Victoria Welsh Choir

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Vic Welsh Performances in 2010

Performances before 17th March (reports on the way):

6 February:      Minya Vineyard & Winery - Côr Bach

13 February:    Wesley Uniting Church, Melbourne - Wedding of Laura Morgan and Thomas Jennings

27 February:    Grand Annual St David's Day Concert at Melbourne Recital Centre

28 February:    Cymanfa Ganu at St Michael's Church, Collins St.

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St Kilda Town Hall - Côr Bach

17 April 2010: "presented with professionalism, poise and polish ... left the audience stimulated and delighted"

We later received this message from Ingrid Austin on behalf of the organisers: "Côr Bach's performance last Saturday evening left the audience of Conference attendees stimulated and delighted.  The varied program of traditional hymns, solos and well known songs was presented with professionalism, poise and polish.  The wonderful response from the audience, particularly when given the opportunity to participate, was proof indeed of a great night's entertainment. The hauntingly beautiful Sunset Poem, sung with the Choir positioned around the audience in the St. Kilda Town Hall, brought a memorable concert to a close."

Ballarat

18 April 2010: "As good as any choir in Cardiff"

The choir travelled to Ballarat on Sunday 18 April 2010 for an afternoon concert at a local church. An opening bracket of hymns included How Great Thou Art featuring a powerful solo by Barry McMahon. Barry’s voice teacher and Victoria Welsh Choir Scholar Janelle Hopman then followed to clutch at the audience’s heartstrings with a dramatic performance of Not While I’m Around from the musical Sweeney Todd.

Under the direction of Associate Director Lyn Henshall the next section included a sensitive rendition of Suo Gân with soloist Stephen Pepper and Janelle transporting the audience All Through the Night.

In this month, as thoughts turn towards ANZAC Day, baritone Bob Ash gave an emotional and thought-provoking solo performance of Eric Bogle’s sardonic And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda.

Faleiry stepped onto the rostrum again for the next three tunes including a virtuoso solo by popular Bendigo chorister Charles Phillips in I’se Weary of Waitin’.

The second half’s opening bracket, under Lyn’s conducting, featured songs from  musical theatre. Two numbers from The Pirates of Penzance were presented. Firstly, bass Graeme Sanderson gave a fine comic solo performance of When a Felon’s Not Engaged in his Employment, complete with truncheon and helmet. Secondly, the choir pretended to be light-footed and light-fingered burglars in With Cat-like Tread.

Following this, Janelle again showed her tremendous vocal versatility with a beautifully modulated version of Defying Gravity, perhaps the standout number from Wicked.

She then remained on stage to solo with the choir on the final medley from Les Mis.

Audience feedback included (per GM):

• Just as good as any choir we have heard in Cardiff 
• A wonderful afternoon - we enjoyed the whole show.

(Per LO):

• Clearly evident that the choir members VERY much love and enjoy what they do. This created a wonderful feeling in the audience and made the concert most enjoyable.
• A beautiful afternoon, I congratulate the choir in particular for the atmosphere and performance of Speed your Journey. 
• Bob Ash's solo And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda was outstanding, an almost overwhelming item

Anzac Day Dawn and Commemoration Services

25 April 2010: "Our Dawn Service would not be the same without your presence."

On Anzac Day 2010 we had the honour to be the official choir at the Shrine of Remembrance:

• At the Dawn Service for the seventh consecutive year
  
• At the Commemoration Service for the twenty-first time since 1984
  

The RSL later wrote to us as follows: "The Choir as always added something very special to the music, and your interaction with the Navy Band was first class. Our Dawn Service, in particular, would simply not be the same without your presence."

Roxburgh Park - Côr Bach

8 May 2010: "bloody good" ... "atmospheric"

On Saturday 8 May, Côr Bach was invited to sing in Roxburgh Park, for the third time in four years.  Soloists were Graham Warner, Ed Hughes, Barry McMahon and Bob Ash.  The mostly older-generation audience clearly enjoyed the programme and took every opportunity to join in.  Comments included "You're bloody good" (from a former Essendon football player) and "Your rendition of Dashenka was atmospheric - the range and control of dynamics was particularly effective."

Blackburn South

6 June 2010: "Stunning", "That was brilliant", "Loved every minute"

The choir was more than happy to support St Edward’s, where we rehearse twice a week, as they celebrated their 50th anniversary. Our concert was also a musical thank you to the church’s neighbours who put up with our parking overflow in surrounding streets on choir nights.

Clearly, a good proportion of the neighbourhood, as well as the church’s congregation, turned out on this Sunday afternoon and the hall soon filled up to capacity.

