The Radio Community Chest Inc. is inseparably connected with its founder Frank Grose MBE.
Frank Grose was a pioneer of broadcasting from 1926 to 1965, and as few people only knew his surname, he was known on radio and universally as "Uncle Frank", bringing comfort,
inspiration and guidance to those in
need. He held special appeals in
times of national tragedy, and
received tons of clothing, large
amounts of money and other
items to help unfortunate victims.
In 1941 Frank Grose started
the annual presentation
of Handel's Messiah by the
Combined Church Choirs. Because
of his position of leadership in the
community and his own example,
he was able to persuade many of
Sydney's top singers and performers to appear at the 1,613 concerts he arranged and presented over 15 years. He gave top priority to helping the poor and distressed. In 1951, the charity name was changed to The Radio Community Chest.
The principal activity of The Radio Community Chest today is the annual presentation of Handel's Messiah and any surpluses are used to promote our cultural work and to assist needy persons in the Sydney region.
The Radio Community Chest is a registered charity
Donations and sponsorships to support the work
are welcome and can be made to:
PO Box 521, Gordon, NSW 2072, Australia.
Phone enquiries: 61 2 8964 9960.
Front Row (L-R):
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D A Mayes OAM, DipLaw - Honorary Treasurer
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S W Matthews, SA Fin - Honorary Chairman
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J H Pollard AM,BSc,PhD,FIA,FIAA,FASSA - Honorary Director
Back Row (L-R):
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K. Lynch BBus, CPA, JP - Honorary Director
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E Hurley BE, FIA, FIAA, GAICD - Honorary Secretary
The Combined Church Choir
The Choir comprises many hundreds of voices from churches of all denominations and others who are interested in singing the classic Handel Oratorio and are drawn not only from Sydney suburbs but from regional areas as well.
Except in 1981 and 1982, when the Choir sang "Messiah" in the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall and in 2008 and 2009 when "Messiah" was presented at the City Recital Hall, all the presentations have been in Sydney Town Hall. Practices are held in St. Stephen's Church, Macquarie Street, Sydney.
About our Conductor
Tim Chung is a well-known conductor, music educator and performer in Sydney. He has conducted ensembles such as the Macquarie University Singers, Sydney University Musical Society, Coro Innominata, and VOX.
As a teacher, Tim Chung has served as the Master of Chapel Music at Trinity Grammar School and
Head of Music Performance at St Aloysius’ College. Most recently, he was the Artistic Director at Santa Sabina College (2018-2023).
As a countertenor, Tim Chung has performed with the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra Choir, Sydney University Graduate Choir, St Andrew’s and St Mary’s Cathedral Choirs, Pinchgut Opera, Cantillation and ACO Voices.
Tim Chung is currently the countertenor soloist for Consort 8, an early music ensemble based at the beautifully renovated St Paul’s Anglican Church, Burwood. Consort 8 performs sacred and secular music from the 13th to the 21st centuries with consorts of renaissance recorders and violas da gamba, lutes, theorbos and percussion.
For information about the Consort 8 concert series CLICK HERE
Tim Chung has conducted the RCC Combined Church choir since 2009. Peter Kneeshaw AM, became the Choir's organist and assistant conductor in 1983 until 2021. Mark Quamby is now the Choir’s organist sine 2022 and continues as the Choir's organist.
2022 Performance - Soloists
Conductor: Tim Chung - Organist :Mark Quarmby
Four Soloists: L.Kains, E. Hicks - Back L-R J.Boulton,A.Young
Soloists. Since the inauguration of the annual presentation of "Messiah", it has been the policy to give young singers the opportunity to sing the principal roles. Our soloists for the 75th Anniversary performances in 2015 have distinguished themselves in opera, oratorio and concert, returning from commitments and further studies overseas, in particular from Germany, for the 2015 performance.
International recognition
Widespread enthusiasm has brought increasing success to the Choir. As a result of the outstanding performances of the Choir in 2012, at which the choir received standing ovations, an invitation was extended for choir members to participate in a combined international choir to sing Messiah-Refreshed in the Avery Fisher Hall in the Lincoln Centre, New York in December, 2013 under the baton of Jonathan Griffith DMA, Distinguished Concerts International New York's Principal Conductor, with a full concert orchestra.
24 choristers of the Radio Community Chest Combined Church Choirs participated in 2013. Seven more choristers joined the DCINY choir in 2014, with ongoing invitations to choristers to participate in the following years.
© 2023 Queries to handel@handelsmessiah.org.au