Firstly, a huge thank you to Bill, Emma and 22 Vocally Wilders for coming along to SandyBeach to perform for the Friday Social Club. We are extremely grateful to Bill and Emma for volunteering their time and “raising us up” to be able to sing well with confidence at our first concert for some time. It was a lovely day, there was a happy, grateful audience, and I know we singers felt the joy! I wasn’t able to stay afterwards, but Bill remained behind to chat and dance! Bill happened to have known both the “Beach Daddies” (Peter Sullivan and Adrian Scott - former Air Supply and LRB keyboard player) for many years! Miranda, from SandyBeach sent a kind message of thanks saying the audience had enjoyed our performance immensely. By the way, Bill reports that the ‘Beach Daddies’ were also very impressed with the choir!!
We’ve received many positive comments about Vocally Wild recently; how we sound, mentioning the good positive vibes from our Tuesday rehearsals. Thank you all for your positivity; it seems we are now getting past the stressful Covid years and can look forward to a busy and exciting future.
Please read later in the Newsletter Russell’s ‘poetic’ review of Charlotte Miles’ first solo professional performance, and check out our concert planning! We really have a busy time ahead, so here is an update of our Diary – note a new ‘gig has been added - we have been invited to sing once again at the Hampton Cricket Club Christmas Party on the evening of Saturday, 17th December.
| DATE |
DETAIL |
| Sunday, 11th September – 7.30 a.m. |
Connor’s Run |
| Tuesday, 13th September |
Last Rehearsal for Term 3. |
| Tuesday, 4th October |
Term 4 commences |
| Saturday, 8th October- 11.00 a.m. – 3.00 p.m. |
Healthy Ageing Expo, Brighton Town Hall |
| Sunday, 16th October – 3.00 p.m. |
Annual Concert, Brighton Town Hall |
| Tuesday 1st November |
No Choir – Melbourne Cup Day |
| November and December |
Carols - Saturday rehearsals (TBC) |
| Tuesday, 6th December |
Last Rehearsal for Term 4 |
| Possibly Tuesday, 13th December |
Carols in the Park (TBC) |
| Saturday, 17th December – early evening |
Hampton Cricket Club Xmas Party |
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MEMBERSHIP (Cherry)
Many thanks to the majority of choir members who promptly paid the extra $40 fee invoiced to see us through to the end of the year. For those of you who haven’t yet paid, please do so. If you require your invoice to be re-sent, please contact Cherry – (Cherry has a new email address).
Regarding Membership, another 10 members would be ideal, so if you know anyone who would like to come along to a Vocally Wild rehearsal as a ‘try out’, please make contact.
CONCERT
Plans are now well on the way.
Invitations: We will be sending invitations and flyer out shortly. A flyer will be sent separately, via email, which you may wish to send on to friends and family. Cherry will bring a hard copy for you all to rehearsal. We’ll get extras printed for taking to community noticeboards, shops, etc. and for handing out at the Healthy Ageing Expo. (Details later). Any help in sending or distributing these flyers will be gratefully received. We are hoping to have a ‘full house’ at the Brighton Town Hall on Sunday, 16th October!!
Catering: food will be purchased, so ‘sigh of relief’ you won’t be receiving a request to ‘bring a plate’!!!
Seating: Chairs will be provided for choir to sit on during instrumental performances, so you won’t need to stand for the whole concert! If you happen to have any easy to handle ‘fold up’ chairs, please let us know. Seating for choir will be on the stage and on the floor area in front of the stage.
Music: We will be holding our music folders for the concert. Fourteen songs!! We’re currently looking at a suitable, cheap, light and easy to handle folder, so if you have any brilliant ideas, we’d be very happy to hear them. These will be our ‘performance’ folders should we be able to find something suitable.
Helpers: We will be taking the sound and lighting equipment to Brighton Town Hall on Saturday, 15th, and setting up the equipment from 1.30 p.m. on Concert day, so if you are willing to help the day before, or come early on the Sunday, please let us know. The Hall is being used in the morning, which makes the set up timing crucial, as we need to ensure all chairs are in place plus trestles for food, the equipment and lighting. A sheet will be at choir for names of helpers.
More information about the concert will appear soon - In the meantime, enjoy our rehearsing! We are awaiting some music from the USA so we can add “Let Me Be There in Your Morning” as a tribute to Olivia Newton John to our repertoire. Perhaps look it up on Utube – it’s a catchy, country and western style piece. As you know, we already have our tribute to Judith Durham.
CONNOR’S RUN
Thank you to those who have put their names down for this powerful and feel-good event. Bill and Emma will be there, for which we’re very grateful. Please consider coming along – it is fun, different, and very worthwhile.
Details: Sunday, 11th September. 7.30 a.m. set up and we’ll start singing as the first runners fly past! Meeting place: outside South Melbourne Life Saving Club, Middle Park. Susie Forbes will be out bike riding the course today and will send some photos of our location, which I can forward on to anyone who would like them.
Helpers: Russel won’t be able to come his year, so if anyone would like to help with the set-up, please step forward. Cherry, her hubby Rob and I will be loading our cars on the Tuesday rehearsal night prior to the 11th, so many hands will make light work. There is plenty to do on the morning of the 11th, so please offer help if you can. We won’t be taking the choir risers this year. If anyone has an easy to erect marquee which we can borrow, please let me know. We really would like to keep Emma (and the equipment) warm and out of the wind/rain if possible! We singers will just brave the wind, rain, storm and tempest as usual, or maybe this year it will be sunshine and pleasant blue skies!
