Freedom Road - Final Sunday Afternoon Rehearsal

The final rehearsal before the weekend of the Freedom Road concert was last Sunday, 31th July. As many people as possible came from regional choirs – Bendigo, Ballarat, Wodonga, Stratford to name just a few. Some came in buses, others car-pooled and many came in their own donks.

Peeping over the drum kit, we see people finding their places




Two Bays Choir members were everywhere, and enjoying the whole thing of course. We have shared the driving, the tea and carrot cake, and the music. 

Simply Irresistible, we are   ;-)

Most of the musicians, most of the guest performers and the narrators were present to take us through the substance of the program. It was a longer rehearsal than usual and we all worked hard with Stella and Dani moving the whole thing along with energy, precision and laughter.
 

Dani calls for hush, Stella draws breath, Barry is pensive

It made all the difference to hear the narrators doing their thing – it all feels connected now. Barry and the other narrators read their scripts which create an understanding of the tragedy of slavery, bringing to life the gospel music that spelled hope for the people caught in this desperate trap. Geoffrey Williams sang, Archer sang, and Mark Grunden beefed up the rhythm with his fabulous drumming. 

Geoffrey Williams singing, Stella's right there!

Afternoon tea break was welcome as we were to continue until 5.30 this time. It was sunny and time for stories and catching up.



Tea break in the afternoon sunshine



Thank goodness Harry was present, the world’s best sound engineer (for MMC performances). The work song stomps and the happy clapping from over 300 people would overwhelm the recording so we made adjustments accordingly. The Illuminators sang their piece and described their costumes - can't wait both to see them and hear them at the performance.



The Illuminators with great harmony, exciting energy



Next weekend we are issued with our t-shirts on Saturday at the full rehearsal at the Collins Street Baptist Church, followed by the dress rehearsal on Sunday morning in the Town Hall. The performance is at 2 in the afternoon. Your friends can still get tickets on-line although quite a few hundred are already sold. The Town Hall is so big!

Roll on the weekend, it’s very exciting.

Cheers until the next post.
Ros and Sue.

Melbourne Millennium Chorus Rehearsals Start

Rehearsals have started for the 2011 Melbourne Millennium Chorus.

Oh wow! The choir will be 380 voices in a single concert at the Melbourne Town Hall. The energy is terrific with Stella Savy and Dani Fry at the helm. The preparation for this Winter event is fantastic.

"Freedom Road" is the name of this concert that follows the advent of slavery in the south of America, the development of gospel song, and the grievous trek to freedom for individual slaves. Gospel gives us insight into the misery, the faith that gave hope, and the battle for the abolition of slavery overall.

Dani and Stella and their team have prepared copious materials for all participants to be well prepared for this fantastic event. We have at our disposal MP3 files of all parts for all songs, music charts of all songs, lyrics, and twenty pages of historical notes which inform us of the background. The narration for the concert will also be taken from these notes.

Some of the Two Bays stalwarts outside Melbourne Girls College.

The rehearsals are held at Melbourne Girls College. There's a bit of a picnic atmosphere at the tea break - some queue for tea and cake whilst others bring food and hot drinks to share outside - if it's not raining. The rehearsals are a colourful mixture of fun and precision. Of course, this is a Victoria wide event so only half the chorus has been rehearsing in Melbourne. Other regional participants are practicing in Bairnsdale, Ballarat, Bendigo, and more.

If you're interested in getting tickets, we'd love to see you there. Here is the link to The Boite website where you can choose and purchase your seats. http://www.boite.com.au/bookings/

Do come. It'll be a rave.

A footnote from your Blog Master - it's so nice to return to 'normal' Melbourne weather when winter is Winter, but that's my view be it e'er so 'umble.

Singers Festival, Daylesford. 2011

This glorious Festival has been coming around for the last 20 years, and this year was the 21st. Yay!


About twenty of us from Two Bays went to Daylesford, some for the umpteenth time and others (yours truly) for the first time. Considering that there were rising waters all around Daylesford, many folk took rather circuitous and imaginative routes to get there. The early birds who were travelling from Woodend had only passable water over the road to contend with. The Daylesford Lake spillway was flowing very fast and the Blowhole close to Hepburn on the road to Newstead was B***** Spectacular. Even the viewing platform was inundated and the decking lodged on the bank some way down-stream.

