This festival, called SING SOUTH GIPPSLAND, included workshops by the fabulous Australian choral composer, conductor and educator, Stephen Leek, at the Foster War Memorial Arts Centre.

An energetic and enthusiastic Stephen Leek proved to be also an encouraging and entertaining inspiration to one hundred and seventeen choristers involved through two choral workshops as part of the Sing South Gippsland!

On Saturday evening each of the six choirs participating in the festival entertained each other and their audience with songs they had been rehearsing in preparation for the event.

Foster’s Prom Coast Singers under musical director, Paddy Broberg, presented songs composed by Stephen Leek and some traditional melodies arranged by John Rutter.

The Vivace Singers, directed by Ross Fairhurst from Phillip Island, presented a diverse mix of songs which included ‘Wild Mountain Thyme’, ‘Lean on Me’ and Redgum’s ‘Poor Ned’.

Warragul choir, the West Gippsland Singers directed by Jan Maclean, presented two religious pieces and a suite of songs by George Gershwin.

A second Foster choir, Bec’s Bonny Boners led by Rebecca Bone, performed a variety of songs which ranged from African melodies to ‘Dancing with Daisies’, a song which Rebecca had composed for her daughter.

The formal concert ended with Larry Hills conducting the combined forces of the Bass Coast Chorale and the South Gippsland Singers in performances of extracts from two of his major works, ‘Starscapes and Visions’ and ‘The Miners’ Requiem’, plus popular songs including Stephen Sondheim’s ‘Send in the Clowns’.

A second singing workshop was held on Sunday morning after which the singers enjoyed a light lunch and then the general public was invited in to Stephen Leek conduct a master class working with individual choirs using some of the music which had been presented on the previous evening and reiterating many of the principles discussed during the workshops.

Stephen worked with the Prom Coast Singers on two of his own songs, ‘Monkey and Turtle’ and ‘Trade Winds’.

With the Vivace Singers the master class piece was ‘Cockles and Mussels’ and Stephen worked on Sting’s ‘Fields of Gold’ with the combined choir of the Bass Coast Chorale and the South Gippsland Singers.

Sing South Gippsland! also involved a sit down dinner for one hundred and twenty singers and their partners plus plenty of opportunity for singers from different choirs to get to know each other better.

Stephen provided an inspirational weekend of singing and the opportunity Gippsland choristers to meet and socialise. Foster turned on ideal weather and the whole event was thoroughly enjoyable for both the singers and their audience.

 .

SING SOUTH GIPPSLAND! FESTIVAL -  PARTICIPATING SINGERS

Bass Coast Chorale & South Gippsland Singers ~ Conducted by Larry Hills, accompanied by Barbara Kershaw

Margaret Atkins, Yvonne Bain, Annie Bain, Pauline Beedle, Genevieve Brayley, Peter Brooks, Joyce Brown, Neville Chapman,  Gaye Cleeland, Alan Forbes, Claire Gatto, Sebastian Gatto, Joan Harris, Larry Hills, Clive Hollins, Judy Jennison, Jan Kershaw, Wayne Moloney, Tony Morris, Janine Morris, Mary Nadler, Geraldine Price, Sarah Spencer-Smith, Julie Thomas, Sandra Thorley, Carol Thorn, Nola Thorpe, Marty Waters, Nicky Waters, Lorna White, Ronald Wilmann, Kathleen Wilmann, Fred Zwygart, Lynoree Drury, Carol Hurst, Maree Ludenia, Peter McAlpine, Elaine Taylor, Lew Wilson.

Bec’s Bonny Boners ~ Conducted by Rebecca Bone

Yvonne Austin, Taliya Barker, Rebecca Bone, Marcella Brennan, Jenny Cocksedge, Maureen Collins, Jack Croft, Kate Facey, Tracy Fraser, Deborah Harris,  Linda McMullan, Alicia Miller, Joanne Moloney, Lyana Ryan.

