Buninyong
“entertainment of the highest order and fine musicianship to boot” “an absolute pleasure – a wonderful blend of voices and just the right amount of audience participation” “absolutely fantastic” “performance standard very HIGH” “so professional and entertaining – couldn’t improve any further” “Such a musical and fun performance but such disciplined singing. It never fails to impress.” “Great variety, clear diction, light and shade ensemble, balance – all without music” “this was the BEST EVER!”
We were pleasantly surprised, but delighted, to be asked to return to Buninyong, albeit to a different church, after just six months. The lovely old Uniting Church was positively crammed with eager patrons, some armed with cushions for the pews.
After a rousing What Would I Do Without My Music, everyone was welcomed by the Rev. Lindell Gibson on behalf of the Church. Compère Tony Davies then introduced the opening bracket of Cwm Rhondda, Yfory and Working Man with soloist Geoff Serpell.
Ambrose Morgan gave a humorous account of a hapless group of rugby supporters to the tune of Hymns and Arias and then Faleiry led choir and audience in a very confident rendition of Silent Night, aided by the words being projected onto the walls at both ends of the nave.
Continuing the Christmas theme, Tony Hosemans sang O Holy Night before the choir went into Amazing Grace, the a capella Myfanwy and the lovely Anfonaf Angel. The love theme was next amplified by duettists Rushan Hewawasam and Drew Hopkins on Perhaps Love. The choir then returned for the epic Speed Your Journey before joining the audience on O Come, All Ye Faithful, ands then adjourning for some fresh air on a very warm and humid day.
Coming back in after the interval singing Calon Lân, with its rejection of gold, amongst other material things, was unintentionally ironic given that Buninyong was where the Gold Rush started in 1851! Rather than rushing, however, choristers carefully reassembled in the tight space available to launch into Men of Harlech with the choir singing in Welsh then the audience willingly joining in with the English words. Two arrangements of folk songs by Britten followed – Down by The Salley Gardens and the comic Oliver Cromwell, warts and all.
Everyone in the church then heartily sang Good King Wenceslas before Geoff Serpell and Drew Hopkins led the choir in the modern arrangement of Waltzing Matilda complete with embedded Welsh National Anthem.
As befitted a Christmas concert, the final number was The Holy City, delivered beautifully by first tenor Ed Hughes.
After the soloists, the choir and the music team took their bows to sustained applause, choristers carefully negotiated cables and other equipment to line up in the two aisles to bid a heartfelt farewell to the musically engaged audience with the magnificent Sunset Poem from Under Milk Wood.
The organisers wrote to us: “entertainment of the highest order and fine musicianship to boot”
Audience members commented:
What an absolute pleasure – a wonderful blend of voices and just the right amount of audience participation. Wendy
The choir is absolutely fantastic. Thoroughly enjoyed the choir for the third time. Ivan and Eileen
Beautiful – performance standard very HIGH; emotional; enjoyable; wonderful. Fay
Thoroughly enjoyable afternoon. Members of the choir – so professional and entertaining. You couldn’t improve any further – loved it!!
Such a musical and fun performance but such disciplined singing. It never fails to impress. Ann and Bill
Great variety, clear diction, light and shade ensemble, balance – all without music and good to have audience participation too. June
We have been to many of your concerts. All marvellous and this was the BEST EVER! Thank you.
Another good afternoon. John