By Luke Voogt
After falling silent for the first time in 77 years, the voices of Geelong’s International Harvester Male Chorus have burst into song again.
The members returned to rehearsals in Newtown on Monday, but their regular concerts at aged care homes are a few months off yet, chorus secretary Tim Gibson admitted.
“They always want us to go and do a concert for the residents but that won’t happen at the moment,” the 73-year-old said.
“It’s just keeping the guys together to keep up our singing and repertoire, so when we do perform, we have something to sing about.”
The full complement of singers attended on Monday, along with a new “enquirer”, according to Tim.
“He seemed to be enjoying himself,” he said.
“That was a sign that we’re all happy to be back again and keep at it.”
The chorus began in 1943, as the men of International Harvester’s North Shore factory made mines, vehicles and aircraft for WWII.
The men sang as they worked and 25 employees started their own chorus.
The group’s year-long hiatus in 2020 was the first time members had stopped singing at weekly rehearsals since.
The chorus had only just returned to singing before Victoria’s recent snap lockdown again halted rehearsals.
But with vaccinations beginning and the COVID-19 situation improving, Tim is hopeful the group can sing for many decades more.
“We might as well say that – nothing like being optimistic,” he said.
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