Dear Vocally Wild Community,
While the crew calmly attempt to steer the Good Ship “Carols” back on course, it’s 'full steam ahead' for Show Boat “Spring Concert” on 16th October!!
We resume choir for Term 4 on Tuesday, 4th October. Please have your songs in order, ready to shine!
1) You're the Voice
2) Don't Dream It's Over
3) Goodnight, Sweetheart
4) Thank You for the Music
5) Lean On Me
6) Jerusalem Morning
7) Bridge Over Troubled Water
8) This Little Light of Mine
9) Siyahamba
10) A Place in the Choir
The following Monday,10th and Tuesday,11th, Bill will be in Mildura assessing students but will be flying back late on Tuesday afternoon and should arrive at Beaumaris by around 8.00 p.m. Emma is happy to lead us until Bill arrives. Bill is hoping you will agree to a slightly extended rehearsal, until 10.00 p.m. on this night.
FOR YOUR DIARIES
| DATE |
DETAIL |
| Saturday, 8th October |
Bayside Healthy Ageing Expo, B.T.H. |
| Tuesday, 4th October |
Term 4 commences |
Saturday, 15th October
Sunday, 16th October |
Final Rehearsal, 5 p.m. BTH. (TBC)
Annual Concert, Brighton Town Hall, 3.00 pm |
| Tuesday 1st November |
No Choir – Melbourne Cup Day |
| Tuesday, 6th December |
Last Rehearsal for Term 4 |
| Saturday, 24th December |
Sing Carols at Hampton Cricket Club, early eve. |
BAYSIDE HEALTHY AGEING EXPO – Sat., 8th October, 11 a.m. - 4.00 p.m. Brighton Town Hall
The Bayside Healthy Ageing team have organised an amazing Seniors Festival during October, offering a diverse calendar of events, this Expo being just one of them! Pick up one of their Brochures from the Library or any Community Centre – Vocally Wild’s Concert gets a great mention on Page 9. Vocally Wild will have a table at this Expo so bring your family and join everyone for a fun and informative day:
- Exhibitor Hall: 22 community groups taking part.
- MC – Carol O’Halloran. She will direct people to the Expo stands.
- Main Stage: Two Neil Diamond tribute shows, 1.00 - 2.00 p.m., 3.00 - 4.00 p.m. Cost $5.00. Bookings: healthyageing@bayside.vic.gov.au or phone 9599 4373.
- Coffee cart, sweet treats provided by CWA Bayside.
- Sausage sizzle provided by Brighton North Rotary.
- Also on site, Bayside U3A Open Day and Chatty Café.
8 Vocally Wilders will be looking after the ‘stall’ at various times during the day, so do drop in to say hello. You may also like to attend one of the Neil Diamond tribute shows. If you haven’t been to Brighton Town Hall before, take a look – this is where we’ll be performing very shortly!!!
Also, you may like to look at Bayside Council’s Healthy Ageing Guide – it is chocker-block full of information about Clubs, Centres, activities, etc. Vocally Wild gets a gig here too!
On the same day there is a U3A Open Day at the Brighton Courthouse, Carpenter Street, from 12.30 to 4.00 p.m. Did you know that U3A is an international movement, started in France at the Faculty of Social Sciences in Toulouse in 1973?
VOCALLY WILD CONCERT – BRIGHTON TOWN HALL, SUN., 16TH OCTOBER – 3.00 P.M.
As we approach the pointy end of our preparation, please practise as often as you can. We have two rehearsals left, but we’re hoping to have a short, additional rehearsal, at the Town Hall on Saturday, 15th October, at 5.00 p.m. Please check and see if you can make it at that time – we’ll ask for a show of hands on Tuesday, 4th October. It would be an ideal opportunity for us to familiarise ourselves with the venue and make decisions re placement of ourselves and equipment. We are fortunate that we have access to the Hall on the Saturday, so we can take sound/lighting equipment. This will make it much less stressful the following day when set up starts at 1.30 p.m.
Programme: has gone for printing, now we need people to fill the Hall!
Ticketing: Please be proactive and ask your friends and relatives to make their TryBookings as soon as they can. There will be cash ticketing at the door, but for our catering and seating requirements, we really would like pre-booking to be the priority.
Advertising: much has been happening! See promotion of our Concert in Bayside’s Healthy Ageing Seniors Festival Brochure, plus on line - link https://www.bayside.vic.gov.au/explore-bayside/events/vocally-wild-choirs-spring-concert
What to Wear: All black – long sleeved top, pants/skirt (if skirt, please wear black tights/stockings), black shoes/socks. We will all be supplied with very colourful spring-like scarves – these will be handed out on Tuesday, 4th October at rehearsal. If you aren’t able to make this rehearsal, but are committed to singing in the concert, we will have some available the following week.
Bring:
- Folders: The normal V.W. folder, with black facing the audience. You will have received the Concert order of music, so please have your music/words in place.
