‘TASSIE TOUR ‘24’ THE FINAL COUNTDOWN (Story 3)

 

Magical view over the Derwent from MONA. 

The previous night following our workshop with Sisongke Choir, the rain had turned hotel windows into glass rivulets. Day 10 dawned and the sun spilled into the morning as if by accident.  How blessed we had been with the weather…’thank you God’… for today it was MONA, Hobart’s iconic museum of old and new art.  How does one put down on paper reactions/emotions/opinions that are far too complex to be confined by an alphabet – perhaps this extract will explain it better: 

Mona is the playground and megaphone of David Walsh, who grew up in Tassie (just down the road from Mona), dropped out of uni, played cards, won, did some other stuff, and opened a small museum of antiquities to which no one came.  He declared it a triumph and decided to expand.  The result is Mona, a temple to secularism, rationalism, and talking crap about stuff you really don’t know very much about. 

Mona is an art space to be explored, clearly with an open mind. As one spirals down into the bowels of the earth, there is art, some confronting, some not so much.  This writer won’t even begin to explain the practicalities of ‘the poo machine’, all this expounded on an app called ‘O’.  Live music, food and wine bars, and restaurants, even a children’s playground, were continuums of the Mona journey perfectly situated beside a view to die for over the mighty Derwent River.

With the clock still ticking, it was on to the colonial enclave of Richmond, considered Tasmania’s ‘premier historic town’.  Once a military post on the road to notorious Port Arthur, modern day Richmond is renown for its Georgian architecture and the iconic convict built stone bridge which still holds bragging rights to the oldest road bridge in Australia. While rumours abound of its being haunted by the ghost of a cruel overseer who was pushed to a premature death, we were more likely to be terrorised by the intrepid army of ducks and geese which patrolled the riverbank with hungry intent.   Phone cameras captured photos of  St John the Evangelist Catholic Church holding sway high on a Richmond hill  This beautiful church opened in 1837 has the distinction of being the oldest continuously used Catholic church in Australia.

Tom:  See over there?…it’s the oldest service station in Australia!

Apparently too much cheese is never enough and the samplings at The Wicked Cheese Factory down the road certainly did not disappoint.  Amongst the profusion of wonderful things Tasmania has to offer, its food, most notably its dairy, seafood and wine, must be right up there on the top shelf.   With yet another delightful group dinner this night at the Italian Tesoro Restaurant, one would be forgiven for believing we had embarked on a Gluttonous Gastronomy Tour of Tassie.  

It was day 11, now approaching the pointy end of our musical tour with two gala choral events, the first performance on this evening happening at Hobart’s Town Hall.

Day 11 also greeted us with an arctic blast and driving rain. When it comes to conquering cosy, even amid ‘feels like 1 degree’ temperatures, and with the iconic Salamanca Markets calling our names,  an army of ‘Roger’ jackets, beanies, three layers of thermals, boots, jumpers, scarves, gloves and brollies could be seen meandering amongst the cacophony of clientele scouring the stalls for last minute souvenirs, many soon to retreat to the warmth of the Salamanca Art Centre café for a warming cup of coffee.  

The botanically beautiful St David’s Park, once Hobart’s cemetery, its memorial wall now home to the headstones once present in the park’s previous life, was our windswept avenue to the snugness of our hotel rooms to prepare ourselves for our penultimate performance, ‘Musical Tapestry’.

The Hobart Town Hall’s grand staircase enticed all comers to seek further what lay within this beautifully restored historic building.  The grand ballroom with its palatial chandeliers, and intricate mouldings on ceiling and walls, depicting painted plaques of many of the classical composers was on first inspection a hive of choir- riser assembly activity but with all this, a scene to inspire an almost emotional reaction and we knew we were in for something very special that night; but not before our normally unflinching accompanists, Ruth and Alexis could perform a test run on the extremely grand piano.

This concert was to be our choral collaboration with Choral Productions Tasmania, a union of The Lincoln Singers from north of the river and The Southern Voices from the south, both community choirs under the direction of the youthful and highly credentialled Madeleine Dyer.   