The water spouts 20 metres into the river between viewing platforms

It's not so surprising that Sea Shanties were the topic of one workshop given by a favourite singer, Danny Spooner. In the end, we all arrived safely without needing flotation devices.

Sharing dinner, conversation and good wine on Friday night.

The accommodation bears some comment. Those in a cottage discovered a ghost. Those in a motel offered shelter to those with no home for a night. Those in a tent went to a cabin for fear the wind and the deluge would have trees fall on them in the darkness. Those in a van took it all in their stride. On Friday evening, we gathered at Suzy and Irena's cottage for rehearsal, a shared meal and good company. One of the delights of these events is getting to know our fellow singers a little more.

From Geoff: Friday night concert at the Town Hall. I'm enchanted by the cavernous interior, the wrap-around balcony, the vaulted ceiling and oh that sound! What a treat to sing in such a space.The various workshop presenters strut their stuff, and make my decisions on what to learn over the week-end even more difficult. So much talent, experience and enthusiasm to share.

Danny Spooner et al performing a Sea Shanty

The Festival was great fun, with wall to wall workshops, about four concerts, new and familiar music and musicians. Many of us from Two Bays look forward to the Melbourne Millenium Chorus this year after attending workshops by Dani Fry and Stella Savy who will be the Directors for MMC 2011. Bring it on!



  

Dani Fry and Stell Savy. Great Gospel and Soul workshops.

Our part in the Concert of Choirs went pretty well. All the songs are favourites and a couple were recently performed over the Christmas period - Amen Alleluia and One Morning Soon. Waka Nini Yana is a lovely indigenous lullaby written by Lou Bennett.

Geoff again: Saturday night and it's time for Two Bays to hoist its' colours at the Town Hall in front of a very giving audience of fellow Shower Sops and Bathroom Baritones. I think we nailed it...even Sue looked relaxed!

We are sitting together during the Concert of Choirs awaiting our turn.

The weather become finer on Saturday and moving from venue to venue was eaier as the rain receded. The finale was a concert of the songs learned in the workshops, including a great performance from the kids who attended the Kids' Program. What a great idea this is.

Fay White leads her workshoppers in the Finale

The Kids perform their music and special acts

 So ends another Singers Festival. If anyone has other photos that would add to our little blog-world, let me know, send me a copy, and please add comments to make this our place.

Geoff has the final word: I'm deeply moved by the closing ceremony. My sense of community and the power of music is reaffirmed.

Thanks for your lovely company.
Smiles,
Ros and Sue.

Melbourne Millennium Chorus 2010

The Millennium Chorus was brought together again this year by The Boite. Penny Larkins and Carl Pannuzzo were the creators and directors of the concert this year, the year of sustainable living.

Penny and Carl worked hard to create the international journey that took us from Australia to South America, Africa, Celtic origins, and back to our beloved land. Rehearsals were fun, the concerts were great, and the connection with so many other singers was (as always) very energising.

As your Resident Blogger, I want to say that this was my first Millennium Chorus and I loved every minute.
Miles of smiles,
Ros.

Millennium Chorus, 2009. Our Land Our Home

What an energising experience - again - to be part of the Millennium Chorus.

The Melbourne Millennium Chorus, 2009

One of the songs that was great fun was "Singing For Rain" which begins with the rain starting and becoming a thunder storm. As you look at the YouTube video below, watch the grinning faces while the action unfolds. What an appropriate topic for our poor drought affected country-side.

For those who know us at Two Bays Choir, there are lots of familiar faces.



I would add a comment as your Resident Blogger, who was not around for the 2009 event, that the songs on the CD are great and it's a great pleasure to listen to them for inspiration.

Miles of smiles,
Ros.

2007 Millenium Chorus

In August 2007, 35 members of Two Bays Choir joined with 300 other singers from around Melbourne, to sing as the Melbourne Millenium Chorus. The concert was a 10 year retrospective of the MMC and was held at the BMW Edge in Feration Square in Melbourne. 

The afternoon concert at the BMW Edge

The lighting makes the evening concert eye-catching

The choir working with indigenous artists in the program