- Water bottle
Seating: We are able to use the ‘Balcony’ at the Town Hall, so if any of your family or friends wish to sit up there, please ask them to do so. Once the seating is fully taken at floor level, we will need to use upstairs. Please note there is no lift. If you have booked for an elderly person who uses a walker, please let me know and I will reserve an aisle seat; otherwise general seating will be taken up as people arrive..
Singers: You’ll be advised of time to arrive closer to the date, but helpers will be asked to arrive from 1.30 p.m.
Helpers: There will be a sheet at 4th October rehearsal. If you are able to offer a family member as a ‘helper’ that would be wonderful. We will need people in the foyer to welcome the audience as they arrive, check their tickets, show them into the hall and help them to seats if necessary. As the hall fills up (hopefully !) some active people might be encouraged to go upstairs to the balcony. We have one non-singing helper so far - Margaret Cox (Don’s wife), who has kindly offered to assist with the afternoon tea arrangements, but we will need several more for this important task. Russel will welcome additional help in setting up the lighting and sound equipment. Chairs and Trestles will need to be set out, but we are hoping to be able to bring out as many chairs and trestles as possible from under the stage the evening before.
TWO RECENT EVENTS
- Friday Social Club at SandyBeach Centre was hugely successful, and much praised. Thank you to Miranda at SandyBeach Centre for making us so welcome. Thanks to all singers for attending, and indeed special thanks go to Bill and Emma who volunteered their time and were such a hit!! SandyBeach would like us to make a return visit!
- Connor’s Run was once again another very successful event. Thank you to all singers who braved the chill, turned up early and sang so well. Special thanks to Cherry and Rob who arrived at 6.30 for set up, with a huge amount of equipment, and special thanks again to Bill and Emma, who are indeed such treasures!
Here are Cherry’s highlights from the morning:
-
- Steve Hooker (Olympic gold medallist) and his cute little boys were walking past just as we were about to start and Emma played some Christmas music for them and let the littlie try out the keyboard.
- One of the runners decided to have a break and join the choir, sharing my music, for one song. Turned out she used to be in the Southern Area Concert Band. Didn’t get a chance to find out what instrument she played before she took off running again.
- Just as Rob was turning his movie camera to include some runners passing, a little girl amongst the group did a spectacular somersault for our benefit - beautifully caught on the camera.
- Connor’s BGS mates were running as usual in colourful budgie smugglers - bit of eye candy there!
For your information, next year’s Connor’s Run will be on Sunday, 10th September.
PIANO
We now have two pianos at the Hall! During the break we were able to collect Irina Konstantinova and Sergey Konstantinov’s famous piano and have it delivered. We are extremely grateful to Irina and Sergey for their generosity and to Emma and Bill for making it happen. Russel will now arrange for our ‘new’ piano to be tuned a couple of times and we will make sure Emma is happy with the sound before we remove the ‘old’ one. Here is a little history about our ‘new’ piano:
Irina and Sergey are close friends with Marilyn Rowe, AM OBE, former Director of the Australian Ballet School, who brought them to Australia in 2000. Marilyn gave them the piano, and they have now given it to us!
Irina Konstantinova trained at the prestigious Perm Ballet School in Russia before joining the USSR State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre. During her time as a Principal Artist there, Irina danced the lead or solos roles in many famous ballets including Romeo and Juliet, The Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, La Sylphide, Don Quixote and more.
After receiving a laureate from the Grand Prix International Competition in Baku (USSR), Irina accepted a position with the Kirov Ballet (later The Mariinsky Theatre) in St Petersburg. Irina also studied at the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet where she graduated as a fully qualified teacher of the Vaganova method before joining the Australian Ballet School in 2001 as a Classical Teacher and Curriculum Development Assistant.
Sergey Konstantinov studied ballet at the prestigious Vaganova Academy in St. Petersburg and upon graduating, danced with the Ashkabad Opera and Ballet Theatre. Sergey was invited to join the Kirov Ballet (later Mariinsky Theatre) after winning second prize at the Grand Prix International Competition in Baku (USSR).
During his 11 years at The Mariinsky, Sergey performed soloist roles in famous ballets including Swan Lake, Giselle, Nutcracker, Don Quixote, Romeo and Juliet and more. He has additionally worked with acclaimed choreographers such as Ratmansky and Neumiere and has toured Europe, the USA and Asia.
Marilyn Rowe. Between 1980 and 2015, to mark her contributions to ballet in Australia, Marilyn Rowe was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE), two Green Room Awards and an Adams Award, the first Victorian Honour Role for Women, which honours her contribution to Victoria and the Nation, the Lord Mayor's Certificate of Commendation presented by the City of Melbourne for her significant contribution to the arts, honoured with a plaque by being included in the Walk of Fame as part of the Melbourne Arts Walk, and the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Australian Dance Awards. Marilyn Rowe House, the residence of The Australian Ballet School, was named in her honour in 2015
We have assured Irina and Sergey that we will take the greatest care of our amazing piano and have thanked them for their generosity.
