Meeting with Ross Cullinane, Secretary of the University of Dublin Choral Society, in House Six where the society is based, was like finding an oasis from the mania of college life.
Cullinane was very welcoming and happy to chat from the moment we sat down. I’d caught him as he skimmed through a document prepared by Trinity graduate and noted scholar Gerald Fitzgibbon for the society’s 150th anniversary, which carefully detailed its long and fascinating history. Throughout our conversation, Cullinane was kind enough to relay some of the infamous stories to me.
The Choral Society was founded in 1837, making it the third oldest society on campus after the Hist and the Theological society. Indeed, in its founding days, it was the first university choral society in the British Isles and proudly called itself the University Choral Society. Fifteen years later, as time moved on and it was no longer the only society of its kind, it was renamed the University of Dublin Choral Society and this is the title that it bears today.
The history of the society is an intriguing one. Perhaps it was the fact that it was Women’s Week, but what struck me, taking to Cullinane, was the work that the society has dedicated to gender equality.
When the Choral Society was founded, Trinity was still an all-male institution. Not only were men the only people permitted to study there, but they were also the only people allowed to set foot on campus. Women were forbidden from attending the society’s concerts, while the society itself could only perform on campus.
And so began a series of protestations at council meetings and, after several run-ins with the Provost of the time, a new concert was held for women. It was called the Ladies Spring Concert and took place every year from 1838, before finishing in 2009.
Although this was a step in the right direction, the concert’s rule nonetheless still specified the precise attire that women were allowed to wear when they attended.
The next advancement took place after the four-part choir, consisting of tenors, countertenors, baritones and basses, was deemed inadequate for the repertoire that the choir wanted to take on. As such, female voices would be required to perform the parts. Initially, visiting singers came from the various cathedral choirs nearby until 1870, when women were finally permitted to join the choir. Up until this point, rehearsals took place on Wednesday evenings at 8pm. However, the permission for female choral singers came with a stipulation that all women must be off campus by 6pm each evening. To accommodate, rehearsals moved to 4pm on Fridays. This was the modus operandi until 1904, when women were finally admitted to study at the university and rehearsals were moved back to their original times.
Although the reasons for wanting to include female singers in the society was partially to allow the choir to tackle more challenging pieces, the pioneering work that the society did to include females should be justly noted. Had it not been for the fierce determination of all involved during those years, it might have been even more difficult for women to integrate into the College community when they were finally allowed to attend the university.
Since those times, the Choral Society has changed in a myriad of ways. Membership is now open to all current students, staff and alumni. Speaking with The University Times, Cullinane commented on how every member of the society “leaves their rank at the door”. With no assigned seating, you might end up next to one of your lecturers one week or beside a first-year undergrad the next. The choir rehearses weekly on a Wednesday evening for their biannual concerts, which coincide with Trinity’s Michaelmas and Hilary semesters. Prior to semesterisation changes in 2010, which confined Trinity term to an exam period alone, the number of annual concerts stood at three and not two.
The choir’s repertoire predominantly focuses on the Baroque and Classical period. The walls of the society office are bedecked with posters from concerts of Haydn, Mendelssohn, Brahms and Mozart. Occasionally, posters are added with concerts from the romantics such as Verdi, or perhaps even form debut compositions by former directors of the society.
Of course, a romantic composition requires accompaniment from a romantic orchestra and, as such, the only suitable venue for such a concert is the National Concert Hall, which has a large enough stage to fit both singers and instrumentalists.
Cullinane himself insists that the Choral Society is a great opportunity to take up singing, as he insists he “never sang a note outside the shower” before he joined the choir in 2009. Having been trained as a pianist and not a singer, he found his musical practice dwindling during his college years.
Although most members would have some form of musical background, there are no prerequisites for the choir and there is no audition process. Remarking on this, Cullinane said: “As is to be imagined the choir is therefore very large with 125 members performing at their last concert.”
The latest Michaelmas concert showcased the stamina and vocal agility of the choral society as they performed Mozart’s Requiem. The concert, which was held in the Public Theatre, more commonly known as the Exam Hall, had the best turnout in three years, according to Cullinane.
While the choir’s repertoire would vary considerably to avoid monotony, the conductor David Lee ensures that the most iconic choral arrangements are performed at least once every four years. In keeping with this, the society are currently rehearsing for their performance of Handel’s Messiah which will take place on Wednesday December 13th.
It’s still not too late to sign up during this academic year. Cullinane rightly points out that the practice sessions provide all members with a much-needed respite from the stress of college deadlines and work. Besides, in his own words, the society is a really good “social way to continue having a bit of musical involvement” in your life.
