It's a milestone year for the Orange Male Voice Choir as it celebrates a centenary since its founding this October.

The choir, which is the second-oldest male voice choir in Australia, has had hundreds of members join together in song over the decades, but it all began with just a handful of enthusiastic singers, says member and choir archivist David Woodside.

"There were 18 members at its foundation," says David, "and their occupations reflected the period; carriers, blacksmiths, coach builders, a train driver and the then mayor (Bill Blowes) among them."

But it was an inauspicious beginning, he explains.

"The group’s first conductor quit after an early disagreement with the group and it was Rowland Gregory, a Welsh immigrant and newcomer to Orange, who immediately

took the reins and saw the group not only recover, but thrive," David said.

Gregory led the choir as conductor until his death in 1970; in recognition of his remarkable 44 years of service, the choir changed its name to 'the Rowland Gregory Orpheus Singers'.

Subsequent conductors have been Donovan Burn, Roland Auguszczak, Leon Paix, Melanie Meers, Barry Patterson, Philip Rees, and the current conductor Mike Collett.

"Almost all of the accompanists over the century have been ladies," David added. "Rachael Brooking is currently the resident accompanist for the group."

In 1932, the Orange Male Voice Choir was one of several choirs that sang at the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, David says, listing the choir's many notable achievements and engagements.

"A commemorative baton was presented to Rowland Gregory on that occasion and is used by the choir today to ceremonially mark a change of conductor," he says.

During the 1970s, the choir regularly entered the City of Sydney Eisteddfod, winning its section four times that decade.

And when the Orange Civic Theatre opened in 1976, it was the Orange Male Voice Choir which opened proceedings with the Australian classic 'Bless this House'.

Over the years, the Orange Male Voice Choir has sung with many notable singers, including Sir Harry Secombe, June Bronhill, John McNally, Julie Anthony and singer/songwriter Eric Bogle.

The choir has also travelled internationally; its first overseas tour was to Europe and Great Britain in 1985 when it sang at the famed international Llangollen Eisteddfod in Wales.

A major highlight was the choir's 2002 tour of the UK culminating in a sell-out centenary concert for the London Welsh Male Voice Choir at Royal Albert Hall with 1000 voices and the Band of the Welsh Guards.

Other notable tours have included Hong Kong, China and New Zealand.

"The group has performed in the most modest concert venues, such as the Bodonga woolshed on the Iceley Road to some of the world's greatest concert halls," David says, adding that the choir has also been active here in Orange, performing for many decades at the ANZAC Day Dawn Service and other civic occasions, as well as at aged care facilities, funerals and weddings.

"It has also been a stalwart of the highly successful massed choir concerts of the Male Choirs Association of Australia held every two to three years… Most recently in Adelaide in 2025," he continues.

To celebrate their 100th anniversary, the Orange Male Voice Choir is preparing a variety of events culminating in a gala weekend of concerts in November along with a formal dinner.

Joining the choir for the celebratory occasion at the Orange Civic Theatre on November 7, will be acclaimed Australian composer and choral conductor, Paul Jarman. Paul is in demand throughout Australia and has performed worldwide, including at the White House during Barack Obama's presidency. He is also a patron of the Orange Male Voice Choir and, for the 90th anniversary, composed a signature song based on the choir's motto 'Friendship in Song'.

The Gala Centenary concerts will also feature singers from the Male Choirs Association of Australia, members of the Colour City Orchestra, and special guest soloists, Orange's own Jarrod Draper, who most recently sang the part of Raoul for Oz Opera's production of 'Phantom of the Opera' on Sydney Harbour, and Michael Butchard of 'The Australian Tenors' fame.

This will be a concert not to be missed, with two shows, 1pm and 7.30pm, on November 7 at the Orange Civic Theatre. Tickets are available via Ticketek or at the box office; phone 63938111.