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Societas Choralis Universitatis Nationalis Australiensis =
The Australian National University (ANU) Choral Society
According to the designer, Judith Clingan AM:
"The top two treble clefs are two intoxicated singers leaning against each other; the lower two (reflected) were added for aesthetic balance, but unfortunately in later years were often omitted."
- From a 1969 page in JAC 1945-1983, one of Judy's albums of memorabilia
The old SCUNA documents represented in these pages came to light during a search for the names of former members. SCUNA began in 1963, and I was keen that a reunion should be held to mark the 40th anniversary in 2003. Nothing of the kind had been attempted since the 21st birthday celebrations in 1984.
Just about everything before 1979 is missing from the SCUNA archives - there's no record of the founding of the choir in 1963, or of the members, officebearers, concerts and conductors during its first 17 years. There's no record of the machinations behind the first Canberra Intervarsity Choral Festival, the first SCUNA record (SCUNA's Greatest Hits), or the first SCUNA (& UNCS!) Songbook, all of which blazed forth in 1971 after two years and two terms of Chris Burrell's conductorship.
One day, when SCUNA's history is written and when versions of the old documents are all safely online, the originals will go into the SCUNA archives (now, sensibly, under the care of the ANU Archivist) and go some way towards filling the gap.
The documents yielded a couple of hundred names. With Michael Sawer's work on post-1980 documents, the list grew beyond 700. Members of the SCUNA 40th Working Group took part in the hunt for contact information, and we emailed (or in extreme cases, snailmailed) everyone we could - probably 350 or so former members. SCUNA's 40th Birthday Celebrations were held on the weekend of 12-14 December 2003, and I think I can safely say that the SCUNA 40th Birthday Dinner was a great success, despite extremely late notice and other unexpected complications. Love conquers all - and how SCUNAe and ex-SCUNAe love their choir!
SCUNA is a member of AICSA (The Australian Intervarsity Choral Societies Association):
"AICSA Members are choirs from universities around the country. These choirs have a broad membership base, with undergraduate and postgraduate students from all types of degrees (the least frequent type of degree probably being music!) making up the majority. The choirs are generally also open to anyone else (AICSA choirs are unauditioned as a rule) and there are a good number of non-student members, including university staff and many people not associated with the universities in any way."
- Australian Intervarsity Choral Societies Association: Introduction: Members
Diverse membership has been one of SCUNA's great virtues, enabling it to span generations and levels of ability, and perhaps for that reason, to function as a very effective educational institution. It has subverted many a member (including me) from a "sensible" course of study into music. Not that all the learning in a choir is necessarily about music: the unwritten curriculum has been known to include life, people, work, dedication, co-operation, and love.
No one's been a member for the whole 40 years, but a couple of people have made it to 30, for which I applaud (and envy) them. Ex-SCUNAe are scattered all over Australia and the world, but those we managed to track down were delighted to hear that their choir was still going strong. And it is their choir. SCUNA is a trust, passed on through generations, and it's a continuum where members - past, present and future - all have a place. This was evident in the joy and song of the Reunion Dinner, when more than a hundred current and former members came together to share tradition and change, memories and predictions, and to honour and celebrate this remarkable choir.
Looks as if I'll make it to the 50th, if anyone happens to be organising a celebration.
Meanwhile, I'll be adding to these pages. If you have any comments, or any SCUNA documents from between 1963 and 1988 that you're willing to share, please me.
Val T
A mailing list was established as a result of the reunion held during SCUNA's 40th birthday celebrations in December 2003. All former members, conductors and accompanists are welcome to subscribe, as are current members with an interest in SCUNA's history.
Suggested uses of the list include:
It's not a high-traffic list - just a place for generally keeping in touch. Find out how to subscribe on the scuna_alumni information page (external page).
My thanks for help in the quest for SCUNA's history and members go to:
| Ian Allan SCUNA's first conductor |
Helen Guy (née McCullagh) Joined 1974 |
Deborah Martin Joined 1971 |
Robert K. L. Taylor Joined 1975 |
| Michael Bleby Joined 1969 |
Janet Healey Founding member |
National Library of Australia Manuscripts section |
Gerrie Titulaer President 2002 |
| Peter Campbell Author of two very useful books* |
Brian Hingerty Conductor 1971-1977 & 1987-1988 |
Mark Penman Joined 1974 |
Camilla Webster Joined 1976 |
| Judith Clingan Founding member |
Gary Hovey Joined 1970 |
Michael Sawer Joined 1974 |
Rodney Wetherell Founder |
| Daryl Colquhoun Joined 1978 |
Judy Huston Biographer of Sue Baldwin |
Maggie Shapley University Archivist, Australian National University |
Annabel Wheeler Joined 1969 |
| Tony Dooley Joined 1969 |
Stefan Karpiniec Joined 1976 |
Matthew Stuckings Assistant conductor 2002- |
*Laudate: the first 50 years of the Australian Intervarsity Choral Movement, PC Publishing, Canberra, 1999
Canberra Choral Society: A capital choir for a capital city, PC Publishing, Canberra, 2002