Barwon Heads
On the warmest April
day for over a decade we were delighted to go to the seaside town of Barwon Heads
for the third time, to present a Sunday afternoon concert at the Community
Hall. Maggie Isom, the president of the Barwon Heads Fine Music Society,
welcomed everybody before the sold-out crowd stood for the Welsh National Anthem
Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau (Land of my Fathers). We immediately followed this
with the classic Welsh hymn Cwm Rhondda with Rushan soloing on the
second verse. After the final chorus he turned to the audience who were all too
eager and willing to repeat the final Songs of Praises chorus and this
was done twice to great satisfaction.
Compère Garry
Salisbury formally introduced Rushan as musical conductor as well as Blackburn’s
new accompanist Dr Janice Noh. The next bracket comprised of Gwahoddiad (Invitation),
Rhys (Grant me the Peace) and the well-known Morte Christe. Garry
then introduced our special guests Rohan and Ishan De Lanerolle, international
singing stars visiting from Sri Lanka and, with Rushan on piano, they delighted
the audience with two wonderfully modulated gospel songs Precious Lord Take
my Hand and In the Garden.
The religious theme continued
with Bendigedig (Blessed) a Welsh version of Benedictus from the Latin
mass, before Hafan Gobaith (Haven of Hope), made famous by Bryn Terfel.
Then a choir favourite Anfonaf Angel (I will send an Angel) with the Brothers
leading the choir in this emotional number.
Rohan then spoke to
the assembled company and described how he had first met Rushan in Sri Lanka
and how he had invited them to come to Australia for the first time and which
has been cordially repeated now on the number of occasions. The Brothers have
also been busy in organising many aspects of our forthcoming tour to Sri Lanka in
July, along with choristers from Rushan’s Sri Lankan choir Euphony. Rohan and Ishan then sang the magnificent hymn
How Great Thou Art with the backing of the choir.
Choristers then asked
the rhetorical question What Would I do Without my Music before Rushan explained that all patrons had to
substitute for a brass band in the final chorus of When the Saints Go Marching In. Two
rehearsals were required before Rushan was happy and then the choir and a very
willing audience successfully and enthusiastically delivered the Saints to
their destination just before interval.
By this time everybody
was thoroughly warmed up and most people took the opportunity to step outside
the non-airconditioned hall for some fresh air on a very sunny day.
The second half duly started
with the famous African Prayer which includes words from four different
South African languages, adding to the English and Welsh which the audience had
already heard. Another prayer followed – this one in Welsh – Yr Darlun
(The Picture) and then the very poignant Prayer of the Children which
clearly affected many in the hall. Rushan then moved to the piano to accompany
the Brothers on the 1980 hit Can I Have this Dance with choristers and
patrons alike not being able to stop themselves singing along.
Garry then introduced
the last bracket starting off with Always on my Mind and then a Beatles
medley including Let it Be, led by the Brothers who also featured on The
Impossible Dream, another song well-known to the assembled company. They
also led the choir on the special arrangement of You’ll Never Walk
Alone/Climb Every Mountain, a very powerful and uplifting finale for this
wonderful concert.
President Maggie came
back to fulsomely thank the De Lanerolle Brothers, Janice and Rushan, the choir
and the very musically satisfied audience for their part in a hugely successful
occasion. Choristers then moved into the hall to surround all the patrons as
they sang their heartfelt goodbyes to this excellent group of lovers of fine
music with Sunset Poem from Under Milk Wood.
Tony Davies
15 April 2025