Melbourne German Male Choir

Club Tivoli, 291 Dandenon Rd. Windsor, Vic.3181, Tel. (3) 9529-5211 - ask for Arion Secr. Max Kufer

The Liedertafel Arion is one of the oldest Male Choirs in Australia, established by German Migrants during  the “ Victorian  Goldrush- Period “ ( 1860 ).

The name “ARION” comes from Greek mythology, a poet–musician who introduced choral singing many centuries ago.
Presently the Choir is consisting of up to 50 active members, performing qua-lity singing of Classical music,sacred songs, traditional folk songs, and songs for a variety of festive occasions!

2009 is already under way with only little more than a year to go, in celebrating the 150th birthday of the Liedertafel Arion, May 2010 ! An achievement all the present singers are very proud of, but there are still many challenges ahead, in completing preparation works for the choirs historical milestone event.

More about us!

Our Home - Management - Music Staff - How to Join the Choir
Program & Rehearsals - Repertoire and Performances - Choir History

The Club Tivoli is home of the Liedertafel Arion Choir. Yes, in our extensive Club premises we have ample room to practice songs and music for concerts and other performances.

Before and after rehearsals the Choir Members and friends can, at their leisure, enjoy refreshments of any kind in the Bar  Room, and anyone joining the Choir can become Member of Club Tivoli, to enjoy with traditional “ Gemütlichkeit “ the many facilities on offer! Parking  is not a problem!

In line with traditions of the past, the ‘The Liedertafel Arion’ has again an elected  team of Management and Committee at the helm, to plan and organize all the choir activities.

Arion meets Monday evenings, at 7.30 pm.

Arion Management & Committee

President; Werner Schlüter…h/ tel. (03) 9722-2004 email: Werner09@optusnet.com.au
Secretary: Max Kufer h/ tel (03)9787-3612, email: mkufer@bigpond.net.au
Treasurer: Karl-Heinz Klopfer, h/ tel (03) 9802-4148
Librarian, Notes: Horst Petz h/ tel (03) 9802-4148
Group Leaderrs:1st Tenors, Manfred Mischker; 2nd Tenors, Siegfried Stehle; 1st Basses, Adolf Hardt; 2nd Basses, Alfred Tauss. Other positions: Liedrausschuß, Horst Petz, Alois Preiss, Dieter Mittasch, Joachim Raschke & the conductor, Valentino Gamboz.
Stage Marshall, Bruno Kreizig, and Master of Cer. Ernst Ruff.

Join the Choir.ring Richard h/tel.(3) 9763-5338 or any member of management and the committee.

“ Come sing with us “

Amongst the “ Sangesbrüdern“ you’ll enjoy,
Great fellowship, with lots of fun. In wonderful harmony you will sing beautiful songs at concerts, at celebrations of special events, at parties in the Club, and at outings the choir often undertakes! With Arion you’ll travel to other cities of Victoria and Interstate, there to meet with happy members of local Choirs and their friends. To join, you don’t need to speak German, as help is given both on music and conversation. Yes, to all men who love the traditions of German festivities with lot’s of singing,and be merry with friends, this is the right group of people to join! In fact we have our “ Arion Ladies ” to look after your wife or partner whilst practising!

THE ARION LADIES: (by Irene, the leader!) Ring, 9398-2680

The wives and partners of the members of the Arion Choir have formed a group which meets on the last Monday of the month while the men are practicing.

It was formed to facilitate a closer bond between the singers and their families as well as engaging in some fund rising activities in support of the Choir.
Our main fundraisers are the ‘Tea Dance and the Gartenfest ’ which are always a lot of fun and a great success because of the effort everyone puts in.
Other initiatives have resulted in social functions and outings which have all promoted the unity of the Choir.We meet casually at the Tivoli club and deal with whatever is next on the agenda and with what needs to be done and then enjoy each others company over coffee and cake. All ladies are welcome to attend and feel that they too are part of the Arion family!

DATES  TO  REMEMBER

(As per Arion Gazette, by Max Kufer, February 2009)

There are no dates available yet, for Tivoli Christmas bazaar, Childrens Christmas party, for city Lutheran Church singing, and for Tivoli Chrismas party. ( will be advised )

Please note, Arion rehearsals are every Monday, 7.30 pm.with the exception as indicated above. # denotes Conductor is required.

Music Staff

New Conductor; Valentino Gamboz, tel. 0423-243762

Our new Musical director, appointed Jan.2008 ,is a qualified person in this field, and all Arion singers highly appreciate his extraordinary skill in advancing our choir to high levels of performances.

Born 1943 in Istria, married with one doughter, and now living in Melbourne, Valentino has been involved with music all his life! He has a wealth of experience in choir conducting, in teaching music theory and history, in singing and also in instrumental tuition.

