Celebrate Christmas with the National Boys Choir of Australia

The National Boys Choir of Australia, perhaps recognised by most Australians from the iconic Qantas television
commercials, will be performing its annual Christmas Concert at Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne on Sunday, 17
December 2017. The concert will be based on the Missa Criolla, composed by Ariel Ramírez in 1963; channelling
the rhythms and melodies of his native Argentina.

The National Boys Choir of Australia will celebrate Christmas with a performance of Missa Criolla, featuring soloist
David Rogers-Smith (Tenor) and a 180 voice Boys and Men’s Choir accompanied by traditional instruments. The
programme will also include Christmas favourites such as Ding dong! Merrily on High, O Come All Ye Faithful,
Angels Carol and Jingle Bells accompanied by a professional orchestra.

Coincidently, the National Boys Choir of Australia filmed in Patagonia (of Ramirez’s home country of Argentina)
back in May 1998 for the first round of Qantas’ iconic television commercials. Says Artistic Director Mr Peter Casey
when deciding to present the Missa Criolla: “this programme allows the National Boys Choir of Australia the
opportunity to present a festive programme outside the European realm of traditional Christmas works.”

The Choir is one of the oldest children’s choirs in the country, having celebrated their 50th Anniversary in 2014. It
was founded by Kevin Casey (the present Co-Artistic Director’s father) in Melbourne in 1964. The Choir has toured internationally on sixteen occasions over its fifty year history with destinations including the United Kingdom,
France, Italy, Germany, Austria, Japan, New Zealand, the United States, Taiwan, the Philippines, Hong Kong and
China, giving performances in venues ranging from Disneyland in three countries to St Peter’s in Rome. Locally,
the Choir has toured around Australia; most recently completing a successful tour of regional Victoria and New
South Wales in the September school holidays this year.

Choristers have been involved in major events such as the Sydney Olympics, the Melbourne Commonwealth
Games, The Three Tenors Tour, André Rieu’s Australian tour and Carols by Candlelight from the Myer Music Bowl
for more than two decades. The Choir also regularly performs with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Opera
Australia.