Literature is my profession – the thing I do for food and shelter - but music is my first true love. In this, I am an amateur (lover). For many people music is not passive. Rather, its enjoyment centres on the inexplicable, time-consuming desire to make that body-tingling noise - at first alone, then eventually in ensemble. I heard a statistic once that showed that on any afternoon, more Australian kids are practising music than sport.
As soon as I arrived to live here in 2004, that desire sent me out looking for music. I love to sing and found a community choir had just been formed to perform at the Pomona Cavalcade, a small and quite lovely community festival that I wish was still going – it was terrific to have been part of it. Best of all, the choir persists as the Pomona Choir with a hard core of original members. They are great amateur singers and in their performances you can hear the thousands of hours they've dedicated to their passion.
Another sound that can lure me out of my garden is Louise King's Cello Choir. You have no idea how extraordinary it is to play in an ensemble of 20+ cellos. To participate, I'd drive down to the cutest little hall of all at Eudlo to play in ensemble with her cello students.
The Hall Crawl is an opportunity for amateur performance to anyone who would like to join us. All you have to do is learn to learn a song/s or instrumental parts to a selection from our repertoire, and come on board.
At this stage, performance dates are yet to be arranged, but if you would like to be involved with this community arts project and be kept informed, contact Annette on (07) 5447 7063 or byemail, or simply follow this blog to stay posted.
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What a cool idea.
ReplyDeleteI spent years studying the water harmonica. It was an enriching enterprise, even though it often left my finger tips all wrinkled and pruney from the moisture. I rarely play: the damned thing is so hard to transport.
Surely just a bucket would do - or is it one of those ocean jobs?
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_organ
I actually have a water instrument that belonged to my maternal grandfather - a childhood toy that's been passed on through the generations and I just love it! A glazed ceramic water whistle in the shape of a bird. It makes a totally beautiful sound.
Listen here - http://www.stickylabel.com.au/2010/11/new-depression-songs.html
Track 1 - tesseract bird.
That is me by the way - I forgot to sign out of the festival account.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you clarified that. I had no idea that was you.
ReplyDeleteNothing if not pedantic!
ReplyDeleteA big part of your charm is the simple fact that you have no idea how perfect you are.
ReplyDeleteThat is so sweet. Much sweeter than my son ever is (whose name is Evan BTW).
ReplyDeleteI think I shall adopt you.
I must decline. You would put me to work on your farm.
ReplyDeleteTrue, but I would feed you.
ReplyDeleteYour only real responsibility would be to muck out the duck house. Ducks are fine creatures. You'll like the ducks.
I just love duck, specially in a Thai curry!
ReplyDeleteHughsey, when I come back to the Sunny Coast (Currently in Sinney) I would love to join your hall crawl! I was, for my fifteen minutes of fame quite a dab hand at various of the musical arts and have not forgotten all of it!
I admit being tempted. And I cook me a mean duck breast (cumin rub - to die for) but duck muck? I need to ruminate.
ReplyDeleteMmmmm, 'cumin rub'. Sounds like a massage parlor.
ReplyDeleteStafford! Where have you been? You'd be very welcome to join us. I imagine you're someone who knows their way around writing score? I am currently struggling with limited skills to put the music on paper for other players and need an reader to edit and correct really obvious mistakes like, you know this really should be in 2/4, not 4/4/ , or, have you thought about putting this bit in as a coda, etc etc.
Let me know when you're back and I'll shout you a coffee, or even, lunch at the ranch!
I will admnit it, I so do love musicm the sounds, the deep base note of the .50 cal tearing up the hill side, intertwined with the higher shrill of voice, said rounds tearing them apart!.
ReplyDeleteNo...music is a mood setter and I do like nothing better than perhaps listening to some bag pipes in the car, or enya, even Siegfrieds funeral march
hjey, I hope ya both well and not suffering to much at the hands of the weather gods up there!
ReplyDelete