VOCALLY WILD HAPPENINGS
Stuart McIntyre, OAM.
On the 7th September, Carolyn  and Stuart McIntyre, together with their sons James and Simon, and Stuart's sister, had a very memorable visit to Government House.
Stuart had been awarded the Queen’s Birthday Honour ‘Order of Australia Medal’ for ‘Services to the Community of Brighton’.
They attended the impressive ceremony in the Ballroom followed by Morning Tea on the Terrace Lawn, and by the photograph, it wasn’t just ‘tea’ being offered!
Stuart, of course, has been a loyal Vocally Wild supporter for nigh on 18 years, and has sung with us on many pop-up occasions!
Well done Stuart, and of course Carolyn. We’re very proud of you.
A Day Of Song with Claire Patti by Cherry Tunnock
On a cold Saturday in August I drove down to Queenscliff for a Singing Workshop. It was run by the marvellously talented Claire Patti who has the voice of an angel and can play many instruments from French horn to harp. It was a full day with a friendly group of locals.
We started with learning some Puirt-a-beul (Scottish Mouth Music) which was extremely challenging and our attempts created a lot of laughter. Moving on we learnt two beautiful songs in parts - Wild Mountain Thyme and Sweet Carnlough Bay.
In between singing all of us had brought food to contribute to morning tea and lunch and we thoroughly enjoyed chatting around the groaning tables of deliciousness.
Midway through the afternoon a surprise was sprung upon us and we all decamped to the local pub to give the patrons a flash mob experience. What a hoot! We were surprisingly well received considering the manager had to mute the football and horseracing on the big screens there. Lots of cheers, applause and drinks all round to celebrate such a fun day together. |
William Mulholland. Well done William for your mammoth leading role in “SkyLight” with the Malvern Theatre Company – the largest role yet we understand. We are now very pleased that you’re free from treading the boards to return to Choir!
Facebook: Have you been seeing Cherry’s brilliant Vocally Wild Facebook posts each Sunday? They are entertaining, informative and fun!
OTHER HAPPENINGS
FRED SMITH
Who remembers the amazing Fred Smith? Many of us sang at his ‘Sea Shanty’ concert, a few years ago! Well, Fred has announced a Melbourne presentation of his “Sparrows of Kabul” show. Details: 7.30 p.m. Thursday, 10th November at the Kingston Arts Centre, Moorabbin. Fred will be performing with Carl Pannuzzo, Holly Downes and the Kabul Birds Band. Bookings open on the 3rd October. kingstonarts.com.au
A year ago Fred returned from working on the Kabul evacuation and had to commence a 2-week hotel quarantine stint in Adelaide. He was wired up, not sleeping much but did some writing – including a poem ‘Sparrows of Kabul’. See You Tube, Fred Smith. With his Sparrows of Kabul show he has sought to tell the story in a way that softens, rather than hardens the heart.
PHANTOM AND JOSH PETERMAN SET FOR MELBOURNE RETURN
You know how we love to boast that singing with Vocally Wild is the best step up to a person’s stellar musical career! Well, we do know what happened to Josh Peterman! What a joy it was to witness his professionalism and charisma during one of our wonderful Carols in the Park productions! Josh as you are all aware, has had much success in the West End, London and now will star as the Phantom in Phantom of the Opera at the Melbourne Arts Centre, from 30th October. Bookings: 1300 182 183 or au.thephantomoftheopera.com He will be brilliant!
CHATTY CAFÉ
If you feel like having a chatter, pop in to the Brighton Library, Wilson Street, on Wednesday, 12th October – 2.30 p.m.
AND FOR SOMETHING A BIT DIFFERENT!
The majestic River Red Gum was recently voted Australia’s favourite tree. River’s Creek Wetlands, Victoria, Barhah-Millewa Forest (either side of the river Murray) is the home to the largest River Red Gum forest in the world. (Yorta Yorta country). Stunning.
WEBSITE:
www.vocallywild.org.au
Song Lyrics. If you’re looking for words to our repertoire on the Vocally Wild website, go to Home Page (use password first of course), pull down list under Members, then Songs. The screen will then have a box at the left hand side – at the bottom of the box it will say Lyrics. Just click there, and behold!!!!
Here's to keeping the dream alive!
Kind regards,
Pat and Committee
Bill Miles (Music Director)
Emma Lippa (Accompanist)
Russel Barnes (President)
Julie Sergienko (Treasurer)
Pat Lowry (Secretary)
Cherry Tunnock (Membership Secretary
Kerry Holmquest
Maggie Cripps (Music Production & Management)
John Barlow
Geoff Peters
Vocally Wild Choir proudly acknowledges the Bunurong People of the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Owners and Custodians of this land, and we pay our respects to their Elders, past, present and emerging.
|