,

Prom Coast Singers ~ Conducted by Paddy Broberg

Fran Allott, Tania Bird, Arie Bos, Paddy Broberg, Ruth Carson, Neil Chandler, Edwin Coad, Pamela Coad, Geoff Davey, Jenny Davies, Frank Deane,   Patricia Doran, Barbara Fleming, Lorraine Froiland, Larry Giddy, Brian Hoskins, Andrew Jamieson, Lyn Jamieson, Peter McAlpine, Phil Nightingall, Dianne Paragreen, Jennifer Paragreen, Pamela Park, Barbara Partridge, Anne Roussac-Hoyne, Dick Straw, Bronwyn Wakely, Fleur Wheeler, Shirley Wilson, Kate Woodward, Marilynne Zanella.

Vivace Singers ~ Conducted by Ross Fairhurst

Jan Bates, Rob Bates, Mike Cleeland, Barbara Fairhurst, Ross Fairhurst, John Stott, Ash Stuchbery, Hilary Stuchbery, Anna Van Caem, Lois Wenham.

West Gippsland Chorale ~ conducted by Jan Maclean, accompanied by Simon Loveless

Margaret Carlile, Marion Cohen, Janice Eshuis, Judy Hopkins, Susan Lester, Geoff Leunig, Simon Loveless, Jan Maclean, Elizabeth McCaffery, John McCaffery, Elizabeth Medling, Peter Medling, Brooke Mollison, Joshua Mollison, Tamara Mollison, Des Parker, Joy Parker, Venetia Somerset, David Tanner, Dianne Wilkie, Alan Woollard, Alan Wright, Christine Wright.

Individual Singers
Rosemary Bird-Carroll, Ronnie Carroll, Jennie Deane, Sheila Hill, Michael Strong, Mark Wakely.

Larry Hills, director of Bass Coast Chorale and South Gippsland Singers, Stephen Leek, Paddy Broberg, Prom Coast Singers' director and Michael Strong, master of ceremonies for Sing South Gippsland!

.Bass Coast Chorale and South Gippsland Singers in performance

Paddy Broberg, director of the Prom Coast Singers,
with Ross Fairhurst, Vivace Singers’ director, and Stephen Leek

 STEPHEN LEEK’S IMPRESSIONS OF SING SOUTH GIPPSLAND! CHORAL FESTIVAL
Now for some really positive news ….. South Gippsland in Eastern Victoria is one of those unspoiled magical destinations where the ocean melts into the lush rolling hills. The olive groves and vineyards co-habit the green fields easily with dairy cows and horses. Many of the locals, whose grand designed houses dot the landscape, have escaped the big smoke of the city for a much more relaxed and creative lifestyle. The sense of community in the numerous small towns is palpable.

So, this was where I spent one of my recent weekends….with five local choirs in the land of “The Prom” (Wilson’s Promontory). Sing South Gippsland was a wonderful event staged by Paddy Broberg and a most energetic and enthusiastic team from the Prom Coast Singers. For two days the choirs from the region shared with me in workshops, concerts, meals and socialising. What a pleasure it was to have the opportunity to work with five great and very different choirs of such enthusiasm, all eager to discover more about their choral art.

This event marked Paddy’s retirement from working with the Prom Coast Singers after many, many years of wonderful work. I know we all wish Paddy the very best for the future. I must send very big thank you to Andrew and Lyn for your wonderful hospitality on your beautiful property. Thank you also to all the participants for your generous and warm friendship, and of course, your enthusiastic choral singing. I hope I can return again someday soon.

 SING SOUTH GIPPSLAND!  CHORAL FESTIVAL PROGRAM

……… SATURDAY 17^th September

12:00… …  Lunch for Stephen Leek and choral directors

1:30pm  … Participant registration commences

2:30pm …. Choral Workshop with Stephen Leek

4:00pm …  Afternoon tea …. …. Afternoon tea

4:30pm . . Sound check and rehearsals in situ for choirs individually

6:30pm … Festival Dinner

8:00pm … Festival Concert – performances by participating choirs
………………… fiinishing with commentary by  Stephen Leek

……… SUNDAY 18^th September

10:30am ..  Second Choral Workshop with Stephen Leek

1:00pm ….. Festival Lunch

2:30pm ….. Master Class – Choral Showcase Performance

STEPHEN LEEK

Stephen Leek is an internationally recognised composer, conductor and educator on choral music and the vice president of the International Federation for Choral Music (IFCM).

His distinctive music is immediately recognizable, capturing the enigmas, drama, rhythms, colours and ethos of Australia. He has been accredited with having made a significant impact on and a major contribution to the development of Australian choral composition and performance and how that has been promoted and discussed throughout the world over the past 25 years.

