JOSHUA Salter was born in Port Macquarie, and his involvement with the Hastings Choristers spans decades.
He first sang with the group at age 11 under the baton of the choir’s founder, Robyn Ryan OAM.
Robyn led the Hastings Choristers for 32 years, and she still teaches piano and voice privately.
Joshua is excited to return to lead the choir that first gave him a foundational love of singing.
He hopes to continue delivering the high-quality choral music the community has come to expect.
“Robyn was my first choir conductor at Westport Public School where I auditioned when I was in Year 5,” said Joshua.
“I went on to study voice with her and took private lessons, preparing my AMEB exams with her up to Grade 8.
“During this time I also continued to sing with the Hastings Choristers, until I finished Year 12 at MacKillop College and moved away to begin tertiary education.”
Robyn recalls her first impressions of Joshua as a young singer.
“Joshua was absolutely outstanding as an 11-year-old when I first auditioned him,” she said.
“He stood out and was noticed by everybody – very musical, great pitch – and that’s how it all began.”
Joshua studied in Sydney and Newcastle and later worked in Sydney as a vocal teacher and freelance opera singer.
He taught voice and conducted vocal ensembles at St Andrew’s Cathedral School for eight years before moving to Germany.
While in Berlin, Joshua sang as a guest in the chorus of both the Staatsoper Unter den Linden (Berlin State Opera) and the Deutsche Oper.
He sang under the baton of conductors including Christian Thielemann and Sir Donald Runnicles.
As a soloist, Joshua worked with the Staatsoper Hannover and Anhaltisches Theater in Dessau.
Among his performance credits were the Andreaskirche Kinderchor in Wannsee, Choriner Opernsommer Eberswalde, and the Oper Oder Spree Festival in Brandenburg.
Joshua’s singing students have been nominated for ENCORE.
They have worked at a professional level with Opera Australia and many have gone on to tertiary study in Australia and overseas.
Joshua’s experience and musical expertise will be an asset to the Port Macquarie community.
Hastings Choristers resume weekly rehearsals on 3 February at 6.30pm at the MacKillop College Performing Arts Centre.
By Pauline CAIN
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