CHARLOTTE MILES (Charlotte's professional debut by Russel) – Melbourne Recital Centre
Charlotte was magnificent
She walked onto the stage and sat alongside the conductor, with her cello, in front of 100 musicians
Centre stage. The focus of everyone's attention
She seemed so at home there, in the place she so naturally belonged
Then the music started. Beautiful music from mostly strings and also other instruments
Charlotte's cello dominated the performance. Magical playing, beautiful timing.
Charlotte brought the music from the composer's score to our ears, in a way which was joyfully absorbing
And when it was over, the concert was continued by the audience. We applauded, the orchestra applauded, the conductor beamed and Charlotte bowed.
A great event from an orchestra of talented musicians, making beautiful music.
And Charlotte at the centre of it all.
BAYSIDE HEALTHY AGEING SENIORS EXPO – Saturday, 8th October – 11.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m.
Vocally Wild will share a table at this Expo with another community group. (22 community groups will take part). This is an ideal opportunity to present our choir to the community via membership forms, concert flyers, photographs, photo books, etc. (if anyone wishes to lend their photo book from one of the Italy trips, it would be wonderful). We feel sure that many visitors will be interested to learn about our upcoming Concert!
Some other attractions will be:
- MC – Carol O’Halloran.
- Two Neil Diamond Tribute performances (1.00 p.m. and 3.00 p.m.)
- Sausage sizzle provided by Brighton North Rotary.
- Coffee cart, sweet treats, provided by CWA Bayside.
If you would care to join Cherry, John Barlow and myself on the attendance roster, please let Cherry or I know - just an hour each would be fine, or less if we receive many offers. Bayside Healthy Ageing will be supporting us with our concert by adding our information to their Healthy Ageing October promotions – so watch out for them!
CHOIR RISERS/TRAILER
We currently house the Risers and Trailer in Mentone at a rental of $600 per year. We are wondering if you know anyone who has some spare, under cover, safe space for us to store the trailer at a minimal, or zero, cost if possible. Please contact Russel if you have any ideas.
MAGGIE AND ROD’S OUTBACK ADVENTURE
Veteran Car Club of Australia – Brisbane to Broome Veteran Car Rally
Forty three veteran cars departed Caboolture Historical Village on the 18th July. The photo is of Maggie in all her wonderful glory on the 6th day at Barkly Homestead – the half way mark. These cars are all over 100 years old! They were due to arrive in Broome on 11th August, but there’s no further news from Maggie yet!! What an adventure for these enthusiasts, driving across the top of Australia in their ancient vehicles.
Here is Maggies report, from half-way:
We are now in Kununurra having completed 3,431 kms and with 1,076 kms to go in the old car. Not without issues! A bad tyre needing changing for a new one in Mt. Isa and Rod worked on bearings in that wheel. Moving on, we sailed along until Daly Waters, when the crew decided to improve the sloppy steering – with success. Onward we went until we discovered a water leak at Timber Creek. Rectified that but it was short lived and required more water in the radiator every 25 kms until we reached Kununurra. More work to be done tomorrow on a rest day!! No rest for the wicked!!! I think we still have our senses of humour!!! I had to tow another car that had broken down on the road into Kununurra today. All part of the fun. It’s hot and humid and the best place to be is in the pool! Enjoy the cool weather while you can. Keep up the singing. I’m afraid I have not looked at the music since Orange!
Amazing they are! Let’s hope the final leg went without mishap and their continuing adventures are going well. I guess that anyone or anything over 100 years old would definitely need “Tinkering, Topping up and Towing” at some stage – so Maggie and Rod, you’re very impressive!
WHAT’S HAPPENING?
'Skylight' - written by David Hare, directed by Michelle Swann.
26th August to 10th September.
William Mulholland is a regular member of V.W. but we haven't seen him recently as he has been preparing for his role as 'Tom Sergeant' in Malvern Theatre Company's 'Skylight'. If you're interested in seeing this brilliant play.
Tickets: The early bird priced tickets will probably have gone now, but if you wish to attend contact aumalverntc sales.ticketsearch.com or malverntheatre.com.au Venue: 29 Burke Road, Malvern East.
'All the very best William' from us all. (Do we still say ‘break a leg’?)
Jerry Wong in Solo – Free Piano Concert – Friday, 26th August, 8.00 to 8.30 p.m.
The piano concert is by Jerry Wong at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, (where Emma is an accompanist). Entry is free, but you must be registered. Programme: Love and Longing: Music of Liszt, Frank Liszt. Chapelle de Guillaume Tell, Au lac de Wallenstadt, Vallee d’Obermann. https://www.temporubato.com.au/tempo-concerts/friday-jerry-wong
LAST BUT NOT LEAST - from Russel
WE NEED MORE SPEAKERS FOR OUR CONCERT AT BRIGHTON TOWN HALL.
Do you have a speaker we can use? We need several of
these to use as foldback speakers. They need to be active speakers, i.e. they plug into the mains. They are sometimes called PA speakers.
Best regards,
Pat and Committee
Bill Miles (Music Director)
Emma Lippa (Accompanist)
Russel Barnes (President)
Julie Sergienko (Treasurer)
Pat Lowry (Secretary)
Cherry Tunnock (Membership Secretary
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.
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