The Promise
About
The Promise of Avondale College of Higher Education is a vocal ensemble dedicated to musical excellence, with a repertoire ranging from the classics to contemporary gospel.
Meaning of name
The name, The Promise, is inspired by a Bible passage found in 2 Peter 3:3-9. The passage speaks of the Lord not being slow in keeping His promise to return, but being patient to give people more time to repent and be saved.
Members
Jana Aveling, soprano (Lake Macquarie, New South Wales)
Vivienne Calwell, mezzo soprano (Central Coast, New South Wales)
Emily Thomas, alto (Lilydale, Victoria)
Dell Lawrence, tenor (Malaysia)
Benjamin Milis, baritone (Sydney, New South Wales)
Daniel Laredo, bass (Perth, Western Australia)
Andrea Kuburic, piano and alto (Canada)
Jana Aveling is a Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Teaching student at Avondale College of Higher Education.
Vivienne Calwell is a Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Teaching student at Avondale College of Higher Education. She began performing with her younger sister at age 10 and continued as a choir member for most of her secondary schooling. Vivienne has been teaching voice to other students since 2005.
Emily Thomas is a Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Teaching student at Avondale College of Higher Education. She began learning piano at age five and has used guitar as a vocal accompaniment since age 15. Emily enjoys helping produce musicals and hopes to use her gifts in music to share the love of God.
Dell Lawrence graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (communication, music) from Avondale College in 2009 and is now completing a Master of Arts (Research), also at Avondale. Before studying at Avondale, Dell performed and toured south-east Asia with a vocal ensemble affiliated with Asia-Pacific International University in Thailand. He also plays piano.
Benjamin Milis is a Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Teaching student at Avondale College of Higher Education. He began learning the piano at age four and the gift has proved a continual blessing. He also plays the clarinet. Ben organises and ministers through music at his local Seventh-day Adventist church in Wahroonga, New South Wales, and is waiting for the day he can sing with Jesus.
Daniel Laredo is a Bachelor of Arts (music) student at Avondale College of Higher Education. A member of the Carmel Adventist College Choir, he sang soprano until Year 11 when he gave performing away. He planned to study communication at Avondale, but after an audition with the director of The Promise, Dr Robb Dennis, learned he had a good bass voice and changed his course. Daniel plans to continue using his new talent for God's glory.
Alumni
Leila Aguilar, Janet Augustinsen, Benjamin Ashby, Jana Aveling, Jodie Barnes, Heidi Bogacs, Brayden Blyde, Vivienne Calwell, Ben Chadbond, Bethany Chapman, Dr. Robb Dennis, Brydon Eaton, Levi Gardner, Andrew Harris, Ali Heise, Sam Hilton, Bo Kim, Andrea Kuburic, Daniel Laredo, Dell Lawrence, Jared Lillehagen, Kent Lock, Sarah Mardle, Benjamin Milis, Shana Oaklands, Sallee Reimer, Melissa Rogers, Krysten Rowe, Jonno Stuckings, Elyse Taylor, Emily Thomas, Jackie Ward, Justin Watson and Sherae Wilson.
Founders
Drs Robb Dennis and Allen Steele founded The Promise in 2005. Robb, a senior lecturer in music at the time, directed the ensemble for seven years, returning with it to his home state of California, USA, in 2011. Allen served as an assistant to the president for advancement.
Performances
The Promise performed at the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the South Pacific's session and at Sydney Adventist Hospital's Carols by Candlelight in its first year, 2005. The following year, The Promise performed during a televised worship service in St Paul's Cathedral during the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, released its debut album and toured New Zealand. Performances since then have included concerts in consecutive years at the annual camp meeting of the church in northern New South Wales, support for the Watoto Children's Choir at Hunter Valley Gardens and an annual concert as part of Adamstown Uniting Church's "Sunday Interlude" series. The Promise toured southern New South Wales, Melbourne and Perth over the past three years and continues to perform in churches and schools. It also signed, in 2010, with the Psalter music label. Psalter is a ministry of Adventist Media Network. Performances in 2011 included the inaugural Gabe Reynaud Awards and Hymns and Songs of Praise, which it headlined. The ensemble also toured California, USA, and released its second album.
It Is Written Oceania, "Silent Night: a simple melody"
The Promise performed "Silent Night" as part of a one-hour It Is Written Oceania special that aired on the Seven Network in Australia's digital channel 7TWO and on the Prime Television Network on Christmas Day in 2010.
Silent Night: a simple melody from Mal Hamilton on Vimeo.
Recordings
The Promise has recorded two albums.
The Promise (2006)
Songs on the album are in three sections--the invitation, the acceptance and the promise. They range in style from classical ("Ubi Caritas") to contemporary gospel ("You Raise Me Up") and include international songs (the Swahili hymn "O Sifuni Mungu") and spirituals ("Elijah Rock," "Steal Away" and "Long White Robe").
Faithful (2011)
The album features 17 songs, including three solos. It is released through the Psalter Music label--Psalter is a ministry of the Adventist Media Network. Order the album through The Promise website or Adventist Book Centres. The album is also on Apple's iTunes music store.
