Sacred Heart Cathedral Bendigo concert

At the beginning of September, the long-established Bendigo chapter organised a Sunday afternoon concert called Voices Unite: A Choral Extravaganza.

With the sunshine streaming in through the stained-glass windows, the choir launched into the well-known hymn Cwm Rhondda (Rhondda Valley), complete with organ accompaniment. Musical Director Rushan Hewawasam thanked the Cathedral’s resident organist Dr Paul Taylor for agreeing to step in at short notice to replace Bendigo accompanist Elizabeth Paton due to a health issue. Compère Drew Hopkins then introduced the rest of the musical team, which comprised principal accompanist Lorna Ogilvie and Ballarat accompanist Mary O’Driscoll. As the congregation showed early promise in singing, Rushan got them to reprise the “Bread of Heaven” chorus from the opening hymn to everyone’s satisfaction.

The choir then sang a cappella Ar Lan Y Môr (By the Seaside), followed by Gwahoddiad (Invitation), with the English verse sung by Rushan. Throughout the concert, accompanists Lorna and Mary shared their keyboard talents, with the magnificent pipe organ enhancing selected tunes. With the organ loft at the farthest point away from the choir, Mary was very nimble in scooting down the north side of the nave before ascending to the organ loft to help synchronise the beat. We are yet to find out if this musically inspired activity might be considered as a new event for the more show-business minded Los Angeles Olympics.

The choir then performed a new song Y Darlun (The Picture), Y Tangnefeddwyr (The Peacemakers), and, in Latin, Pacem (Peace).

Our guests from Sri Lanka, the De Lanerolle Brothers, then took the stage, showcasing their magnificent voices with I Walk with God before Ishan impressed the assembly – and the choir’s bass section particularly – with a marvellous basso profundo performance of Ol’ Man River. The choir then sang the famous Amazing Grace, the multilingual African Prayer, and the animated Every Time I Feel the Spirit featuring Ishan. Rohan came forward to sing the solo aria Ombra mai fu from Handel’s Xerxes, before the brothers combined the special gift of fraternal harmonising on God Will Take Care of You and Ave Maria.

Before interval, Rushan rehearsed the congregation in the last choruses of When the Saints Go Marching In, the performance and reprise of which filled the cavernous spaces.

The second half opened with the rhetorical What Would I Do Without My Music, Gwinllan a Roddwyd (A Vineyard Given to My Care), and Hafan Gobaith (Haven of Hope).

The Brothers then showed their linguistic versatility in leading the choir in Welsh on Anfonaf Angel (I Will Send an Angel) and in Latin on Benedictus. They then duetted on Watchman! What of the Night?, before Rohan thanked all those who had organised and taken part in this concert – the choir, Rushan, all three accompanists, and members of the Sri Lankan choir Euphony, who had come up from Melbourne.

Rohan was then joined by his son, Ishan was joined by his daughter, and, accompanied by Rushan on the keyboard, this supremely musical family then proceeded to give a bravura performance of The Prayer in English and Italian, which moved everybody in the cathedral so much that it received a heartfelt and instantaneous standing ovation. After the applause had subsided, the Brothers remained on stage to offer up How Great Thou Art, with Rushan joining in on the last verse with a well-modulated descant to huge acclaim.

Compère Drew introduced the next two numbers by prolific Australian composer Paul Jarman, giving the background to the commissioned work Land of My Song and the backstory of the guerrilla fighter Pemulwuy, both of which were amply appreciated.

The finale – with the De Lanerolle Brothers and the entire audience – was a special arrangement of Waltzing Matilda, segueing into half of the choir concurrently singing the Welsh national anthem Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau (Land of My Fathers).

There only remained the choir’s farewell, as they moved down the aisles to surround the audience and deliver Sunset Poem from Dylan Thomas’ Under Milk Wood. The afternoon sun now streamed more palely as the choir intoned:

“And to the sun we all will bow

And say, good-bye – but just for now!”