The choir sang a broad selection of its usual Welsh and English repertoire and the audience was also given the chance to open up with the chorus from Cwm Rhondda and the whole of the resounding Jerusalem.

The son of St Edward’s vicar, Jed Goodluck, impressed patrons with two trumpet numbers.

Fittingly, for the venue, the choir’s own chaplain Rev. Tom Morgan soloed on How Great Thou Art and Welshmen Stephen Lynn and Ed Hughes gave us, respectively, Little Welsh Home and Always There.

As a nod to 6 June being the 66th anniversary of D-Day, we sang the delightful We’ll Gather Lilacs from Perchance to Dream. And to celebrate the forthcoming soccer World Cup in South Africa – as well as honour our South African born accompanist, the choir lustily sang the anthem African Prayer in Xhosa and English.

Finally Roger Bartlett and the choir closed a wonderfully warm and neighbourly concert with the medley from Les Misérables.
After the concert the vicar, Michael Goodluck, gave us a vote of thanks.  His remarks included (to our accompanist) "Lorna, you're awesome", and "I had tears in my eyes - did anyone else?" in response to which some twenty hands went up.

Gisborne - Côr Bach

20 June 2010: "great concert", 'well-oiled machine"

On Sunday 20 June Côr Bach returned to Gisborne, following previous visits in 2006 and 2007.  Our soloists were Graham Warner, Barry McMahon, Bob Ash and Roger Bartlett. Soon afterwards we received a letter from our hosts thanking us for a great concert, referring to a "warmth in response to our performance", and adding "you have a very well-oiled machine working".

Mt Beauty - Côr Bach

17th July 2010: "More, more!"

On 17th July Victoria Welsh Choir made the 350km journey to Mt Beauty for the first time since March 2004.  On this occasion it was our Côr Bach who provided the entertainment. Soloists were Roger Bartlett, Gordon Parsons, Graeme Sanderson and Bob Ash, whose rendition of Working Man left some of the audience in tears.  The concert concluded to cries of' "more, more!".

Doncaster

24th July 2010: "I could have listened all night!"

On 24th July we returned, after almost exactly two years, to Doncaster, where we found a full house awaiting. Soloists were Roger Bartlett, Stephen Lynn, Bob Ash, Stephen Pepper and Graeme Sanderson. One audience member was heard to say: "I could have listened to you singing all night!"

Sale

11 September 2010: "a very good night" "the last song was very moving"

A double-header weekend opened on Saturday 11 September in Sale. Choir soloists featured were Roger Bartlett, Drew Hopkins and Bob Ash. The Sale College Swing Band, under the baton of Brett Glover, made the place swing and the audience also made their own contribution to a great concert by lustily joining in with Jerusalem.

Yarram

12 September 2010

The next day, in Yarram, Roger, Bob and Drew featured again along with Bendigo chorister Ken Simpson soloing on How Great Thou Art.  Vic Welsh Scholar Janelle Hopman was our guest artist and accompanied herself on piano with a wonderful selection of jazz standards. She also soloed on All Through the Night and on the Les Mis medley finale.

Swan Hill

9 October 2010

On Saturday 9 October the choir was off to a very early start to get up to Swan Hill for an afternoon concert. A large and appreciative audience quickly got into the swing of things and enjoyed a varied program including solo performances by Ambrose Morgan, Roger Bartlett, Ed Hughes, Drew Hopkins, Stephen Pepper and Bob Ash.  The compère was Graham Warner.

Shepparton

10 October 2010

After over-nighting in Swan Hill, we moved on to Shepparton, following our successful visit there in August last year (and previous concerts in the district in 2002, 2004, and 2006).  Our 2.30 pm concert was compèred by Ron Cooper. The soloists were the same as the previous day’s but we also featured the local Shepparton World Music Singers who entertained the audience with a bracket of lively numbers. Following a customary afternoon tea, we then returned to Melbourne after another very satisfying country weekend.

