Jonathon Welch

Jonathon Welch

Jonathon Charles Welch AM (born 5 October 1958) is an Australian choral conductor, opera singer and voice teacher. As a singer Welch has been a tenor for the Victoria State Opera, Lyric Opera of Queensland and Opera Australia. During 2006 Welch established The Choir of Hard Knocks comprising homeless and disadvantaged singers from Melbourne. The choir's formation was the subject of a five-part documentary series of the same name televised during mid-2007 on Australian Broadcasting Corporation. In June 2009 on the Queen's Birthday, Welch was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia with the citation, "For service to the arts as an operatic performer and vocal coach, and to the community as the founder and musical director of the Choir of Hard Knocks". On 1 April that year he had released his autobiography, Choir Man.