Crown Law Choir performs at the Law Year Church Service

The Crown Law Choir had the privilege again this year of contributing to the music for the Law Year Church Service, which took place on Monday 10 July at the Albert Street Uniting Church.

The choir was conducted by Director Linda Tolmie and accompanied by the Church’s Director of Music, Greg Hartay-Szabo on organ, and barrister Levente Jurth on cello. Crown Law officers Sarah McBratney, Bernadette Wrafter, Joseph Kapeleris and Tony Keyes performed alongside colleagues from other justice agencies and the private profession. The service was well attended, with congregation including strong representation from the Queensland and federal Courts and tribunals and the profession.

In addition to leading the national anthem and congregational hymns, the choir performed Holy, Holy, Holy by Franz Schubert, The Lord Is My Shepherd by Howard Goodall (familiar to connoisseurs as the theme to The Vicar of Dibley) featuring Sarah as soprano soloist, and Commit Whatever Grieves Thee (adapted from J S Bach’s chorale Befiehl Du Deine Wege). Mr Hartay-Szabo brought everyone to attention with three thunderous fanfares at the beginning of the service, and with his virtuosic recessional and postlude at the conclusion.

The choir is grateful to the Chief Justice, the Honourable Catherine Holmes, who has continued her predecessor’s tradition of staunch support and appreciation for the choir. The Chief Justice wrote to Linda after the event to say that the singing ‘had an almost celestial quality, coming from above. I heard many admiring remarks about it.’ The choir appreciates the contribution of choir members and associates who were unable to perform but provided invaluable support behind the scenes including Andrew Hall, Chris Maxwell, Grant Hitzman, Penelope Milen and Emma Murray.