With Silvie Paladino and Jane Rutter

17th October 2010: “Beautiful, I could have cried.” "Uplifting" "Value for money"

A very large and appreciative audience assembled at the Robert Blackwood Hall, Monash University for an afternoon concert on Sunday 17 October. An extensive and varied program, from both the choir and the guest artists, ensured that patrons were kept thoroughly entertained and wishing it would never stop. Jane played a number of classical and more popular arrangements using flute, piccolo, pipe and recorder in a superb exhibition of musicianship. She also accompanied the choir in Bach’s Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring. Silvie also sang a wonderful array of songs, in various styles - in Italian and in English - and soloed with the choir on You’ll Never Walk Alone. Both artists performed with the choir on Cohen’s Hallelujah and on the concert’s finale from Les Misérables, in which Silvie had previously performed two leading parts on the stage. A special performance of Working Man by the choir and soloist Bob Ash, was inserted into the program just before interval, to recognise the release of the Chilean miners and that day’s news about yet another pit disaster in China. Audience feedback included:

• The performers were great.
• This was the most wonderful concert ever – I could have stayed for hours.
• Beautiful, I could have cried. The choir and Sylvie and Jane were just superb. Please do this again.
• I’ve been to several Welsh concerts all were just wonderful.
• Wonderful uplifting concert. Jane and Sylvie were great artists and complimented the choir.
• Most enjoyable, wonderful variety.A very enjoyable show at a reasonable cost. Value for money.
• Thoroughly enjoyed the performance, well done.
• Thank you for keeping the price of the tickets reasonable.
• Sylvie and Jane were a great addition to the choir and opens the concert up to another group of patrons.
• Wish I had asked more friends now, they would have enjoyed it.
• My daughter aged 38 and I loved the concert, we are huge fans of Silvie after seeing her in many stage shows. Jane and the Welsh choir were fabulous too!!
• We loved it and will attend other concerts on offer.
• One of the best concerts I have ever enjoyed.
• Special thanks to Faleiry and Lorna who both contributed to our enjoyment. Lorna 8 on a scale of 1 to 5.
• Excellent.Entertainment value was very good. A great variety, not too much Welsh for us, songs we could relate to.
• We did enjoy the whole concert and would like to add how much we enjoy Lorna on the piano. She is amazing, so much talent with such a variety of performers.
• Wonderful afternoon’s entertainment. We loved the Welsh Men! Jane and Sylvie are very professional and we loved the entertainment. Thank you for a fabulous afternoon.
• In general the mix was wonderful, well done.
• We thought this was the best ever.
• Jane was the highlight for me, she is a beam of light from musical heaven. Sylvie was so sweet and always gives polished performances.
• Loved the audience participation.
• Voices in choir well balanced.
• Lovely variety of choral songs and delightful singing, choir beautifully rehearsed with great attention to detail. Many thanks.

Mandurah WA

6th November 2010: "Pat on the back, guys - that was fantastic!"

We opened our tour of the south-west of Western Australia on Saturday 6th November with a concert  in Mandurah.  Soloists were Rhonda Yates (soprano), Bob Ash and Roger Bartlett (baritone) and Ambrose Morgan and Stephen Pepper (tenor).

Bunbury WA

7th November 2010 with Bunbury Men Of Song 

The next day, 7th November, we joined forces with the Bunbury Men Of Song to put on a concert in Bunbury.  Our soloists were Rhonda Yates (soprano), Roger Bartlett and Bob Ash (baritone), Ed Hughes and Drew Hopkins (tenor), and Graham Warner (bass).

Kojonup WA

11th November 2010

On Armistice Day we broke our journey from Albany to Perth at St Mary's Anglican Church in Kojonup.  There we:

• Held our own Remembrance Service, conducted by the Reverend Tom Morgan, member of our bass section
• Gave an informal mini-concert to a capacity audience of all ages, including schhoolchildren - for which we were rewarded with a delicious and enormous lunch!
  

Subiaco WA

13th November 2010 with Perth Male Voice Choir

We wound up our tour of WA with an afternoon concert on 14th November in Midvale, near Guildford.  Soloists were Rhonda Yates (soprano), Bob Ash and Roger Bartlett (baritone) and Ed Hughes, Ambrose Morgan and Stephen Pepper (tenor).

Box Hill

16th December 2010: "War song, war song!"

On 16th December, for the fourth year in a row, choristers participated in end-of-year festivities at Adult Multicultural Education Services (AMES) in Box Hill.  Some 15 of us introduced the audience of recent migrants to an appropriate selection of our repertoire, including Peter Allen's immortal I Still Call Australia Home. However when an encore was offered the cry went up "War Song, War Song!" - by which they meant Men of Harlech!

Melbourne - Côr Bach

17th December 2010

On 17th December our Côr Bach provided the entertainment at a leading Melbourne club for their annual Christmas dinner. Before dinner we sang carols on their grand staircase, followed up, between courses, by items from our regular repertoire and more carols, in which members and their guests joined vociferously. Our contribution to the festivities which was received with enormous enthusiasm.  Soloists were Gordon Parsons, Ed Hughes, Bob Ash and Ambrose Morgan.

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