Born in Sydney in 1959, Stephen Leek is an extensively commissioned freelance composer, freelance conductor, educator and publisher. Teaching sessional Composition and Improvisation at the Queensland Conservatorium, Griffith University until 2009 Leek, resigned from this position in order to develop further his already hectic free-lance schedule of commissions, workshops and guest appearances and to take up a non-remunerative position on the Board of the International Federation of Choral Music – a project of UNESCO.

Stephen has become a pioneer in developing composer residencies.  His involvement with numerous choral and music groups at every level of accomplishment has had vital influence on recent Australian music.

Having worked extensively at all levels of Australian and international music-making, Leek has devoted much of his time to generating workshops and repertoire that stimulates, excites and challenges the very youngest performers to seasoned professionals, putting performance practices and skills in place to enable all ages and skills levels to interpret, understand and appreciate the unique qualities of his music and other Australian composers.

For further information on his musical activities and achievements visit www.stephenleek.com

Keynote presenter ~ Stephen Leek

Master of Ceremonies ~ Michael Strong

Workshop pianist ~ Barbara Fleming

Front of House Manager ~ Nan Mackay
Assistant ~ Jo MacKenzie

Catering Manager ~ Catherine McGlead

FESTIVAL COMMITTEE

Chairman: Andrew Jamieson
Paddy Broberg,  Edwin Coad,  Pamela Coad,  Lyn Jamieson,  Nan Mackay,  Dianne Paragreen,  Jennifer Paragreen,  Jon Wathen,  Ros Wathen

Special thanks t0

 Arie Bos,  Barbara Partridge,  Edwin Coad,  Fleur Wheeler,  Main Street Revelations,
Cr. Mohya Davies,  Paragreen Real Estate,  Robert Paragreen,
South Gippsland Secondary College, South Gippsland Shire Council, Cr. Warren Raabe,
Yanakie Hall Ladies and our front of house volunteers.

Photos by Robert Paragreen (R. A. Pargreen Photography 03 5682 2421)

Born in Sydney in 1959, Stephen Leek is an extensively commissioned freelance composer, freelance conductor, educator and publisher. Teaching sessional Composition and Improvisation at the Queensland Conservatorium, Griffith University until 2009 Leek, resigned from this position in order to develop further his already hectic free-lance schedule of commissions, workshops and guest appearances and to take up a non-remunerative position on the Board of the International Federation of Choral Music – a project of UNESCO. A pioneer in developing composer residencies, Leek’s involvement with numerous choral and music groups at every level of accomplishment has had vital influence on recent Australian music.“

Luminary is not an exaggeration when applied to Stephen Leek. His music is published, performed and recorded in many countries of the world. His name is well-known among many thousands of people, not all of them seasoned musicians. He has influenced the lives of many hundreds of young Australians…. Only a relatively small percentage of Australia’s many composers might boast such a profile, yet books on Australian music – even the more recent ones – have ignored Leek’s work, or at best, passed it of in one of two sentences.”
Dr Helen Lancaster – Music Council of Australia

In Australia he has been Composer in Residence to numerous leading organisations such as the Sydney Children’s Choir / Gondwana Choirs, The St Peters Chorale, the National Music Camps Association of Australia (AYO), and the Eltham East Primary School Choir, that have defined new directions and pathways for Australian music. Leek has also be widely commissioned here and abroad with some of the most recent commissions including The Australian Voices (AUS), The Glen Ellen Children’s Choir (USA), The Adelaide Chorale (AUS), Eltham East Primary School Choir (AUS), SongBridge 2000 (Netherlands), Gondwana Choirs (AUS), the San Francisco Girls Chorus (USA), Taipei Male Choir (Taiwan), Sydney Male Choir (AUS)  World Sun Songs Project (Latvia) Singapore Chamber Choir (Singapore) to name but a few. Having worked extensively at all levels of Australian and international music-making, Leek has devoted much of his time to generating workshops and repertoire that stimulates, excites and challenges the very youngest performers to seasoned professionals, putting performance practises and skills in place to enable all ages and skills levels to interpret, understand and appreciate the unique qualities of his music and other Australian composers.

And now, Stephen Leek is coming to Foster!

