Jonathan welch update

The son of a church organist, Jonathon Welch developed a passion for music from a young age. He pursued a career as a music teacher before touring Australia in The Pirates of Penzance in 1983. Welch undertook further performance training in Brisbane and joined Opera Australia on a five-year contract in 1993. He has subsequently enjoyed a successful career as a performer and teacher and is a founding member of ‘Tenor Australis.’

Welch has contributed to a wide range of community music projects. Inspired by a Canadian choir for disadvantaged people he formed the Sydney Street Choir in 2002. He subsequently moved to Melbourne and started the ‘Choir of Hard Knocks’ in 2006. A television documentary about the choir revealed the great power of choral singing in building and renewing promise in the lives of those less fortunate. It also raised community awareness of the social challenges of homelessness, depression and addiction.

For other people with similar names, see John Welch (disambiguation) and Jonathan Welsh (disambiguation).

Musical artist

Jonathon Charles WelchAM (born 5 October 1958) is an Australian choral conductor, opera singer and voice teacher. As a singer, Welch has been a tenor for the Victoria State Opera, Lyric Opera of Queensland and Opera Australia.

During 2006 Welch was invited to be the choirmaster for the Fremantle TV production known as The Choir of Hard Knocks comprising homeless and disadvantaged singers from Melbourne. The TV producer was Jason Stephens^[1][2] and the five-part documentary series was televised during mid-2007 on Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

In June 2009 on the Queen's Birthday, Welch was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia with the citation, "For service to the arts as an operatic performer and vocal coach, and to the community as the founder and musical director of the Choir of Hard Knocks". On 1 April that year he had released his autobiography, Choir Man.^[3]

Biography

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