On 8th December 1931 at the Assembly Rooms in Pier Street, Mr A.J. Leckie raised his baton to conduct the first appearance of the newly formed UWA Choral Society in a performance of Stanford’s “The Revenge” and a selection of part-songs. There was no orchestra, Miss Elsie Watson accompanying the choir on the piano.

Under a series of conductors, Percy Grainger, Dr. (later Sir) Malcolm Sargent , Sir Thomas Beecham, Professor Frank Callaway, Tibor Paul, John Winstanley, Roy Rimmer, Ian Westrip, Warwick Stengards, Prue Ashurst, John Beaverstock and Burhan Guner, the Society has performed both on its own and with other groups, a diverse range of music.

Musical highlights have included: Mozart’s Coronation Mass, Vespers and Requiem, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Verdi’s Requiem, Bach’s Mass in B Minor, Matthew Passion and Christmas Oratorio, Orff’s Carmina Burana, Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius, Lloyd Webber’s Requiem, Rutter’s Requiem, Bruckner’s Mass in E Minor, Haydn’s The Seasons and The Creation, Dvorak’s Stabat Mater and Mass in D Minor, Vivaldi’s Gloria and Handel’s Coronation Anthems, Israel in Egypt and The Messiah.

2011 will mark 80 years of choral singing. This coincides with the University of Western Australia's centennial and great things are being planned!

For information about joining UWACS or attending its performances, please use the table of contents below.