WASO Farewells Andrew Foote

Associate Professor Andrew Foote has announced he will be stepping down from his position as WASO Chorus Director after six years in the role. A Helpmann Award-winner, Dr. Foote is one of the most experienced singers and teachers of voice in Australia, and began his engagement with the Chorus over a decade ago as WASO Chorus Vocal Coach before being appointed to the Director role in 2019.

“Eleven years ago, I began working with previous Director Chris van Tuinen and the WASO team to leverage the skills and strength of the Chorus,” said Andrew. “In the last six years we consolidated these efforts, worked hard to refine our sound, survived some of the weirdest weekly online rehearsals during the COVID lockdown period, and performed some of the most sublime and spine-tingling moments for our audiences.” 

WASO Executive Manager, Artistic Planning, Evan Kennea, said:

“Dr Andrew Foote has made an incredible contribution to WASO during his six-year tenure as Chorus Director and preceding five years as the WASO Chorus Vocal Coach. Apart from his obvious gifts as a singer, vocal coach and artistic leader, Andrew is quite simply one of the most generous and caring of colleagues. His passion for the artform is infectious and his desire for constant improvement is a testament to the consummate professional he is.”

“He has prepared over 120 works across many genres ranging from Brahms’s Ein deutsches Requiem, to Deborah Cheetham Fraillon’s Eumeralla – A War Requiem for Peace, to the world premiere of Olivia Davies’ Murmuration. To every work he has brought his refined artistic sensibility, attention to detail and drive for vocal excellence. We thank Andrew for everything he has achieved with the WASO Chorus over the last eleven years.”

The WASO Chorus, which was formed in 1988, consists of around 120 choristers from Perth and surrounding areas who represent the finest form of community music making. Under Andrew’s directorship the group was able to navigate the challenges of COVID-19 and flourish in a post-pandemic world – presenting a number of world and WA premieres, and performing in venues across the country.

Representatives from the Chorus expressed great appreciation for Andrew’s devotion to the group’s development. “With his leadership and technical advice for producing a quality sound, the Chorus has produced uplifting and joyous music to be proud of,” said one member of the Chorus. Another member commented “As a singer himself, Andrew has provided valuable vocal training. We are all now better singers thanks to his dedication.”

Andrew’s time as Director will be fondly remembered by the choristers, with members of the Chorus listing the outdoor concerts on the Kalbarri Skywalk, Britten’s War Requiem, and Andrew’s arrangement for chorus and organ of Cherubini’s Requiem as some of their favourite performances.

When asked about his own highlights during his time as Director, Andrew responded:

“I almost always got to stand by the back stairs as the Chorus descended from the choir stalls, and I thanked each of them as they walked past me. The frequent ‘Was it OK?’, ‘Did we get the such-and-such bit right?’, and ‘That felt great!’ are those almost-lost moments that told me these singers had played hard, given their all, wanted to do better, and sometimes knew they had won.”

Andrew steps down with immense gratitude for over a decade of collaboration with the musicians of the Orchestra, his administrative colleagues at WASO, and great pride in the work that his choristers have done. Reminiscing on his time as Chorus Director, he said;

“It’s time to pass the baton to the next director to take it to the next level. I’m thrilled to have a successor who will provide a very different style, but demand the same levels of excellence we have all demanded for the past eleven years.

Thank you to every chorister, whether current or past, who has been a volunteer member of this wonderful Chorus. Keep sharing the gift of symphonic choral music with our audience.

Special thanks to Alan Tyrrell (Artistic Planning Manager) for being such a gracious gentleman and colleague with his can-do attitude; to Evan Kennea (Executive Manager, Artistic Planning) for always having the interests of the Chorus in his mind and carefully considering my input; and to the inestimable pocket-rocket Kristen Sibley (Artist Liaison & Chorus Administrator) who has eased my life so much these last two years with her meticulous administrative work. I will miss our regular professional interactions.”

Andrew’s final concert with the WASO Chorus will be Mozart’s Masterworks on October 11 and 12. He continues in his role as Chair of Vocal Studies at the University of Western Australia Conservatorium of Music.

Perth-based conductor, teacher and singer, Hugh Lydon, has been appointed to the position of WASO Chorus Director and will commence in the role in October 2024.