STOP PRESS: if you are singing (or thinking of singing) at the Bayside Carols on 9 Dec, add your name to the list at rehearsals no later than Tuesday 4 November. We have to give names to the event organisers.
Coming up next
Deadline: Working With Children Checks
Tuesday 28 October
Email your numbers to Rose rosie@hillgrove.com
A reminder that we need every Vocally Wild member to provide us with Working With Children details this week:
- If you already have a WWCC card, send Rose a pic of your card so we have your Card Number.
- If you don't have a WWCC card, you need to apply for one straight away, and send Rose your Application Number.
Note this applies to all members, not just those intending to sing at the Bayside Carols.
Full details on how to apply for your card were handed out at rehearsal on Tuesday 21/10 and emailed to everyone on Wednesday 22/10 – look in your Inbox for Vocally Wild – IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR ALL MEMBERS: what you need to do regarding Working With Children Checks (WWTC) 22 October.
If you need more information or assistance completing the application, call Jill (0438 349 715), Glynis (0422 213 042) or Clint (0410 569 386). They will also be available to answer questions at 7.00pm before rehearsal on Tuesday 28 Oct.
Vocally Wild Hang Out
around 4.30pm Sunday 23 November
Local venue tbc
Event organiser: Rose
By popular demand, we are planning to bring back some occasional social get-togethers for members just to catch up outside the demanding routines of listening to practice tracks, stacking chairs and hitting high A flats.
Nothing fancy — we'll make a time and place, and you and yours come along if you wanna. We're going to kick off with a pub, as you do, probably the Sandy (to be confirmed) on Sunday 23 Nov. All members and friends of the choir welcome.
Let Rose know if you plan to come along so we can book some space.
Beaumaris Traders Christmas Street Festival
5.00pm (tbc) Fri 28 November
Beaumaris Concourse
VW event organiser: Rose
Vocally Wild will again be entertaining the neighbours with Christmas songs just down the road at the Beaumaris Concourse. The Santa Claus/Bill Miles double act with the children is not to be missed.
The sign-up sheet will be available shortly at rehearsals.
Open Mic
8.30pm Tuesday 2 December
(from the break in rehearsal)
Beaumaris Hall
Event contact: Lesley
The last rehearsal of the year will again feature the diverse talents of Vocally Wilders doing their unpredicable thing to a captive audience for the celebrated Open Mic session. Acapella groups, men's choruses, duets, recitations, instrumental solos, poetry readings, travel lectures — anything's possible, even likely. Followed by supper.
Time to get your act together and rehearse those items. Let Lesley know what you're plotting, and she'll try to squeeze you into the program.
The sign-up sheet will be available shortly at rehearsals.
Bayside Christmas Carols in the Park
Dendy Park Brighton
6.00–9.30pm Tuesday 9 December (arrival time tbc)
VW event organiser: Clint
More details here
Vocally Wild singers will again join in the 100+ choir for Bayside's signature Christmas event. We are told it is the largest Christmas choir anywhere, and it is an experience not to be missed. Just do it.
Songs featuring the choir with the Southern Area Concert Band (SACB) include Deck the Halls, Across the Plains, Little Saint Nick, Shepherds Watched Their Flocks By Night, I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day and, of course, the Hallelujah Chorus. We will also be backing soloists Amalia Foy, Bella Craig and Melinda Ash in several of their songs.
Important combined rehearsals with SACB will be held in the Beaumaris Hall on the three Saturday mornings leading up to the concert, with a must-be-there dress rehearsal with solists on Sunday 7 December. For details see the Summary of dates below – rehearsal times are to be confirmed.
We have to give the event organisers our numbers (and names and WWCC numbers) by the first week in November. Unless you are going to be in Iceland on 9 December, suggest put your name down anyway even if you are not sure at this stage.
The sign-up sheet will be available at the next two rehearsals (28 October and 4 November).
Vocally Wild Community Carols
Concert and singalong
5.00pm Sunday 21 December
Beaumaris Hall
VW event organiser: Edwina
Make sure you have this great new Vocally Wild event in your calendar and Christmas plans.
It's a special treat for choir members' loyal family and friends, who have been dying to get a chance to sing themselves. The program features some Christmas concert items by the choir, plus singalongs with words provided to all the favourite carols, and special items by guest local artists.
More details and booking information will be available soon.
Festival of Voices (FoV)
Various venues, Hobart
3–6 July 2026
VW event organiser: Russel
Vocally Wild will again be going to this wonderful festival as a participating choir next year – the last time was in 2024.
We will be scheduled to perform at 6 to 8 venues around central Hobart over the 4 days – think churches, lounges, atriums, libraries and town halls. There's time in between to soak up the atmosphere, listen to other choirs and artists, maybe squeeze in a festival workshop, as well as (most importantly) to eat, drink, sing and be merry.
