Townsville Apollo Club and Orchestra Archive
The Townsville Apollo Club and Orchestra began in Townsville in 1929, with its first public performance on 20 March, and flourished until 1936. During this time it regularly gave concerts. The all-male choir with orchestra came into being when a few men who enjoyed singing decided they should take advantage of having available in their town a conductor of A W Trembath’s ability and reputation. The men asked Trembath to help with choral and instrumental music with the objective of mastering a small repertoire of part-songs for their own amusement.
With strong interest among Townsville residents, however, membership rapidly increased to eighty. Attendance at rehearsals was strong, and with persistent practice the choir developed a performance repertoire of up to thirty songs. After success in various competitions, the group decided to formalise their club by electing officers and soliciting subscribers in order to present seasonal concerts. At Trembath’s invitation, Townsville instrumentalists offered to assist the choir, and the Apollo Orchestra was formed. The Townsville Railway Band then also lent its support. Three concerts of the highest possible standard were given annually. Club policy was to study and develop male voice-singing in all its branches, to render assistance to other Townsville organisations, and to represent Townsville in North Queensland and Queensland Musical Competitions. Conductor Trembath was a local dentist who had earlier (in the 1920s) been associated with the Charters Towers Curlew Choir and Charters Towers Methodist Choir. Honorary Secretary, J V Squire, was a bass baritone who sang with the choir and also in a male voice quartet. The pianiste, Miss St.George, had a 100% attendance record. The concerts were very well-received and attended and many local firms and identities lent their support to the club.Archive Location: 341L
Detailed Listing
TAC/1 A letter from Stephen Ellis to the History Department of the University College of Townsville regarding information on the donation - Apollo Choir Collection.
TAC/2 Townsville Apollo Club and Orchestra. Grand Opening Concert, 1st concert, 1st season. Wintergarden Theatre, Tuesday, May 21, 1929. The programme.
TAC/3 Townsville Apollo Club and Orchestra. Ground Concert, 3rd concert, 1st season. Wintergarden Theatre, Monday, 9th December, 1929. The programme (2 copies).
TAC/4 Townsville Apollo Club and Orchestra. Grand Concert, 3rd concert, 2nd season. Wintergarden Theatre, Monday, 8th December 1930. The programme.
TAC/5 Townsville Apollo Club and Orchestra. Grand Concert, 1st concert, 4th season. Wintergarden Theatre, 13th September 1932. The programme.
TAC/6 Townsville Apollo Club and Orchestra. Grand Concert, 2nd concert, 4th season. Wintergarden Theatre, Friday, 9th December, 1932. The programme.
TAC/6B The Apollo Club. The Rough Riders (piece of music).
TAC/7 Charters Towers Curlew Choir and Orchestra. Ground Evening Concert, 3rd concert, Theatre Royal, Tuesday, 15th November, 1927. The programme.
TAC/8 New South Wales Band Championships, 1937. Introduction by the adjudicator (A.W. Trembath).
TAC/9 New South Wales Band Championships. Adjudicators award sheets, 1937.
TAC/10 A.W. Trembath. A professional paper on ceramics (dentistry).
TAC/11 Queensland State and Municipal Choir incorporating the Brisbane Musical Union. "Elijah", 9th concert, City Concert Hall, Tuesday, 17th May 1932.
TAC/12 Barclays Bank Musical Society. Concert in aid of London Hospital, Thursday, May 11th 1933.
TAC/13 Band Association of New South Wales. Annual Championship, 24th, January 22-27, 1927. The programme.
TAC/14 A Certificate of Merit presented by the Band Association of New South Wales to the Charters Towers Citizens Band, 26 January 1927.
TAC/15 Eisteddfod Council of North Queensland. Annual Eisteddfod, 33rd, 1957. The programme.
TAC/16 Music in Australia. Volume 4, Number 10, April 20, 1929.
TAC/17 The Australian Musical News. August 2, 1926.
TAC/18 The Musical Times. July 1, 1932.
TAC/19 Masonic Music Book. Royal Edition, Number 30.
TAC/20 Smoko Hymns (a typewritten copy).
TAC/21 A letter from L. King Palmer of Paxton House, London RE: dispatch of a thematic leaflet, 1939 and the accompanying leaflet.
TAC/22 Wattle Royal Arch Chapter, Number 42, S.G.R.A. Chapter of Queensland - installation of principals and investiture of officers in the Masonic Temple. Townsville, June 1st, 1962.
TAC/23 Information booklet on entry requirements for Eisteddfod 1957.
TAC/24 Grand Concert programme, 1st concert, 2nd season, June 1930.
TAC/25 Grand Concert programme, 3rd concert, 2nd season, December 1930 (photocopy)
TAC/26 Grand Concert programme, December 1931 (photocopy)
