The Royal Dunedin Male Choir 

Administration

The Royal Dunedin Male Choir is administered by the Royal Dunedin Male Choir Incorporated, limited to and exclusively for charitable purposes, in New Zealand. The activities of the Choir are administered by a Committee, elected at the Annual General Meeting.

Principal Officers

Musical Director - John Buchanan MNZM

John Buchanan

John has won many accolades during his professional career including the Dunstanza senior girls’ choir Gold Medals at Melbourne Eisteddfod in 2014; People’s Choice in the 2015 Big Sing Regional Competition and in 2017 winning a silver award and the award for the best presentation of a song in Te Reo at The Big Sing Finale in Auckland. In 2018 the Seniors Girls were invited to attend the Australian International Music Festival in Sydney where they gained a very high Silver Award

In 2017 he was invited to conduct the Roxburgh Brass Band taking them to the National championships in Wellington where they won the D grade section and Conductors award for best conductor. The following year the band went to the National Championships in Blenheim and again won the whole D grade section- a first for the band.

When John returned to Dunedin earlier this year he was invited to conduct Opera Otago’s production of Mikado. He is also very involved with the New Zealand Choral Federation and he was contracted by them to organise three musical festivals in three regions of the country.

John now lives in Dunedin with his partner Sharon McLennan.

Accompanist

Linda Folland

Principal Accompanist

I was born in Mosgiel and have lived there all my life. I have been married to Terry since 1991 and have 2 children; Loren born in 1994 and Jaden born in 1999. We also have a Golden Retriever named Fletcher. I completed my BCom at the University of Otago majoring in Accounting and I started my working life at Deloitte Touché Tohmatsu in their Audit Department where I stayed for 5 years. I have been in my current job as Accountant and Administration Manager for Zenith Technology since 1992.

I am an only child but our home was never quiet, music was always a big part of growing up. Mum was involved with the Araiteuru Marae where every Monday evening was ‘Maori Club’ and I often joined in their cultural performances. Dad joined the RDMC around the time I was born, not sure if that was just a coincidence! There was always a quartet or quintet practising at our house and I grew up with Val Drew and Les Bonar often rehearsing in our living room.

I started on the piano around 9 years of age and my first teachers were the Catholic Nuns in Mosgiel. I also had short stints with Val Drew and Judy Faris with my last teacher being Zelda Collins with whom I passed the performance part of my LTCL with the highest mark in Otago that year.

I accompanied the Close Harmony Chorus of the RDMC for a few years before becoming official choir accompanist when Judy retired. Under Les Bonar’s direction the Close Harmony Chorus also sung at my wedding. I accompanied choir soloists at various concerts the Close Harmony Chorus have sung at and have accompanied my daughter at singing competitions. I was pianist for the Scottish Regiment on Anzac Day for a number of years and was back-up pianist at ‘Harry’s church’ (Harry Johnston) where I played on a number of occasions.

I have no formal voice training except for a short period of time with Kathy Dawson but I have sung in a quartet with Les Bonar, Judy Faris and my Dad and then later years in quintets with various choir members which were great fun.

I am currently in the process of completing my family tree which I am finding both fascinating and challenging. Terry and I have been active members of the Alfa Romeo Owners Club of NZ for over 20 years and are regularly involved in events run both regionally and nationally. I regularly go to the gym and like to keep fit which is helped by having a dog who likes long daily walks. I am also a Trustee and Secretary of the New Zealand Brain Tumour Trust, a trust set up to provide care and support to patients and families with brain tumours and to provide much-needed funds for brain tumour research.

Committee

Website Editor

Honorary Solicitor

Honorary Members

Contacts

Postal

Secretary

Ian Gray

Royal Dunedin Male Choir

68 Church Street

MOSGIEL 9024

Phone: 021 884 661

rdmchoir@gmail.com

Email

info@rdmc.nz

In person

The Choir administration does not maintain a physical office. If you wish to speak to a committee member we suggest that you visit us during a choir rehearsal session on a Monday evening between 7:00pm and 9:30pm. There is typically a short break in rehearsals at 8:30pm.

Rehearsals are on Mondays at 7:15pm at the Caversham Baptist Church, corner of Surrey Street and Main South Road, Caversham, Dunedin.

The RDMC Lyre emblem
carved by Phil Ashton