The Prom Coast Singers will be hosting a choral festival, called SING SOUTH GIPPSLAND, which will include workshops by this fabulous Australian choral composer, conductor and educator.

Stephen will provide an inspirational weekend of singing and the opportunity to  get together with other Gippsland choirs.  There will even be a special session for young singers.

It’s all happening at the Foster War Memorial Arts Centre on the weekend of 17th and 18th September.

Now is the time for choirs to express their interest.

With such an inspirational Guest Conductor in attendance, we have decided to allow singers both Youth and Adult who are not choir members for any reason, to attend the Festival and hope this might lead to new recruits for the choirs.

If you know of any singers in this category we would be very happy if you encouraged them to join us.

For further information on Stephen Leek’s musical activities and achievements visit www.stephenleek.com

Download a form to register for the
SING SOUTH GIPPSLAND! Choral Festival with workshops by Stephen Leek*

* Please note: APPLICATION DATE HAS BEEN EXTENDED

Download ADULT Registration Form

Download YOUTH Registration Form

Download SOLO ADULT Registration Form

Rehearsal schedule

7:30  Tuesdays

Anglican Church Hall
Station Road, Foster

REHEARSALS  RESUME
TUESDAY 15 MARCH 2011

Interested in joining the Prom Coast Singers or for answers to any questions?

Please phone
….. Paddy Broberg – 5682 2000

….. Andrew Jamieson – 5683 2683….

or use the contact form.

A DECADE OF MUSIC MAKING 1998 – 2008

In November 1997, FAMDA staged a highly successful production of the Broadway musical, Annie, with Neil Goodwin as director and Paddy Broberg as the musical director.

The next year several of the Annie cast members found they really missed the fun and camaraderie of the rehearsal and performance process. Their frustration got the better of them and they besieged Paddy with requests to let them sing again and, one evening in April 1998, eight former members of the Annie cast and crew met at Foster Primary School for the first sing-along of what was to become the Prom Coast Singers.

Under the umbrella of FAMDA with the guidance of Paddy Broberg, the Singers’ initial performances were in conjunction with community carols in Foster and Toora and singing for the residents of Banksia Lodge and Rose Lodge, Wonthaggi. It was not until Sunday 15 October 2000 that the choir presented its first paid performance in the form of a benefit concert held at the FWMAC in aid of the South Gippsland Hospital and Toora Nursing Home Auxiliaries.

The Singers’ December 2001 project was an impressive performance of Benjamin Britten’s A Ceremony of Carols in Christ Church Foster.

In July 2003 the choir combined with the South Gippsland Wind Orchestra to present mid-winter concerts at the Dakers Centre in Leongatha as well as the Foster Arts Centre with PCS performing Carmina Burana. This dramatic work was revisited in October when the South Gippsland Singers combined with PCS for a concert in Mesley Hall Leongatha as part of the world-wide choral phenomenon, Voices for Hospices and it was on the program again for the very special 10th Anniversary Concert – 17 August 2008.

Essence of Folk was the title for the program presented by the Singers in 2004. The choir performed in Poowong and Glen Alvie and the next week, on 27 June, they shared the stage with the Bec Bone Singers back in Foster at the FWMAC.

Fauré’s Requiem and Borodin’s Polovtsienne Dances were on the bill when PCS sang in the Foster Anglican Church on 15 May 2005. The following weekend they sang those works in concerts with the South Gippsland Singers and the Korumburra Primary School Choir at Mesley Hall and the Inverloch Community Centre.

The 2005 Voices for Hospices concert had Prom Coast Singers combining with the South Gippsland Singers and the Warragul Chorale for a concert showcasing each choir and featuring music specially composed by Larry Hills for all three choirs.

In the 2007 SeaChange Festival, the Prom Coast Singers demonstrated the diversity of their repertoire in a concert billed as From Pop to Op(era) and sang to Paddy Broberg’s original music in the exciting multi-media Fire Up! project.

The Singers have alsoperformed at the Mossvale Park Music for the People concert. In between times there have been many happy nights of rehearsals with the challenge of learning to sing the right notes and the right words whether they be in English, African, French, German, Italian or Latin. They have sung at community carols, funerals and in FAMDA shows and thoroughly enjoyed the music-making experience under Paddy’s inspirational guidance.

