other arts organisations
Andrew Wailes is a former Principla Guest Conductor of The Australian Classical Players Orchestra, and has appeared as guest conductor of other ensembles including the State Orchestra of Victoria, Stuttgart Radio Symphony OrchestraStuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra
The Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra is an orchestra based in Stuttgart in Germany. The ensemble was founded in 1945 by American occupation authorities as the orchestra for Radio Stuttgart, under the name Sinfonieorchester von Radio Stuttgart...
, Orchestra of Stuttgart University, and Camerata Academica Freiburg (Germany), the Victorian College of the Arts Symphony Orchestra, Yale Glee Club
Yale Glee Club
The Yale Glee Club is a mixed chorus of men and women, consisting of students of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. Founded in 1861, it is the third oldest collegiate chorus in the United States after the Harvard Glee Club, founded in 1858, and the University of Michigan Men's Glee Club,...
, Harvard University Collegium Musicum (USA), Melbourne Sinfonia, the Christchurch Sinfonia (New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
), Melbourne Youth Orchestra, Stonnington Symphony Orchestra, Geelong Philharmonic Orchestra, and has directed student ensembles at both Melbourne University and Victorian College of the Arts. Andrew is also a regular guest conductor of various orchestras and choirs at summer school
Summer school
Summer school is a school, or a program generally sponsored by a school or a school district, that teaches students during the summer vacation....
s around the country. He has conducted orchestras at the Melbourne Summer Music Camp, Geelong and State Music Camps, and for three years directed the award-winning orchestra program at Blackburn High School
Blackburn High School
Blackburn High School is a public secondary school for girls and boys in years 7 to 12 in Blackburn, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The school has traditionally had a strong music curriculum, with its varied bands and orchestras consistently winning state and national awards...
.
Andrew has assisted Maestro Valery Gergiev
Valery Gergiev
Valery Abisalovich Gergiev is a Russian conductor and opera company director. He is general director and artistic director of the Mariinsky Theatre, principal conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra, and artistic director of the White Nights Festival in St. Petersburg.- Early life :Gergiev,...
as backstage conductor and extra chorus director for the Kirov Opera’s acclaimed performances for the Melbourne International Festival of the Arts, and has prepared and directed choirs for the Perth International Arts Festival
Perth International Arts Festival
The Perth International Arts Festival is Australia's longest running cultural festival, held annually in Western Australia between February-March. The program features contemporary and classical music, dance, theatre, opera, visual arts, large-scale public works, Lotterywest Festival Films and the...
’s performance of Schoenberg’s Gurrelieder with the Australian Youth Orchestra
Australian Youth Orchestra
The Australian Youth Orchestra is an Australian organisation for young musicians. It operates the flagship Youth Orchestra as well as Camerata Australia, Young Australian Concert Artists and Young Symphonists. It also runs several other activities including master classes, outreach programmes and...
. He co-conducted the world premiere season of Julian Yu's contemporary opera The Possessed, for Chamber Made Opera
Chamber Made
Chamber Made Opera is an Australian production house for contemporary opera and music-theatre. Formed in 1988 by theatre director and librettist Douglas Horton...
and in 2005 he conducted Britten's
Benjamin Britten
Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten, OM CH was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He showed talent from an early age, and first came to public attention with the a cappella choral work A Boy Was Born in 1934. With the premiere of his opera Peter Grimes in 1945, he leapt to...
The Rape of Lucretia for Lyric Opera of Melbourne (receiving a prestigious Green Room Award
Green Room Awards
The Green Room Awards are peer awards which recognise excellence in cabaret, dance, drama, fringe theatre, musical theatre and opera in Melbourne....
nomination for best opera conductor). Andrew has appeared with many leading Australian and international performers, including the legendary rock band 'Kiss
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
' and the MSO at the Telstra Dome
Telstra Dome
Docklands Stadium is a multi-purpose sports and entertainment stadium in the Docklands precinct of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia...
, and with popular artists such as Julie Anthony, John Farnham
John Farnham
John Peter Farnham, AO, formerly billed as Johnny Farnham , is an English-born Australian pop singer. He was a teen pop idol from 1964 to 1979, and has since forged a career as an adult contemporary singer. His career has mostly been as a solo artist although he briefly replaced Glenn Shorrock as...
, Delta Goodrem
Delta Goodrem
Delta Lea Goodrem is an Australian singer-songwriter, pianist, and actress. Signed to Sony at the age of 15, Goodrem rose to prominence in 2002, starring in the Australian soap opera Neighbours as Nina Tucker. Goodrem has achieved eight number-one singles and three number-one albums in her home...
, and Judith Durham
Judith Durham
Judith Durham, OAM is an Australian jazz singer and musician who became the lead vocalist for the Australian popular folk music group The Seekers in 1963. She left the group in mid-1968 to pursue her solo career...
. He has directed choirs for many major televised events, including six AFL Grand Final
AFL Grand Final
The AFL Grand Final is an annual Australian rules football match, traditionally held on the final Saturday in September at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia to determine the Australian Football League premiership champions for that year...
s, the opening of Stadium Australia, two AFI Awards, five International Comedy Festival Gala Concerts and at the Closing Ceremony of the Melbourne Commonwealth Games 2006. He recently conducted at the opening ceremony of the Parliament of World Religions.
Further Reading
- Peter Campbell, Laudate: The First 50 Years of the Australian Intervarsity Choral Movement, Canberra, PC Publishing, 1999.