A BIG well done to everyone who sang at the "Making Music Being Well" Singing Extravaganza at Ellaways Music on Saturday 22 May.
Logan Mayor and choir patron Pam Parker attended the concert and was very impressed with the choirs' performances.
It was the first time we'd combined three choirs together; "my two" - Freedom Train from Waterford and multicultural choir Mixed Beans from Beenleigh - plus Bulimba choir Morningsong under the direction of Jane Bektel, doing their very first performance.
One choir member said "we sounded awesome" and I totally agree!
Freedom Train opening the proceedings with the Freedom Train Round (in two part male-female groups for the first time), followed by Leunig's meditative Let It Go, the playful Maori children's piece Ahakama and Tony Backhouse's One Morning Soon in cool 4-part gospel harmony.
Mixed Beans multicultural choir shared Tu-eh Tu-eh an upbeat African welcome round, Inanay from indigenous trio Tiddas, Shivayah a melodic Sanskrit devotional led by MB choir member Jag Mistry (with his wonderful tambourine drumming) and junior member Amy on the bells, finishing with 3-part gospel on Come Along My Friend.
I can't name all the songs sung by Morningsong, but they started with a series of lovely rounds amongst them Hear the Pounding Drums, as well as many songs in languages other than English, finishing with improvised harmonies for Maori classic Pokarekare Ana.
It was very special to listen to each choir, to support each other, and have a real sense of sharing rather than competitiveness.
What a joy to combine the three choirs for stirring Israeli song Peace Forever accompanied by myself on fiddle & Jay on guitar, then to have Mixed Beans' member Blaise Mukendi lead us all in energetic Kenyan chant Apondi as a finale. The air of Ellaways Auditorium was charged indeed!!
After lunch thirty people enjoyed the Sing for Joy playshop with John Rodriquez of Singchronicity.
Thank you to John for organising the day and to Greg Dodge & Ellaways Music for their help & support.
One Freedom Train member said "we should do this again with more community choirs". It would be great if the Singing Extravaganza became an annual event, of community choirs singing for and with each other in the spirit of sharing of singing for joy and being well!!
Logan Mayor and choir patron Pam Parker attended the concert and was very impressed with the choirs' performances.
It was the first time we'd combined three choirs together; "my two" - Freedom Train from Waterford and multicultural choir Mixed Beans from Beenleigh - plus Bulimba choir Morningsong under the direction of Jane Bektel, doing their very first performance.
One choir member said "we sounded awesome" and I totally agree!
Freedom Train opening the proceedings with the Freedom Train Round (in two part male-female groups for the first time), followed by Leunig's meditative Let It Go, the playful Maori children's piece Ahakama and Tony Backhouse's One Morning Soon in cool 4-part gospel harmony.
Mixed Beans multicultural choir shared Tu-eh Tu-eh an upbeat African welcome round, Inanay from indigenous trio Tiddas, Shivayah a melodic Sanskrit devotional led by MB choir member Jag Mistry (with his wonderful tambourine drumming) and junior member Amy on the bells, finishing with 3-part gospel on Come Along My Friend.
I can't name all the songs sung by Morningsong, but they started with a series of lovely rounds amongst them Hear the Pounding Drums, as well as many songs in languages other than English, finishing with improvised harmonies for Maori classic Pokarekare Ana.
It was very special to listen to each choir, to support each other, and have a real sense of sharing rather than competitiveness.
What a joy to combine the three choirs for stirring Israeli song Peace Forever accompanied by myself on fiddle & Jay on guitar, then to have Mixed Beans' member Blaise Mukendi lead us all in energetic Kenyan chant Apondi as a finale. The air of Ellaways Auditorium was charged indeed!!
After lunch thirty people enjoyed the Sing for Joy playshop with John Rodriquez of Singchronicity.
Thank you to John for organising the day and to Greg Dodge & Ellaways Music for their help & support.
One Freedom Train member said "we should do this again with more community choirs". It would be great if the Singing Extravaganza became an annual event, of community choirs singing for and with each other in the spirit of sharing of singing for joy and being well!!