2009 projects include the multi-arts spectacular,  Promontory Dreaming, contributing to FAMDA’s production of Into the Woods and plans to participate in community carols at Christmas.

10th ANNIVERSARY CONCERT – 17 August 2008

Director: Paddy Broberg
Accompanists: Barbara Fleming & Kerry Pritchard
Sopranos: Fran Allott, Verna Anderson, Rhonda Bland, Pamela Coad, Sue Dower, Ellen Fabel, Michelle Gale, Jeannette King, Jennifer Paragreen, Pamela Park, Nerissa Richter, Fleur Wheeler, Shirley Wilson.

Tenors: Peter Bell, Neil Chandler, Dick Straw, Jon Wathen.

Altos: Ruth Carson, Pat Doran, Lyn Jamieson, Bev Nicoll, Dianne Paragreen, Barbara Partridge, Viv Reid, Anne Roussac Hoyne, Ros Wathen, Kate Woodward.

Baritones / Basses: Arie Bos, Edwin Coad, Geoff Davey, Brian Hoskins, Andrew Jamieson, John Laurie, Phil Nightingall.

THE PROM COAST SINGERS’ – first paid performance

The first paid performance was presented on Sunday 15 October 2000 at the Foster War Memorial Arts Centre.

The singers at this performance were: Fran Allott, Verna Anderson, Judy Barnard, Rhonda Bland, Arie Bos, Stacey Coates, Geoff Davey, Stephanie Deutschbein, Eric Envy, Rose Fyfe, David Hutton, John Hutton, Cheryl Kane, Robert Liley, Darcy Murphy, Phil Nightingall, Dianne Paragreen, Jennifer Paragreen, Barbara Partridge, Amanda Richter, Chris Richter, Anne Roussac-Hoyne, Rodney Sharp, Colleen Smith, Kiarna Smith, Marina Sparkes, Dick Straw and Fleur Wheeler with Barbara Fleming as the accompanist.

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PROM COAST SINGERS & MUSICIANS 1998 – 2011

Fran Allott, Hailey Anderson, Verna Anderson, Tony Bacon, Sally Baldwin, Judy Barnard, Peter Bell, Tania Bird, Rhonda Bland, Heather Bligh, Arie Bos, Paddy Broberg, Sandra Brown, Ruth Carson, Neil Chandler, Raylene Clymo, Edwin Coad, Pamela Coad, Stacey Coates, Maureen Collins, Murray Dale, Geoff Davey, Wendy Davidson, Jenny Davies, Frank Deane, Jennie Deane, Stephanie Deutschbein, Pat Doran, Louise Dower, Patrick Dower, Sue Dower, Bindi Dunstan, Raymond Dunstan, Ingrid Eddy, Rob Ellis, Eric Envy +, Isabella Envy, Gareth Evens, Ellen Fabel, Jan Fell, Peter Fell, Barbara Fleming, John Fleming, Trish Fleming, Pat Fraser, Lorraine Froiland, Rose Fyfe, Michelle Gale, Larry Giddy, Fran Grimes, Liz Hall, Marg Haycroft, Larry Hills, Brian Hoskins, Barbara Hutton, David Hutton +, John Hutton, Andrew Jamieson, Lyn Jamieson, John Kahsnitz, Cheryl Kane, Jeannette King, Val Latham, John Laurie, Rob Liley, Chris Lines, Amber Loader, Benita Loader, Mary Lucy, Josephine MacKenzie, Lesley Mackin, Annette Marshall, Gene Marshall, Shirley Marshall, Peter McAlpine, Lyn McClelland, Anne Medlyn, Tania Mitchell, Wayne Moloney, Sharon Monk, Jean Moore, Darcy Murphy, Duncan Neil, Bev Nicoll, Phil Nightingall, Belle Nunn, Denise O’Keefe, Dianne Paragreen, Jennifer Paragreen, Pamela Park, Barbara Partridge, Charles Pearce, Ros Pearce, Deb Peck, Lorraine Pratley, Kerry Pritchard, Leona Prue, John Rees, Viv Reid, Amanda Richter, Chris Richter, Nerissa Richter, Geoff Robson, Andrew Rosser, Anne Roussac-Hoyne, Wilma Scheerle, Rodney Sharp, Carmel Slater, Colleen Smith, Elaine Smith, Peter Snell, Phoebe Snell, Marina Sparkes, Andrew Stacey, Kim Stacey, Kathleen Stack, Hannah Stellard, Louise Stone, Dick Straw, Michael Strong, Ashley Stuchbery, Hilary Stuchbery, Isley Sutherland, Brenda Taylor +, Linda Tubnor, Kerrie Tudor, David Velja, Mark Wade, Bronwyn Wakely, Jonathan Wakely, Jim Warren, Jon Wathen, Ros Wathen, Fiona Watts, Fleur Wheeler, Noreen Wills, Shirley Wilson, Franz Windisch, Kate Woodward, Harrie Zanella, Marilynne Zanella, Ugo Zanella.

