The weekend of May 23/4 saw St John’s Dee Why second Festival of Sacred and Classical Music.  On Sunday afternoon they held a “Come and Sing” Messiah, which a number of M W Choir members attended.  Two hours of vigorous rehearsal led by the Church’s Director of Music Tom Edwards was followed by the usual sumptuous afternoon tea.  Then we sang a to a modest but appreciative audience – several key choruses interspersed with some of the soprano solos.

Also taking part were Michael Wille (Bass) with his wife Lynne and daughter Danielle, and Robyn Blainey, who took this post-afternoon-tea photo.

Noteworthy Issue 11 is published today.  Read about the Choir’s first forty years, about singing in an Australian premiere at the Sydney Conservatorium, about our most recent concert, and other items of Choir and musical interest.

Click here for your copy.

A last-minute decision whilst sitting up in bed having our morning cup of tea last Saturday, saw Anne and me at the Opera House that afternoon for a Concert for Peace, performed by the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs.  The program included pieces by Arvo Part, Eric Whitacre, Morten Laurisden and, for me most importantly, the Five Negro Spirituals from Michael Tippet’s A Child of our Time, and Karl Jenkins’ The Armed Man.  It was a great program, and the music was performed competently and sensitively.  The last two pieces were especially moving.

Among the audience were a number of MWC members and spouses:  I spotted Naomi Roseth, Judy Williams, Jane Cameron, Cindy and Harvey Broadbent, Julie and Roger Dawson and Anne Scollen.  Maybe there were others there too.  Almost enough of us set up a separate choir within the audience!

Last Saturday’s concert was a great success.  We have received many positive comments from audience members, one of whom, who heard us for the first time on Saturday, has already booked tickets for our next concert!

No doubt we all have different memories of such an event.  For this writer, it started with Carolina’s masterful yet sensitive playing in the Cant de les Estrelles.  Then the combined orchestral and piano playing in the Nights in the Gardens of Spain proved powerful and convincing.  As for the Haydn Mass, we in the Choir seemed to have mastered the dynamics, and the soloists sounded wonderful, both individually and particularly when singing together.

To add to this, the concert was a sell-out.  Not only does that help the finances, but it’s also much better singing to a full house.

Many thanks to everyone who had a part in making another MWC Concert truly memorable.

As you may know, our Conductor, Carlos Alvarado, also conducts a number of other choirs and orchestras.  He was recently appointed Principal Conductor of the Ryde Hunters Hill Orchestra.  The first concert of their 2015 season took place on Sunday May 3rd the Ryde Civic Hall, with Carlos conducting.  It was a beautiful programme with connections to Gallipoli.  For full details of the programme, click here.

The first part comprised a number of popular pieces, and after the interval there came one of Carlos’ masterpieces of programming.  Arutunian’s Trumpet Concerto, played brilliantly be Andrew del Riccio, set a military scene.  Then came Frederick Septimus Kelly’s wistful Elegy for Strings “In memoriam Rupert Brooke”, in which the string section of the orchestra captured Kelly’s evocation of the personal losses sustained in war in with poise and sensitivity.  Another thoughtful piece followed – “Nimrod” from Elgar’s Enigma Variations, in which Carlos masterfully brought off the long, sustained build up to the climax. By way of a Grand Finale, Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance March No 1 was played with bravura and panache.  There were almost sufficient members of MWC there for us to sing along with “Land of Hope and Glory”, but it would not have done to drown the magnificent sound of the orchestra.