Aireys Inlet Community Hall Concert

We were delighted to be invited back to a balmy Aireys Inlet after two years, to present a Sunday afternoon concert to raise funds for the Red Cross. Local representative Barbara welcomed us before the choir opened up with the traditional Gwŷr Harlech, with the capacity audience eagerly joining in on the English verses printed in the program.

As the Hall had been used for voting the previous day, compère Tony Davies quipped that, whatever the outcome, he was pleased that everyone had voted for today’s Green Jacket Party. He promised them a veritable musical climate change as they would variously be astonished, elated, laugh and cry and even be invited to sing before leaving with a glow in their hearts and a smile on their faces.

He acknowledged the Waddawurrung traditional owners and paid respects to them and their elders past and present.

The opening bracket comprised three outstanding Welsh hymns Arwelfa, Tydi A Roddaist and Blaenwern resoundingly finishing with its five tremendous Amens.

The depth of talent in the choir became immediately apparent as baritone Roger Bartlett then joined first tenor Drew Hopkins to sensitively duet on the bittersweet Ti a Dy Ddoniau (You and Your skills), another love song where the Welshman comes off second best!

Conscientious objector Waldo Williams’ words in Y Tangnefeddwyr (The Peacemakers) told the story of his parents’ lament over the bombing of Swansea in this soulful song.

Fittingly for our location, the choir next sang the lilting Ar Lan Y Môr (Besides the Sea).  Barry McMahon with his powerful bass voice then stepped up to lead the choir on the iconic Working Man, to great applause. Given the time of year, VicWelsh then swung into the famous standard Autumn Leaves with Geoff Roberts on percussion.

As the next duo were donning caps and white gloves, Tony briefly explained how The Gendarmes’ Duet came to be written in English in 1871 and how it had become a well-known favourite comic number. Bass Bob Ash and tenor Ed Hughes neatly marched forward and, with the addition of waxed moustaches and French baguettes instead of truncheons, very precisely and amusingly intoned the clever words, interspersed with a very fetching bit of coordinated footwork. Sustained laughter and clapping, rather than a referral to the police professional standards command, was their well-deserved and just reward.

Before interval, Faleiry rehearsed the entire audience in their crucial parts at the end of the Rutter’s choral arrangement of When the Saints Go Marching In. So tuneful and keen were they that, naturally, a reprise had to be performed by patrons and choristers alike before seeking liquid refreshment.

After the break, Tony explained how Unwaith Eto’n Nghymru Annwyl (Once Again in Dear Wales) is sung every year at the National Eisteddfod of Wales in a welcome back ceremony to returning Welsh expatriates. Rushan Hewawasam showcased his silky second tenor voice on this emotional number with the choir as backing. The heartache and homesickness inherent in the next song Hiraeth (Longing) was then mellifluously invoked by baritone Roger. As the choir had paid their respects to Faleiry on her 25th anniversary as Musical Director at our St David’s Day concert by dedicating Anfonaf Angel (I will Send an Angel) to her with multi-talented Rushan conducting, we repeated that arrangement to great acclaim. Adding to its emotional force, the whole performance was totally enhanced by the beautiful flute playing by Bendigo chorister Nigel McGuckian.

As the next duo intriguingly got ready at the front of stage, the compère set the scene by explaining that Geoff Roberts was playing Fred Barrett a stoker and Tony Hosemans a radioman on April 15th 1912 aboard the ill-fated ship Titanic. Taking a scene from the 1997 Titanic musical on Broadway the singing by both tenors, augmented by precise tapping by Tony on a Morse code machine, absolutely gripped the entire hall which erupted into lengthy applause once it had finished. The performance was also a wonderful surprise for the Bendigo and Ballarat choristers who were seeing and reacting to it for the very first time. As a choir première, it delighted everyone with its novelty – yet another example of the talent within the choir.

Coming back on to dry land, in a nostalgia bracket, the choir caused a few tissues to be brought out on two Ivor Novello numbers – My Dearest Dear followed by We’ll Gather Lilacs with a fine solo by Drew. At Faleiry’s invitation, many patrons were very happy to sing along to these well-known tunes. The heartstrings were then stretched even further with Nigel playing both the introduction and the coda to Dvořák’s Goin’ Home from the New World Symphony.

We weren’t quite ready to go home, however, as Drew’s top tenor voice was joined by Graeme Sanderson’s bass to lead choristers into the modern arrangement of Waltzing Matilda segueing into the Welsh National Anthem, with the audience joining in with whichever one they knew. 

After whole-heartedly applauding all the soloists, choristers and music team, the audience were asked to remain sitting as the choir moved down and around them to harmoniously farewell them at the appropriate time of day with the hauntingly apt Sunset Poem from Under Milk Wood.

Audience Comments:

A lot of fun. ~ Helen

We had a great time listening to great singing. ~ Faye

Great show! ~ Suzanne

I especially liked individuals accompanied by choir. Maybe less hymns – more melody. Overall, I thought it was great. ~ Pam

That was an inspiring concert, very moving at times, very funny. The voices individually were outstanding and harmonising superb. ”You made my heart sing”. ~ Min

A wonderful performance and thoroughly enjoyed it. Excellent. ~ Dot

Magic. Passion. Amazing. ~ Sheila

Yet again – a wonderful concert. Such a varied programme. ~ Patricia

As usual, just beautiful. Wonderful training and great voices. Beautiful choice of songs. ~ Phyl

Great of course. Goes without saying, like the hymn sounds best. ~ Amanda

Wonderful. ~ Phyllis

Heard about it from:

Posters in town

Totem pole@Aireys Inlet

Red Cross friends 11111

Friend 11