ABOUT PADDY BROBERG – Choral Director

Paddy’s career as teacher, university lecturer and arts practitioner spans more than thirty years. Her main areas of expertise are music, dance, literature and interdisciplinary arts, particularly music theatre, ranging from revues to opera. Special musical interests include composing and arranging, accompanying and choral direction.

Paddy joined FAMDA in 1995 as joint musical director of The Music Man. She was a performer in Chinamen in Cabaret, and musical director of the award winning productions of Annie and Oliver!, and of the 2004 Music Hall. In 2006 she was a cast member of Oedipus Rex and arranger and musical director of Ebenezer’s Dream.

Recent compositions in 2007 include the musical score for the multi-arts project Fire Up!, original songs for Edwin Coad’s one-act musical, Open Call, and Paul Hendry’s pantomime, Twisted Tales from the Woods, staged in January this year.

Paddy has been the musical director of the Prom Coast Singers since its inception in 1998, and has introduced the choir to many and varied works from the choral repertoire, ranging from simple rounds to major works such as Fauré’s Requiem, and covering songs and musical styles from many different countries, both past and present.

The Prom Coast Singers thank all the friends and supporters who have shared in our musical experience.

If you would like to join us in singing, please phone Paddy Broberg on 5682 2000.

PROM COAST SINGERS & BEC’S BONNY BONERS

2pm SUNDAY 7 AUGUST 2011

FOSTER WAR MEMORIAL ARTS CENTRE

Tickets: Adults: $10.00 . Concession $7.00

CONCERT PROGRAM

Prom Coast Singers
Island Songs  (Stephen Leek)
Monkey & Turtle
Trade Winds
Morning Tide

Bec’s Bonny Boners
Kothbiro (Mbarek Achieng and Ayub Ogada)
Western Highway (Gerry O’Beirne)
Dancing with Daisies (Rebecca Bone)
Scarlett Tide (Elvis Costello and T-Bone Burnett)
Molly Green / The Ballad of Tommy Foster (Sara Storer)
Benjamin Bowmaneer (Traditional)
Blow the Winds (Traditional)
The Answer (Sarah McLaughlin)
Hina Na Ho (Celebrations) (Susan Aglukark) 

Prom Coast Singers
Traditional Songs  (Arranged by John Rutter)
Down by the Sally Garden
The Girl I Left Behind Me
O Waly Waly
The British Grenadiers
Golden Slumbers
Dashing Away with the Smoothing Iron

Afternoon Tea

PROM COAST SINGERS
Director: Paddy Broberg
Fran Allott,  Tania Bird,  Arie Bos,  Ruth Carson,  Neil Chandler,  Edwin Coad,  Pamela Coad,  Jenny Davies,  Geoff Davey,  Lorraine Froiland,  Brian Hoskins,  Andrew Jamieson,  Lyn Jamieson,  Peter McAlpine,  Dianne Paragreen, Jennifer Paragreen, Barbara Partridge, Anne Roussac-Hoyne, Dick Straw,  Bronwyn Wakely,  Jon Wathen,  Ros Wathen,  Fleur Wheeler,  Shirley Wilson,  Kate Woodward,  Marilynne Zanella.

BEC’S BONNY BONERS
Director: Rebecca Bone
Yvonne Austin,  Taliya Barker,  Marcella Brennan,  Ruth Brook,  Jenny Cocksedge,  Maureen Collins,  Jack Croft,  Kate Facey,  Tracy Fraser,  Deborah Harris,  Linda McMullan,  Alicia Miller,  Joanne Moloney, Amber Rerdon

Prom Coast Singers’ rehearsals are held every Tuesday evening at 7:30pm in the Anglican Church Hall, Station Road, Foster.

