The Big Christmas Sing: Meet your ensemble

This year, join tenor Bailey Montgomerie and sopranos Michaela Cadwgan, Rachael Joyce and Alessia Pintabona for an afternoon of festive music. You’ll be guided by the baton of Conductors Helen Duggan and Phoebe Briggs, alongside the Ballarat Choral Society and the Ballarat Symphony Orchestra, to fill the Civic Hall with joyous song.

To get us into the holiday spirit, we asked Bailey, Michaela, Rachael and Alessia for their favourite festive tune and tradition. From the iconic Wiggles’ Christmas album to sharing a roast, here are their answers:

Michaela Cadwgan

It’s a tie between ‘O Holy Night’ and ‘The First Noel’ — I grew up singing both of these at church services and at school. Shamelessly, ‘O Holy Night’ has become “my song” through the years — I first performed it as a solo in front of my primary school age 9! Though, of course, I don’t think you can’t get through the festive season without a bit of Mariah Carey.

My family has a few Christmas traditions: decorating in early December together to a festive playlist, Christmas Eve Mass, and a relaxing Christmas Day. This year, it will probably be the first year we’re all around to put up the Christmas decorations together at the beginning of December in about eight years. Christmas Day for us is all about food and sharing the day together with lots of laughter and joy.

Bailey Montgomerie 

My favourite festive song is definitely ‘Coventry Carol’. I have fond memories of singing a choral arrangement by Ola Gjelo in Gondwana when I was a young musician. Some of these people have become dear friends and colleagues since.

I’d for sure say my favourite Christmas tradition is the Christmas roast, whenever I get the chance to visit my extended family in New Zealand. I always know when I sit down at the table that it’s going to be a wonderful day of spending time with the people I love right through to the evening.

Alessia Pintabona 

I grew up singing a lot of traditional carols — in English and Italian — so those are the ones that tend to be the most memorable and special to me. There are countless versions and choral arrangements of these I love, including some wonderful ones by local composers and musicians! I was also (and still am) a huge fan of the 1996 Wiggly, Wiggly Christmas album.

Not so much a tradition per se, but all the food and being with family and loved ones are probably my favourite parts! There was never a shortage of different types of food over Christmas in an Italian household.

Rachael Joyce

My all-time favourite work is Handel’s ‘Messiah’ which, although not technically speaking “festive”, is traditionally performed at Christmas! I have fond memories of listening to this growing up and love seeing it performed every year.

I love having a real Christmas tree in my house, and enjoy the ritual of decorating the tree with whoever is around to celebrate Christmas that year. The smell of the tree really makes it feel like Christmas to me.