The Choristers
| Company type | Choir |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1936 |
| Founder | W.H. Anderson |
| Defunct | 1974 |
| Headquarters | Winnipeg , Canada |
| Products | Choral music performances and radio broadcasts |
The Choristers was a chamber choir from Winnipeg, Canada, known for their weekly nationally aired programs on CBC Radio between 1942 and 1969. As described by The Canadian Encyclopedia, the ensemble gained "a national reputation for their fine choral blend and sense of style." Commonly referred to as the "Sunday Chorale" due to their regular feature on the CBC Radio show of the same name from 1952 until 1969, the choir included distinguished members such as Evelyne Anderson, Devina Bailey, Lorne Betts, Kathleen Morrison Brown, Reginald Hugo, May Lawson, Joan Maxwell, Phyllis Cooke Thomson, and Gladys Whitehead.
History
Originally established in 1936 by composer and conductor W.H. Anderson under the name Oriana Singers, the group started with 14 vocalists focusing on madrigals, motets, folk song arrangements, as well as sacred and secular part songs. Their inaugural accompanist was pianist Gordon Kushner.
By 1942, the ensemble grew to 20 singers and adopted the name The Choristers to accommodate new recording opportunities coinciding with the launch of their weekly national broadcasts on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation beginning June 2, 1942. Occasionally, they performed alongside orchestras conducted by Geoffrey Waddington and Eric Wild. In 1952, their radio program was retitled Sunday Chorale, concentrating solely on sacred choral repertoire with organ accompaniment initially provided by H. Hugh Bancroft, followed by Herbert Sadler and Filmer Hubble.
When Anderson resigned as director in 1955 shortly before his passing, leadership passed to Hubble—his student and the choir’s organist—who directed until his death in 1969. Subsequently, Herbert Belyea, another protégé of Anderson and a choir tenor, assumed direction until the choir dissolved in 1974. Although weekly broadcasts ended after Anderson’s death, The Choristers continued to make occasional appearances on CBC Radio throughout the 1970s.