This series comprises a broad set of personal and work records of Val Pyers, including Val's notebooks, address books and diaries, as well as his personal correspondence. Also included in the series are records relating to Val's non-chorale performances alongside various awards, certificates and tributes that he received. In addition, this series also contains early documents regarding the establishment of the Val J Pyers Foundation, and assorted records following Val's passing (including obituaries and documents relating to the memorial events).

This series contains records relating to the history and development of The Melbourne Chorale. Included are assorted papers documenting this history, as well as transcripts of interviews (conducted by Beryl Power) of numerous members of the chorale, which offer personal insights into what being in the chorale entailed. A collection of spreadsheets of the chorale's performances from 1975 to 1985 and 1990 to 1993 are also included in the series (more of these spreadsheet lists appear in Series 11 - Melbourne Chorale Administration), giving an indication of the scope and programming genius of Val Pyers. An honours thesis in 2008 by Veryan Croggan, Melbourne University, entitled “Singing in the City” is also present in this series, detailing the history of choral singing in Melbourne with particular reference to The Melbourne Chorale.

The Melbourne Chorale had a number of uniforms over its history, mostly of a formal nature, with variations mainly occurring in the ladies’ dresses. Often when programs of a lighter or folk music nature were performed, the choir would dress in clothing appropriate to the theme of the concert. Windcheaters with The Melbourne Chorale logo were available for casual use by members of the chorale. This Series includes two such windcheaters as well as a men’s formal dress shirt and a ladies’ enamelled brooch from the 1970s.

This series contains audio materials (including vinyl records, audio cassette tapes and audio CDs) and audio visual materials (including VHS cassette tapes) of The Melbourne Chorale from 1970 to 1993. Included are recordings of various performances and rehearsals of the chorale, as well as some radio broadcasts by the ABC. Additionally, the series also includes documents from 2018 relating to the audio CD collection.

This series includes a selection of sheet music, scores and lyric sheets for various songs, anthems and commissioned works performed by The Melbourne Chorale. Also included in the series are lyric sheets for parodies on the chorale (written by members of the choir), as well as lyrics and translations for some of the foreign language works performed.

This series includes photograph albums, loose photographs, slides and negatives of The Melbourne Chorale performances, tours, rehearsals, and social events dating from c1967 to 2007. Some professional publicity photographs of artists who have performed with the chorale are also included, as well as photographs from Val Pyers' memorial service and from the meetings of the Val J Pyers Foundation Committee. Photographs in this series were mostly donated by choristers from their own private collections and only a small percentage of these photographs have been labelled with identities, locations and dates.

This series contains a broad chronological selection of programs for concerts performed by the choirs of The Melbourne Chorale. At concerts, programs were always given free of charge to audience members except when the concerts were mounted by outside organisations, particularly the ABC. Programs in this series generally date from December 1965 to September 1993 (when Val Pyers was Director of the chorale) however a selection of programs for performances by The Melbourne Chorale for the period 1993 until 2008 (when the name of the choir was changed to the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Chorus) is also present in this series. A small number of ticket stubs for some of the concerts are also included in this series.

This series contains a broad chronological selection of posters, flyers and series brochures for performances of The Melbourne Chorale from 1965 to 1993. Many of these items were produced with stunning graphics in an attempt to attract potential subscribers and ticket sales. Of particular interest in this series is the flyer for The Melbourne Chorale's debut concert "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" at The Assembly Hall on 21 December 1965. Other items in this series include copies of The Melbourne Chorale Christmas Book from 1980 which contains recipes by members of the chorale and inscriptions by Val Pyers.

This series contains a chronological selection of concert reviews appearing in Melbourne and country Victoria press for performances of The Melbourne Chorale from 1965 until 1993. In 1975 the chorale performed “A Contrast of Composers” at the Sydney Opera House and press clippings from Sydney newspapers are also included in this series. In addition, the series also contains promotional and feature articles on the choir and on Val Pyers, as well as an article from 1994 outlining the dismissal of Val Pyers from the chorale.

This series contains various and multiple copies of membership lists of The Melbourne Chorale choristers from 1965 until 1992. Also included are lists (some hand written by Val Pyers) of individuals invited to sing in particular concerts. Other lists in this series include lists of which members had and hadn't paid their membership fees, and lists relating to billeting arrangements for country concerts. Seating plans (arranging choristers in concert positions, sometimes by vocal lines and sometimes in SATB formation) are also included in this series, as well as an audition application for the Chamber Singers. In addition, two months before the passing of Val Pyers in 2007, a reunion of choristers was held at Hepburn Springs, and a list of attendees (unfortunately incomplete) can be found in this series.

Records in this series include a broad range of administrative documents of The Melbourne Chorale including communications to members regarding concert arrangements, availability lists, chorus lists, travel arrangement documents, concert dress instruction sheets, rehearsal schedules, performance running sheets, notes on performances, financial records, agreement documents for accompanists, etc. Correspondence both to and from The Melbourne Chorale or Val Pyers are also included in this series, as well as formal documents such as the Melbourne Chorale Constitution (from 1970 and 1976) together with minutes and other related documents of the Committee of The Melbourne Chorale. Also included in the series are records relating to Val Pyers' dismissal from The Melbourne Chorale in 1993 which comprise a range of correspondence, legal documents and notices, and a collection of handwritten notes by Val Pyers in response to his dismissal. A collection of summaries of archival documents (compiled by Joyce Edwards and containing lists of conductors associated with the chorale, diaries of events, costume lists, etc) is also present in this series, as are copies of The Melbourne Chorale newsletters (including Voices and Parlato) from 1968 to 1993.

This series contains a small selection of hand written and printed documents outlining the history and evolution of Victoria Chorale from 1994 to 2000.

