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| 'What a positively smashing opening' |
For those who missed the Choir’s ‘Elegance with Ensembles and High Tea’ and for those who did not, this was yet another March musical extravaganza, constructed by Musical Director, Alexis FitzGerald OAM showcasing the extraordinary talents of so many members of her Choir to a near capacity audience who came to the Alexandra Hall in Toogoolawah on this Sunday afternoon on March 21st.
Following a welcoming address by
Choir President, Marina Crichton, the way was paved for the emcee de jour,
Councillor Sean Choat who well may now be considered part of the Choir line-up,
so committed he has been in his capacity as master of ceremonies.
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| Bob Hardy |
What would life be ‘Without a Song’? … a dilemma which has been answered in song by some amazing talents the likes of Mario Lanza, Frank Sinatra, Perry Como and now the choir’s own Bob Hardy who topped it up with a solo entree to a swanky ensemble of ‘happy tappers’ who sashayed their way onto the stage tapping to the beat of ‘I Want to be Happy’ opening a door to the choir members who joined the dancers in song. Advancing the line-up of well-loved songs from Musicals, Billy Hill’s ‘The Glory of Love’, the signature theme of the movie ‘Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner’, also made popular by Bette Midler in ‘Beaches’ and now by the Esk Community Choir, preceded the lovely rendition by Denis Hawes and choir chorus of the beloved song from ‘Paint Your Wagon’, ‘They Call the Wind Maria’.
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| Denis Hawes - 'They Call the Wind Maria' |
While Lord Andrew Lloyd-Webber
may have had to wait one more day to celebrate his birthday, this little detail
did not deter Alexis and members of the Choir, alongside the choir’s two
accomplished flautists, Suzanne Clemence and Ruth Skippen, from performing a
tribute to this impresario of Musical Theatre with excerpts from his soon to be
revived ‘Phantom of the Opera’. No one could have been left in doubt of Aydan
Forsythe’s vocal gifts during his glorious performance of ‘Music of the Night’.
Seoneidin Granzien has captured hearts with many dazzling performances though
none more so than her rendition this day of ‘Wishing You Were Somehow Here
Again’. The Choir’s own Kathleen was
sublime as she captured audience adulation as the fictional ‘Prima Donna’,
‘Carlotta’, backed by a choir chorus and it was apparent that singing was not
their only mark of excellence when Eric von Nida and Grace Crichton thrilled
concert goers with their outstanding re-enactment of the duet from ‘The Boy
Friend’, ’It’s Never Too Late to Fall in Love’.
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| Suzanne Clemence & Ruth Skippen |
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| Ayden Forsythe |
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| Seoneidin Granzien |
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| Grace Crichton & Eric von Nida |
Encore performances of two of the
songs by the Choir’s Ladies and Mixed Ensembles were no less sublime than they
had been two weeks earlier having been afforded high marks equal to the high
praise by the esteemed visiting examiner, Mr Matthews Tyson.
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| The Ladies Ensemble |
Following the short interval
during which many wonderful raffle prizes were drawn and won, it was the turn
of the amazing little Choir Orchestra, ‘The Accidentals’ who delivered their
own musical tribute to Johann Sebastien Bach on the day of his 336th
birthday. That Bach’s ‘Minuet in G ‘is
still a melody so recognized today is testament to the brilliance of one of the
greatest composers of all time.
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| The Accidentals |
A change of pace saw three of the
Choir’s own ‘Sweethearts of Song’, Kathleen, Susie and Carolyn light up the
stage with a taste of the swinging songs they will be bringing to concert audiences
in 2021.
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| The Sweethearts of Song |
And as the concert drew to its
conclusion, a parting gift to this appreciative audience came in the form of a
celebration of choral singing by the combined voices of the Esk Community
Choir. To Margaret’s faultless
accompaniment, the hall filled with the sounds of ‘His Eye is on the Sparrow’,
the beautiful gospel hymn inspired by words from the Bible and with Orchestral
backing, Tom Fettke’s uplifting song of praise ‘O Lord I Will Praise You’. Often
touted as an alternative to Australia’s national anthem ‘I Am Australian’ had
audience members lining up their vocal chords in collaboration with the choir
for this heart-warming patriotic closing anthem.
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| The Choir |
Just as they say ‘it takes a
village to rear a child’ so it is that events such as these do not happen
without the support of many and it is to these whom the Esk Community Choir
wishes to extend their sincere gratitude.
To the staff at Toogoolawah’s ‘Two Galahs’ Gift Shop and the Esk
Pharmacy for their unquestioned co-operation in the sale of tickets; to the
Editors of the Somerset Newspaper whose support allows their readers to get as
excited about our events as we do; to the wonderful benefactors who so generously
donated raffle prizes; to the choir’s own volunteers front of house and behind
the scenes who allow these events to run so smoothly; to Margaret for her unflagging
generosity and dedication to her role as choir accompanist; to Alexis whose
guidance , friendship, commitment, her ability to inspire and maintain a belief
in her choir which makes us feel valued; and most importantly, to our fans and
followers old and new for whom this Choir continues to exist.
‘For the deeper things men think and feel,
God gave the poet words to reveal.
But for the heights and depths that know no reach,
God gave man MUSIC- the SOUL’S OWN SPEECH’ Anon.
By: Sue Walker
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| My Fair Lady medley |
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