SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL HAPPENED THIS DECEMBER IN ESK

The Elves: Lloyd Elf, Eric Elf, Helene Elf, Gary Elf.

It was just plain hot on Sunday, 1^st December, a taste of those long hot Summer Days the weather gurus have been predicting and by golly, indications are that they well may be right. However, December 1st is also a time for heralding the joyous season of Christmas and by 2pm on that day, Esk’s Somerset Civic Centre was chokers with high spirited concert goers finding their places in the cool of the Concert Hall and eager for an afternoon of musical entertainment at the Esk Community Choir’s 29^th Annual Christmas Variety Concert.

Joy to the World: Lloyd, Gary, Denis, Brian, Eric and Margaret

‘Rounds’ by the choir which rendered the audience a fitting welcome must surely have been inspiration for Mother Nature who made her presence felt with a brief but wanted fall of rain.

Fast becoming a regular at the emcee podium is Councillor Sean Choat who, with his eloquence and joie de vivre was again brilliant at ushering the items from the concert’s outset to its potent conclusion.

Percussimo

Spellbound could be the appropriate word to define the audience’s reactions when special guests, Percussimo burst onto the stage and transported a room full of ardent onlookers on a musical journey with their ‘art of hitting’. Age did not seem important when such a powerful performance of percussion managed to find its way into the souls of everyone from 8 to 80 and beyond. With flair, youthful exuberance and perfect precision, Percussimo’s Creative Director, Tina Liu and her equally talented 7 member troop of outstanding musicians engaged the audience with everything from ‘Eye of the Tiger’, the beauty of Saint-Saens through a sensitive as well as upbeat medley of their own arrangement of beloved Christmas Carols to Star Wars and a magical mayhem of musical sounds from Harry Potter. This, a collaboration with children from the audience who, when invited on stage were equipped with all manner of things percussive from triangles and train tooters to owls, frogs and crickets and all who rushed at the opportunity to be part of something so transformative. Percussimo’s mission is to provide magical experiences through live music that connects and resonates with the audience, creating sounds that inspire happiness and joy. Few would disagree…mission accomplished!

“Yikes, d’y’realize we have to follow this performance?” whispered one Sweetheart of Song to another during Percussimo’s climactic spectacle of sound using light-up sticks. With interval over, some fabulous raffles and lucky door prizes drawn, won and the stage restored to accommodate the choir, follow, the ‘Sweethearts’ did… with gusto. Kathleen, Susie, Carolyn and Maree are the Sweethearts of Song whose passion for singing is palpable and whose sublime harmonies once again had the audience clapping and tapping to the beat during their duo of songs.

The Sweethearts of Song: Kathie, Susie, Carolyn and Maree

If music feeds the soul and variety adds the spice then there would surely have been no one left wanting when, with a dynamic opening delivered by Lloyd King, the gregarious Grace Crichton on drums and the mastery of Margaret Philp at the piano, Alexis and the Choir took to the stage for a gritty performance of Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody.

On another level and equally as passionate about the art of making music were the host of little musicians forming the Esk State School Band. Under the watchful eye of music specialist, Adam Smith, they gave a resounding performance of a number of vibrant compositions involving some punchy audience participation. Following these and surely inspired by the Percussimo experience, finding the right tempo and a gay abandonment of volume control from the band’s percussion section did prove challenging for their performance of Away in a Manger. However, with a retake or two, the help of School Principal and a small group from the Choir, it was altogether a performance the audience thoroughly enjoyed.

Esk State School Band

Audience involvement with the
Esk State School Band

Bringing further joy to the audience was the goose-bump gorgeous performance of Roger Quilter’s Non Nobis Domine by the Choir men. Nurtured by Choir Director, Alexis FitzGerald OAM, this men’s group is fast becoming an accomplished force on the Choral Concert scene.

Tenor and Bass Ensemble

In contrast to the distinctive vocal qualities of the men, the ladies of the choir came together to bring forth the spirit of Christmas through two well loved Christmas Carols, Ding Dong Merrily on High arranged by Michael Neaum and along with Suzanne Clemence’s delightful flute accompaniment Don’t Be Coy, Sing With Joy, a carol composed especially for the Ladies of the Esk Community Choir by the internationally acclaimed Australian Educator/Composer, Paul Paviour.

SSAA Ensemble

In a fitting finale to another wonderful year of making music, the combined voices of the Esk Community Choir came together for a trio of Christmas songs which have delighted many for generations, climaxing, as has become the tradition, in the exhilarating ‘Hallelujah Chorus’ from ‘The Messiah’ which again left a thrilled audience in no doubt of the exciting Choral events in store for 2020.

Christmas can mean something different to each individual and everyone has their own reasons for celebrating. We of the Esk Community Choir do so through the passion and joy of singing, not only at Christmas time but as an everyday celebrated activity. However, there are so many other strings to a Choir bow that serve to achieve a successful event. To the volunteers from the choir who toil behind the scenes to make these events the enjoyment that they are goes so much gratitude. To name them all would be to surely omit someone undeservedly though mention must be made of our creator of brilliant backdrops, Russell Zammit who, though unable now to attend practices has a love for the choir which knows no bounds. We are continually indebted to our sponsor extraordinaire, Boutique Meats and for the support of the editors of The Somerset Newspaper who never fail to find room for our stories and photos. We are also grateful to the loyal band of followers from the community and beyond whose faces in the audience are a continual presence. One of the great joys of being in this choir has been getting to know you all. Bounteous bouquets to Margaret our gracious and gifted accompanist and to Alexis, you also for your open heart, your talent, patience and your belief in your choir. Who knew when we joined this choir that we would be making a friend for life?

By: Sue Walker