The Prom Coast Singers welcome back  every single one of our past members and also need some new faces to be involved in singing in the SING SOUTH GIPPSLAND! choral festival.

We really need as many singers as we can muster, particularly some more sopranos and tenors – please spread the word amongst your friends and acquaintances, and invite them to come along and join one of the most friendly and inclusive groups in the South Gippsland community.

Sadly we will be without a few of our most committed members of the past, who, mostly for health reasons, have reluctantly decided to retire.  In particular, we will not have the truly wonderful team of Shirley Wilson and Verna Anderson, who have been an amazing duo, taking full responsibility for collecting and organising our money from week to week,  keeping our records and, with the help of other wonderful members, opening and setting up the Hall for each rehearsal.  We thank them both so much, and wish them all the very best, and we look forward to seeing them not only at our performances, but also welcoming them back to sing with us any time they feel up to it.

To join in the Prom Coast Singers, or for further details, contact:
Andrew Jamieson via email: acjammo @ ozemail.com.au or 5683 2683
OR
Paddy Broberg via email:  paddybroberg @ internode.on.net or 5682 2000

A fee, of $3.00 per evening for each singer, covers the cost of purchasing music, hall hire etc.

Congratulations to Larry Hills and the Bass Coast Chorale on their performance of the Miners’ Requiem in Wonthaggi on 19 & 20 June 2010 as part of Wonthaggi’s Centenary celebrations.

Several current and past members of the Prom Coast Singers joined with the Bass Coast Chorale to perform the Miners’ Requiem composed by Larry Hills.

The Miners’ Requiem was reprised and recorded
2:00pm Sunday 27 March 2011
Wonthaggi Union Community Arts Centre

A MESSAGE FROM LARRY HILLS

I’ve written the Miners’ Requiem specifically for the Wonthaggi Centenary celebrations. It is being performed by the Bass Coast Chorale accompanied by a full orchestra. It is a beautiful and moving work. There are only two performances: Saturday, 19 June at 8pm and Sunday, 20 June at 2pm. The performance will be of great significance to the citizens of the Wonthaggi area, but also of significance to other parts of the world due to recent mining tragedies in the US and in China.

15 February 1937, the day 20-Shaft blew up, was the blackest day in the history of Wonthaggi. The whole town rallied, united in their anguish, to save thirteen miners trapped behind thousands of tons of fallen rock, engulfed in plumes of black smoke and deadly gasses. The valiant attempt to rescue the miners captured the attention of a whole nation.

As we celebrate our centenary, we remember those men who lost their lives that day and all miners over 100 years who also lost their lives in the State Coal Mine at Wonthaggi.
Requiem  (Rest in Peace)

]]> http://famda.org.au/wanted-choral-director/feed/ 0 http://famda.org.au/join-the-prom-coast-singers/ http://famda.org.au/join-the-prom-coast-singers/#comments Thu, 15 Jan 2009 02:27:35 +0000 Jennifer http://famda.org.au/?p=1867 Musical Director wanted

The Prom Coast Singers is a Foster based choir whose members basically want to sing plus also to improve their voices and enjoy exploring and performing good music.

With the pending retirement of our founding Musical Director, Paddy Broberg, there is great enthusiasm from members to keep the choir active, taking on new challenges and at the same time sharing the cheerful company of other music lovers.

PCS needs a Director with sound choral and general musical skills to continue to inspire a disparate group of people with a common love of singing and a willingness to work hard to achieve their best.

The Choir

The Prom Coast Singers, now 30 to 40 strong, attracts singers of many and varied backgrounds from all over South Gippsland and is wholly unauditioned. Rehearsal is generally on Tuesday nights at Foster for two to four months before a performance, in the Anglican Church Hall.  Other separate rooms are used for section rehearsals and choir members are available to conduct these.

PCS owns its own Yamaha Clavinova piano to ensure a high standard instrument is available for concerts and also rehearsal. Costs of music, copyright and insurance are covered by a small levy collected at each rehearsal from all members.

Members willingly accept responsibility for routine functions such as finance, maintaining the Music Library, photocopying, hall setup, publicity, ticket sales and piano moving. Close relations are maintained with FAMDA (Foster Amateur Music and Drama Association) to which PCS is affiliated. A small committee has been set up to oversee the day to day running of the choir and assist the Musical Director.