This series contains audio materials (including audio cassette tapes and audio CDs) of select Victoria Chorale performances. Also included is a 2007 recording from Val Pyers' memorial service containing selections of Val's favourite music from The Melbourne Chorale and Victoria Chorale.

This series includes a selection of sheet music, scores and lyric sheets for various works (mainly Christmas music) performed by Victoria Chorale. Also included in the series are a list of Christmas carols arranged by composer Christopher Willcock for the years 1976 -2003, as well as lyrics for parodies of Victoria Chorale singers (written by members of the choir) and lyrics and translations for some of the foreign language works performed by the choir.

This series includes photograph albums, loose photographs and negatives of Victoria Chorale performances, tours, rehearsals, and social events dating from c1993 to 2005. Some professional publicity photographs of artists who have performed with the chorale are also included. Photographs in this series were mostly donated by choristers from their own private collections and only a small percentage of these photographs have been labelled with identities, locations and dates.

This series contains a broad chronological selection of programs for concerts performed by Victoria Chorale from its inception in December 1993 up until the passing of Val Pyers in 2007. At concerts, programs were always given free of charge to audience members except when the concerts were mounted by outside organisations, particularly the ABC. Programs in this series generally date from December 1993 to 2006 however a selection of programs for memorial concerts to Val in 2007 is also present in this series. A small number of ticket stubs for some of the concerts are also included in this series. Although the Victoria Chorale continued to give concerts after the passing of Val Pyers, it was decided by the directors of the Trust to focus on records for concerts performed during Val's lifetime.

This series contains a broad chronological selection of posters, flyers and brochures for performances of Victoria Chorale from 1993 to 2006. Also included in the series is a poster for a 2007 tribute concert to Val and Anne Pyers.

This series contains a chronological selection of concert reviews appearing in Melbourne and country Victoria press for performances of Victoria Chorale from 1994 to 2007. In addition, this series also contains promotional and feature articles on the choir and on Val Pyers. Other newspaper articles from 1994 (outlining the dismissal of Val Pyers from The Melbourne Chorale) can be found in Series 9 - Melbourne Chorale Press.

This series contains various Victoria Chorale membership lists, performance lists and audition application records from 1993 to 2006. By 1996, a group of singers who preferred to rehearse on Tuesday afternoons and mount their own concerts was formed as a subsidiary choir of the Victoria Chorale. Membership lists for this subsidiary choir are also included in this series, as well as a list of “occasional singers” who could be called on to shore up numbers for concerts.

Records in this series include a broad range of administrative documents of Victoria Chorale including financial documents from 1993 to 2004, correspondence records from 1995 to 2006, and minutes of committee meetings from 1995 to 1997. Also included in this series are a collection of ticket booking forms, Victoria Chorale stationery and logos, and constitutions for the choir. A chronological collection of rehearsal information for choristers from 1993 to 2007 is also present in this series, as well as miscellaneous documents relating to ideas for concerts, fundraising and sponsorships, tours and ticket sales. In addition, this series also contains a set of records from "Friends of Victoria Chorale" (a group formed for non-singing supporters of the choir) which includes concert invitations, newsletters, and mailing lists dating from c1995 to 2001.

This series contains records relating to the Melbourne University Choral Society (MUCS) and the Intervarsity Choral Festivals. When Val Pyers moved to Melbourne from the Latrobe Valley in 1965, he not only formed The Melbourne Chorale, but also became conductor of the Melbourne University Choral Society (MUCS). Records in this series include programs and press reviews of MUCS when conducted by Val Pyers, and also a collection of MUCS memorabilia and administration documents. MUCS also participated in Intervarsity Choral Festivals throughout Australia and a collection of programs, press clippings, newsletters and administrative documents from 1962 to 1978 are also found in this series.

In 1969 Val Pyers led The Australian Universities' Festival Choir of Melbourne to an international choral festival in Washington and New York. Contained in this series are records relating to these events, including concert reviews from American and Australian press, congratulatory letters from Prime Minister John Gorton and from Ella Grainger (widow of Percy Grainger), promotional materials, postcards and souvenir booklets, member lists, photographs, correspondence and administrative documents. Also included in the series are documents from and relating to the forty year reunion in 2009.

This series contains records of the Yallourn Madrigal Singers and Yallourn High School Choir. In 1956, Val Pyers set new standards in repertoire and performance in the Latrobe Valley when he formed The Yallourn Madrigal Singers and, whilst teaching at Yallourn High School, became the director of the school choir. Records in this series include audio recordings, programs, flyers and press reviews, including two feature articles on Val Pyers and the Yallourn Madrigal Singers. Items in this series generally date from the 1950s to 1960s, however one feature article relating to the legacy left by the Yallourn Madrigal Singers is dated c2004.

This series contains the digital archive compiled by Phillip Pope (with the assistance of Barry and Kay Clarke, Gordon and Carla Hawley) in 2007. Further material was added to this digital archive by Joyce Edwards, Margaret Hutson, Keith Brereton, John Hamilton, Bruce Macrae, Kristina Macrae and various others. This archive, generally arranged by year from 1954 to 2007, is 45.5GB in size and comprises 17,768 files and 3,005 folders. Records in this collection include digital versions of photographs, programs, flyers, posters, documents, etc. relating to The Melbourne Chorale, Victoria Chorale, The Val J Pyers Foundation, the Yallourn Madrigal Singers, The Australian University Festival Choir, and other assorted records relating to Val Pyers.

In the process of assembling this archive, various records appeared that were beyond the typical scope of the collection - a collection focused on the life and work of Val Pyers. Any record that was considered particularly interesting, unique or rare however, was held onto and moved into this series.