Our Patrons
Baillieu Myer
VALE
Also known as Bails Myer, was an Australian businessman and philanthropist. A member of the Myer family retailing dynasty, he was the son of Sidney and Merlyn Myer. He joined his family’s company, the Myer Emporium, in 1949 and became its chairman in 1983. He oversaw its merger with GJ Coles & Coy to create Coles Myer and retired from business in 1994. In his later life, Myer was involved with philanthropic, scientific and arts organisations. Up until his recent passing Bails was a vibrant patron of the AWMC since first hearing the choir over 40 years ago. He was well known within the choir for leading us into “Men of Harlech” at every opportunity. The choir are hoping to continue the relationship with the Myer family in the future.
Tamie Fraser
Tamara (Tamie) Margaret Beggs was born in Adelaide, South Australia, the eldest of four children. She grew up on Nareeb Nareeb, her father's property near Glenthompson, Victoria. She began her education with governesses, and then at the age of nine was sent to board at The Hermitage, a girls' school in Geelong that was later merged into Geelong Grammar School. She was a school prefect and sport captain.
Tamie married Malcolm Fraser in Willaura on 9 December 1956. The couple had four children together.
Tamie disliked public speaking and electioneering work, but when her husband fell ill during the crucial election campaign of December 1975, after the dismissal of the Whitlam government, she represented him and spoke on his behalf.
Tamie founded and was president of The Australiana Fund from 1978 to 1983. She was President of Australia's Open Garden Scheme.[7] In 2004 she was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for her service to the community through fostering the recognition and preservation of Australian artistic achievement, for initiating and promoting a range of activities to support people with disabilities, and for support of charitable, health and service groups
Dr Haydn James
Dr Haydn James is a conductor/arranger with many years experience in the world of choral music. For twelve years, he conducted The Dylan Singers, and for the following thirty years was Musical Director of The London Welsh Male Voice Choir; also, for five years Haydn travelled to Wales to direct The South Wales Male Choir, which was one of the largest choirs in the Principality. During this time, he appeared at most of the UK’s major concert halls, and toured extensively throughout Europe, North America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, South America and the Falklands. Haydn was the first conductor of an exciting new young male chorus, Eschoir, and regularly appears as guest conductor with a number of mixed and male choirs.
As Musical Director for the Welsh Rugby Union, Haydn has led the singing at more than 130 international matches at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium (previously known as The Millennium Stadium), as well as at a variety of Rugby Union, Rugby League, NFL and FA Cup Finals in Cardiff, Twickenham, Wembley and elsewhere. He has directed Melody Music’s British and Irish Lions Male Choir on tours to Australia (2001 & 2013), New Zealand (2005) and South Africa (2009), and has conducted nine massed choir festivals (the ‘1000 Voices’) at the Royal Albert Hall, as well as at similar events in Cardiff, New York, Sydney, Toronto and elsewhere.
As a choral arranger, Haydn’s work has been performed and recorded by many of the top male choirs in the UK and elsewhere, whilst some of his arrangements have been performed at Royal Albert Hall (the ‘1000 Male Voices’ concerts), as well as at massed choir concerts in Sydney Opera House and Carnegie Hall, New York.