Musical Director

The Musical Director has the responsibility to plan the choir’s musical activities including the selection of music as well as the conduct of rehearsals and to direct the final performances. Local musicians have been very willing to perform with the PCS and the Director is expected to work with them when appropriate. The position is not salaried although travel expenses can be met.

Prom Coast Singers’ History

In November 1997, FAMDA staged a highly successful production of the Broadway musical, Annie, with Neil Goodwin as director and Paddy Broberg as the musical director. The next year several of the Annie cast members found they really missed the fun and camaraderie of the rehearsal and performance process. Their frustration got the better of them and they besieged Paddy with requests to let them sing again and, one evening in April 1998, eight former members of the Annie cast and crew met at Foster Primary School for the first sing-along of what was to become the Prom Coast Singers.

Under the umbrella of FAMDA with the guidance of Paddy Broberg, the Singers’ initial performances were in conjunction with community carols in Foster and Toora and singing for the residents of Banksia Lodge and Rose Lodge, Wonthaggi. It was not until Sunday 15 October 2000 that the choir presented its first paid performance in the form of a benefit concert held at the FWMAC in aid of the South Gippsland Hospital and Toora Nursing Home Auxiliaries.

The Singers’ December 2001 project was an impressive performance of Benjamin Britten’s A Ceremony of Carols in Christ Church Foster.

In July 2003 the choir combined with the South Gippsland Wind Orchestra to present mid-winter concerts at the Dakers Centre in Leongatha as well as the Foster Arts Centre with PCS performing exerpts from Carmina Burana. This dramatic work was revisited in October when the South Gippsland Singers combined with PCS for a concert in Mesley Hall Leongatha as part of the world-wide choral phenomenon, Voices for Hospices and it was on the program again for the very special 10th Anniversary Concert – 17 August 2008.

Essence of Folk was the title for the program presented by the Singers in 2004. The choir performed in Poowong and Glen Alvie and the next week, on 27 June, they shared the stage with the Bec Bone Singers back in Foster at the FWMAC.

Fauré’s Requiem and Borodin’s Polovtsienne Dances were on the bill when PCS sang in the Foster Anglican Church on 15 May 2005. The following weekend they sang those works in concerts with the South Gippsland Singers and the Korumburra Primary School Choir at Mesley Hall and the Inverloch Community Centre.

The 2005 Voices for Hospices concert had Prom Coast Singers combining with the South Gippsland Singers and the Warragul Chorale for a concert showcasing each choir and featuring music specially composed by Larry Hills for all three choirs.

In the 2007 SeaChange Festival, the Prom Coast Singers demonstrated the diversity of their repertoire in a concert billed as From Pop to Op(era) and performed Paddy Broberg’s original music in the exciting multi-media Fire Up! project. The Singers also performed at the Mossvale Park Music for the People concert.

2008 saw members taking part in FAMDA’s widely acclaimed production of The Producers with Pam Coad as Chorus Mistress and other members providing the offstage chorus.

2009 projects included the multi-arts spectacular, Promontory Dreaming, contributing to FAMDA’s production of Into the Woods and in community carols at Christmas.

In between times there have been many happy nights of rehearsals with the challenge of learning to sing the right notes and the right words whether they be in English, African, French, German, Italian or Latin. PCS have sung at community carol services, funerals and in FAMDA musicals with performances in Foster, Glen Alvie, Inverloch, Korrumburra, Leongatha, Mossvale Park,  Poowong, Toora, Warragul and Wonthaggi.

Expressions of Interest Wanted

To continue this rich music making history the Prom Coast Singers are now seeking a Director with sound choral and general musical skills to continue to inspire us by planning our musical activities,  including the selection of music, as well as conducting rehearsals and directing the ultimate performances.

The position is not salaried although travel expenses can be met.

The Choir also wishes to hear from people willing to work as rehearsal pianists.

Anyone interested in working as either the choral director or rehearsal pianist for the Prom Coast Singers is invited to contact Andrew Jamieson 5683 2683 or  acjammo {@] ozemail.com.au

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Members of the Prom Coast Singers again contributed to the 2010 Anzac Day ceremony in Foster .

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