Festival Statesmen Chorus
Formed in April 2009 by Musical Director and Educator Jonathan Bligh, The Festival Statesmen Chorus is a dynamic all-male a-capella vocal group based in Adelaide, South Australia. With repertoire ranging from Contemporary to Classical, this chorus exists to provide a platform for singers to achieve vocal and performance excellence.
History
Formed in 2009 by Jonathan Bligh the Festival Statesmen burst onto the Barbershop Harmony Australia scene and originally made themselves the home for youth barbershop in the country. This was bolstered by the presence of The Fishbowl Boys who were two-time Barbershop Harmony Australia Youth Quartet Champions and one-time bronze medalists in the open competition.
The chorus has headlined a number of choral festivals all across Australia and regularly runs workshops for secondary school students. The chorus have won a number of awards over the years in various genres. They've also hosted a number of sold-out shows in the Adelaide Fringe. In 2018, the chorus became Barbershop Harmony Australia Chorus Champions with the highest average score in Australian history.
Since 2020, the chorus focused their attention on the wider choral community, collaborating with international choral artists, culminating with with their appearance at the 13th World Choir Games in New Zealand, where they won two Championship Trophies and two Gold Medals. They have released 2 EPs and 1 album during their history.
Director
- Jonathan Bligh - 2009 - Present
Competitive History
Barbershop Harmony Australia Chorus Competition
| 2009 | 2011 | 2013 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3rd | 3rd | 2nd | 2nd | 2nd | -- | 1st (85.2) |