With Madeleine at the helm for our combined pre-performance warm-up, once completed it was apparent that Alexis’s pursuit of perfection during the weeks and months of rehearsals had paid off leaving Madeleine speechless and in no doubt that we were well prepared for what was to be a choral extravaganza.  Both ours and CPT’s performances were consummate, accompaniments flawless and the euphoric sounds of the combined choirs had hairs on the backs of necks standing to attention, including ours along with many audience members in acclamation.  Not wanting to acknowledge that this day had reached its destination, on a musical high we made our way back to the welcoming armchairs at Mr Good Guy and the warm glow of a convivial wine …or two.

Day 12- and that icy blast was not about to give in!  It also happened to be Vietnam Veteran’s Day, a day which has earned its place in history, and in the hearts of those who served.  Time and distance may have separated our Tom and his mate, Steve who now resides in Hobart, however this is a friendship forged whilst serving with the 1^st Australian Field Hospital, Vung Tau, Vietnam in 1970/71 which has endured. Though the memorial service at Hobart’s Cenotaph attended by Kathie, Tom, and Steve may have been in a context of war, emotions both individual and complex, in the end it is all about sacrifices, comrades, and a greater understanding of each other; Tom’s and Steve’s, a friendship to last a lifetime.  

Back at the Hotel Ibis, the scuttlebutt over breakfast led many to believe that morning service at St David’s Cathedral was to be a choral eucharist with the Cathedral choir.  Perfect! - an opportunity to suss out the setting for our choir’s final Evensong performance.  To wander down Macquarie Street and hear the sounds of the bell-ringers heralding the 10.00am service was highly heartwarming even before setting foot in this magnificent Gothic-revival edifice, the Mother church for the Diocese of Tasmania since 1874…why even the wooden pews were heated!! 

Perhaps it was the power of prayer or just plain luck that also on this day, ‘The Claude Bolling Classical Jazz Ensemble’ was to be performing in the Cathedral at 3.00pm and since we all needed to be in uniform, in attendance for a 4.00pm rehearsal, an earlier arrival might prove to be a serendipitous encounter.

Well…contrary to popular opinion…words now fail me as I look for appropriate superlatives to describe the genius of this group. A fabulous pianist, a consummate cellist, double bass player with soul, and a very cool percussionist all of whom apparently had simply come together for this series of seven Jazz Festival performances.  What a treat!!  All moments from here could not possibly measure up…

But they did.  With our choir group alternating positions between quire and alter, to Alexis’s masterful accompaniments and the polished power of Rod on the magnificent pipe organ, between Evensong’s scripture readings and prayers, we sang our sacred songs, psalms, canticles and anthems, our voices soaring and spiralling to the heights of the awe-inspiring stained-glass windows.

This was to be our final night in Tasmania.  Buoyed by such an uplifting day, the success of this tour and in anticipation of our final dinner together at the Franklin Wharf Restaurant and Bar, it was obvious we were not going gently into this cold night.  We quaffed, sipped, laughed and consumed all that was on offer and in rare moments of sanity gave our thanks to those who made this tour the success it became. 

Kathie, you have been our true north. Without your thoroughness, patience and your ability to walk the walk and be the best darn Tour Manager in the business, we will always be grateful.

To our extras, who became our groupies and then our friends, thank you for being our ‘bag ladies’, photographers, and for all your uplifting praise which made our heads swell just a little. 

To Ruth, who has travelled the length and breadth of this continent in a car and caravan with a keyboard on her lap and a song on her lips so that her accompaniments and singing will never ever be found wanting, we also give our sincerest thanks.

…and to Alexis, for your incomparable compassion, inspiration, patience, sensitivity, and allowing us all to steal so many pieces of your life; for walking us into your world of music and teaching us so much that we never want to leave, we give our warmest thanks.

By: Sue Walker

Thank you Jo Brown for the beautiful 
Paperclip gift you gave to each traveller. 

Thank you Liz Kelleher for adding this extra task 
to our journey...such fun! 

Thank you to our very competent and engaging Drivers/guides. 
Aaron (McDermotts) , Ian, Suzze, Rod, Rick (Coal River Coaches) 

Link to other stories  Tassie Tour 1 

                                  Tassie Tour 2