About SUMS
Australia’s
oldest university choir
Founded in 1878, the Sydney University Musical Society (SUMS) is Australia’s oldest university choir and the Southern Hemisphere’s oldest secular choral society. For over 145 years, we’ve been singing our hearts out in the heart of Sydney, welcoming voices of all experience levels — no auditions required.
SUMS is more than a choir — it’s a community. We rehearse weekly and perform at least three major concerts a year, exploring a wide variety of choral music from across centuries and styles. Outside the rehearsal room, we host social events, choir camps, pub nights, and more!
Recent highlights include performances of Schumann’s Missa Sacra, Faure’s Requiem, and Ferenc Farkas’s Christmas Cantata, as well as debuting winning pieces from our student composition competition.
Our Values
Musical Inclusivity
We believe music should be for everyone — regardless of skill level. That’s why we’re a non-auditioned choir, open to all students and community members. Whether you’ve sung in choirs before or are joining for the first time, you’re welcome here.
Community First
SUMS is about more than music. We’re a community. We go to the pub after rehearsals, host parties, run trivia nights, and go away on choir camps together. Music is what brings us together — friendship is what keeps us coming back.
Learning Through Singing
With the guidance of our professional conductor, Dr Michael Bradshaw, every rehearsal is an opportunity to grow musically. We sing in many languages, tackle everything from Renaissance motets to contemporary gems, and challenge ourselves while having fun.
Performance with Purpose
We aim to perform meaningful music that touches hearts, challenges ideas, and celebrates both old and new voices. Our concerts are open to the public and bring joy to audiences across the university and beyond.
Join us now! It will only take a minute
SUMS Musical Director
Dr Michael Bradshaw
Dr Bradshaw joined SUMS in 2019 and brings a wealth of experience in performance, education, and choral conducting. He studied at the University of Queensland, later completing an MA at the Liszt Academy of Music in Hungary and a PhD on the music of Sergei Prokofiev.
Michael has taught and conducted choirs around Australia and internationally — from rural school programs to elite university ensembles. His passion for music education and community-building lies at the heart of everything SUMS does.
Small Group
SUMS auditioned chamber choir
The SUMS Small Group is our auditioned chamber ensemble — a tight-knit group of singers who represent SUMS at events, ceremonies, and community functions across Sydney.
SUMS acknowledges and pays respect to the traditional owners of the land on which we meet (the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation). It is upon their ancestral lands that the University of Sydney is built. As we share our own knowledge, teaching, learning, and research practices within this University may we also pay respect to the knowledge embedded forever within the Aboriginal Custodianship of Country.