In former Yogoslavia he gained BH honours in Music 1976, and for over 6 years he conducted the Yugoslav Army Choir, as well as Choirs of civil function, whilst also working proffessionally as Music Leader at the Contemporary Theatre of Belgrade. In 1984 Valentino departed for Australia, where he eagerly continued working in the field of music. In 1987 he graduated with a Diploma in Education, (Music Classroom 1 and 2,) at the Melbourne University.

From 1994 to 2006 Valentino was Head of Music at the ‘Kurunjang Secondary College ‘ in Melton near Melbourne from 1994 until retirement in 2007. Since 2006 he conducted the Italian Stage Band “ V. Bellini, and now he is the Musical Director of the Liedertafel Arion.

PIANIST: Natalya Vagner, tel. 0408-764973

Born 1973 in Kazakstan, Natalya was tutored by her mother,from the age of seven. She graduated as Piano-Major at the Timortau College in Kazakstan.- In 1991, in Washington USA, Natalya was accompanist for the Russian Lyric Master Class at the University of America. In 2000 she came to Australia to live, and it was then, that she became Piano Accompanist for the Liedertafel Arion!

As part of the140th birthday of Arion, she participated in the Choirs Concert-Tour to Germany, and then in 2004 she again accompanied the Choir at the NZ Concert-Tour.

Her excellent play at the Piano is highly applauded and her loyalty to Arion is much appreciated by all members of the Choir!

Arion History

The Melbourne German Male Choir was founded by German Migrants in the Gold-Rush Period at around 1850. Under the name of “ Liedertafel Harmonia “ the activities of that choir continued for about a decade, when on the 1st May 1860 the then existing GermanT urnverein (GymnasticGroup) and this Male Choir combined to form the Melbourne German Club. It was then that Choir was officially registered as “Melbourne Liedertafel,” which was renamed in to “ Liedertafel Arion” in 1885. The purpose of the choir was to preserve and foster traditional ‘German Choir-Singing ‘ and also to keep the German language alive. In friendship and true spirit of fellowship the brethren of the ongoing Choirs continued unabated to practice German songs. Yes the wonderful virtue of togetherness went on and on, and just like choirs in the old country the Liedertafel Arion loyally continued fo uphold ‘ Das Deutsche Lied und Wort ’ !

Only during the 1st and 2nd world wars, the German Club Tivoli together with the Choir had to cease their activities. However, a short time thereafter all German Associations in Australia were allowed to practice their cultural traditions again, especially after 2nd world war, when a great influx of young Germans arrived here to settle as new migrants. The Liedertafel Arion quickly reestablished itself, and in the following years it became one of the most active choir in Australia. Under the conductorship of Fred Ziegler, a former member of the ‘ Vienna Boys Choir’, concerts were given in Victoria, the choir sang for various charities and it also participated at concerts in cities interstate. Then in May 1970 Arion hosted the 1st “ German Sängerfest’ of postwar Australia, held in the Camberwell Concert Hall with three Male Choirs participating. (The Adelaide Liedertafel, the Wollongong Sanssousi Choir, and the Melbourne Liedertafel Arion (1860 )! The Royal Australian Air-Force Orchestra played various peaces of fabulous music and very effectively accompanied the singing of the combined choirs! The festival was a huge success ,which prompted the continuation of the Sängerfest on a regular basis. Four more times the Festival was hosted by Arion in Melbourne,with up to 18 German Choirs from all over Australia participating. From there on, the Sängerfest was hel in Adelaide, Sydney, Canberra, Brisbane, Tanunda, Hahndorf,Perth and last in 2008 again in Adelaide.

Since foundation Arion always kept busy, but the highlights of its post war activities were the four ‘Concert Tours’ to Germany ! First in 1980, then in 1985 and 1992, and as part of the 140th anniversary in 2000 again. Venues were in Bremen, Berlin, Köln, Hanover, Frankfurt, Stuttgart,in cities of Eastern Germany,and also in various smaller cities of Austria and Northern Italy. Judging from press releases, and from the enthusiastic applause given by the audiences, the performances by ”The Liedertafel Arion “ from DownUnder, have been remarkably successful. Then in 2004 Arion once again undertook an overseas Concert Tour,this time to beautiful New Zealand, where the Choir participated at the N.Z Male Choir Festival in the City of Hamilton. As guest choir Arion also sang with the Wellington Male Choir in that city, and on tour through the country the choir had the privilege to perform a recital in the beautiful Cathedral of Christchurch. The Liedertafel Arion is the proud holder of the coveted “ Zelter Medalle” awarded for exceptional services to Choir Singing, from the DSB of the Federal Republic of Germany! More details of History from the early development and activities of Arion and Club Tivoli will be presented in 2010, as part of the 150th birthday Celebration !

More history details of both the Club Tivoli and the Arion Choir, can be found in the official Tivoli Club archives!

Please feel free to list us in your Choir Listings with the following wording:

MELBOURNE GERMAN MALE CHOIR
LIEDERTAFEL ARION Est. 1860