Bookings
To book The Promise, contact:
Brenton Stacey
Public relations officer
Phone: +61 2 4980 2251
Mobile: 0488 733 232
Email: brenton.stacey@avondale.edu.au
Calendar
Visit The Promise website for information about The Promise performances.
Connect with The Promise on Facebook.
News
Read news about The Promise.
Promotion
Announcement
Adapt this announcement about The Promise.
[Worship with] The Promise in [concert]
Vocal ensemble The Promise of Avondale College of Higher Education is coming to [venue]. The ensemble's dedication to musical excellence and wide-ranging repertoire--from the classics to contemporary gospel--appeals to a broad audience. Formed in 2005, The Promise represents the proud musical tradition established at Avondale more than 110 years ago. If you enjoy high quality fine music with a Christian focus, [worship with]/[experience] The Promise in concert at [venue] on [day], [month] [date] at [time]. Visit www.thepromisemusic.com to discover more about The Promise.
Reviews
Albums
The Promise (2006)
Clansi Roy
The self-titled debut album from The Promise is hard to define. Some songs (the early ones especially) lack the energy of those performed live. The Latin opener, "Cantate Domino" (one of three foreign language songs), begs to be performed in a cathedral. However, other songs sound better. The contemporary gospel song, "You Raise Me Up," sounds fuller and more confident in its recorded form. It is no surprise to find "The Word was God" at the heart of the album--it's one of the more recognisable Promise songs. It is a (pleasant) surprise to find songs that highlight the talent of individual members of The Promise. Andrew Harris accompanies himself as he sings his song, "For You." Ben Ashby sings Ray Boltz's "Shepherd Boy." And Melissa Cunningham performs her own arrangement of the hymn, "My Jesus, I Love Thee." The Promise is a good album and a worthy piece of memorabilia.
Clansi graduated with distinction from the Bachelor of Theology/Bachelor of Ministry course at Avondale College in 2006.
Faithful (2011)
Click here to read Clansi Rogers' review of Faithful.
Concerts
Brandstater Amphitheatre (September 3, 2011)
Click here to read Brenton Stacey's review.
Avondale College Seventh-day Adventist Church (May 3, 2008)
Click here to read Brenton Stacey's review.
Avondale College Seventh-day Adventist Church (September 5, 2007)
Click here to read Braden Blyde's review.
Gosford Seventh-day Adventist Church (June 4, 2005)
Brenton Stacey
The Promise had been practicing for less than a semester for this--their first concert and, despite appearances in three Seventh-day Adventist churches and at a business breakfast, their first opportunity to make a musical statement. The Promise's repertoire is refined and intense. Director Dr Robb Dennis conducts with passion and precision. The vocalists respond. The Swahili hymn "O Sifuni Mungu," complete with bongos and maracas, proves a rousing call to worship. Bass Benjamin Ashby provides the impetus and Ali Heise, Sarah Mardle-Luiz, Sallee Rijavec and Elyse Taylor the floating melodies for the finger-snapping spiritual, "Elijah Rock." The pace changes, the accompaniment goes but the genre stays for "Steal Away." The bass solo by the diminutive South Korean, Bo Kim, is surprisingly strong; Rijavec's wail is all soul. Syncopated chants from John 1:1-3 open "The Word was God" before a rhythmic bass sequence drives the group toward a dissonant declaration. The clapping and stomping during the rollicking closer, "Long White Robe," spurs Ashby on--his solo is the most memorable of the evening. Three words: The Promise impress.
Brenton is public relations officer at Avondale College.
Support
The Promise seeks to become a self-supporting ministry of Avondale College of Higher Education. It is one of Avondale's Passion Projects. Click here to make a donation by cheque or credit card if you believe in supporting high quality fine music with a Christian focus.
Testimonials
"Accomplished and passionate"
Much gratitude goes to you for your fabulous contribution to the success of Hymns and Songs of Praise. It is one thing to pull together quality and adventurous instrumentalists prepared to journey with us, but it is another to have such an accomplished and passionate ensemble provide the vocal leadership, artistic skill and spiritual passion that took our event from just being about music to making a genuine connection with God and with members of the audience. You are truly the best!
Lyell Heise, director, Institute of Worship (August 30, 2011)
"The beginning of a promising relationship"
Thank you for ministering to us at our Mega ALIVE. We were blessed by your music, which allowed Jesus to be uplifted. We hope this will be the beginning a promising relationship and that you will be able to come again soon.
Charissa Fong, Waitara Seventh-day Adventist Church (August 21, 2011)
"Professional, enthusiastic, talented"
I affirm Avondale College's decision to send The Promise to the Western Australian Conference camp meeting. Each year, Avondale sets up a display in a tent and its alumni association invites former students to reunite over afternoon tea. But this year, we had something fresh and vibrant. The Promise. What a delightful, professional, enthusiastic and talented group of students. Not to mention their inspiring leader, who made me wish I could return to Avondale to study music. The afternoon tea also allowed for questions and answers. The students responded to most of the questions, and they responded with honesty and relevance. I hope to see more promotion like this in the future.
Letitia Dose (April 7, 2010)