Briefly:
- open to any VW member who wants to go
- Vocally Wild performances will be on the four first days of the festival (Fri 3 July to Mon 6 July)
- some people stay longer to enjoy more of the rest of the festival, which goes until 13 July
- you make your own bookings for travel and accommodation
- most people team up with friends, especially for accommodation
- you will need to register online as an individual to get your festival ticket (no rush – details later)
- there will also be a small per-head Vocally Wild levee to cover the choir costs
- we do a (repeated) 30-minute bracket of about 8 songs selected from our current repertoire
- we will organise some extra rehearsals for the FoV group leading up to the event.
More details of the festival progarm will be available on the festival website from November 14.
In the meantime, team up with friends, get googling for your flights and accommodation – and get the inside goss from anyone who has been before, which is about half the choir.
Summary of dates
| 2025 |
|
|
|
| October |
| Mon 27 |
VW Music Group meeting |
10.00am–1.00pm |
Beaumaris Centre |
|
|
|
|
| November |
| Wed 19 |
VW Committee meeting |
7.30-9.30pm |
tba |
| Sat 22 |
Bayside Carols rehearsal 1 |
10.00am–1.00pm |
Beaumaris Centre |
| Sun 23 |
Vocally Wild Hang Out |
4.30pm – |
tba |
| Fri 28 |
Beaumaris Concourse Carols |
tba |
Beaumaris Concourse |
| Sat 29 |
Bayside Carols rehearsal 2 |
10.00am–1.00pm |
Beaumaris Centre |
|
|
|
|
| December |
| Tue 2 |
Last rehearsal term 4
(with Open Mic) |
7.30–9.30pm |
Beaumaris Centre |
| Sat 6 |
Bayside Carols rehearsal 3 |
10.00am–1.00pm |
Beaumaris Centre |
| Sun 7 |
Bayside Carols rehearsal 4 |
4.30–7.30pm |
Beaumaris Centre |
| Tue 9 |
Bayside Christmas Carols |
6.00–9.30pm (tbc) |
Dendy Park |
| Wed 17 |
VW Committee Meeting |
7.30-7.30pm |
tba |
| Sun 21 |
VW Community Carols |
5.00–6.30pm |
Beaumaris Centre |
|
|
|
|
| 2026 |
|
|
|
| 3-6 Jul |
Festival of Voices |
Various |
Hobart |
Choir reports
Queen Symphony
30 August 2025
Iwaki Auditorium
VW Organiser: Pat
‘Challenging but so exhilarating’! Nine trusty Vocally Wilders took the plunge and participated in the Grainger Symphony’s “Queen Symphony” at the Iwaki Auditorium, ABC Southbank, on Saturday night, 30th August. Four rehearsals were held in Blackburn North, which for baysiders was a 50 minute drive each way, but some cheerful car-pooling made it fun.
Singing this wonderful symphony was yet another great experience for us (being part of Vocally Wild choir really does give us many opportunities to take part in some remarkable activities) and, being surrounded by very experienced, competent and many professional choristers, was the tonic we needed to help us feel competent enough to take part!
Last Saturday evening at the Iwaki was something all nine of us will remember always, with real pleasure.
The program‘s first half was dedicated to the Grainger Wind Symphony’s two pieces, “Ceremonial Fanfare” and “Madama Butterfly: Symphonic Suite” (during which we had the pleasure to “hum”!!). This beautiful music was followed by the Southern Voices Melbourne’s six superb songs – they are truly a wonderful choir – led by Sharon Batterham.
During the whole performance, the mass choir was seated on the stage, when we learnt to sit completely still, our eyes never leaving the conductor as we faced the audience. To be able to watch the conductor of a large orchestra face on like this was fascinating for us; to see and understand that a look, a glance, a slight finger movement, a smile, a fine body movement, is how such a fine conductor directs such wonderful musicians.
The second half was dedicated to the “Queen Symphony” by Tolga Kashif, in six movements. We were involved with the 1st, 5th and 6th Movements, but to be able to sit there (in our concert black with gold touches) and be immersed in this wonderful music was awe-inspiring. During the 3rd Movement, “Who Wants to Live Forever – Save Me”, featured Violin solo (Alyssa Wang) and Cello solo (Sean Chen). Superb is all I can say. We had the best seats in the house and loved it!!
Our admiration and thanks go to the wonderful Southern Voices, Sharon Batterham and team; to Principal Conductor, Roland Yeung – so impressive in every respect; a gentle, kind, brilliant and effective man, and to all the Granger Wind Symphony’s brilliant musicians (in which Edwina’s brother, David Howes played the French Horn). We loved every minute.
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