Miranda & Rowena Evans performing in Iolanthe

Gilbert and Sullivan Extravaganza

Cooma, 1^st & 2^nd June 2012

Coming soon: “A Gilbert and Sullivan Extravaganza”. This unique production is the brainchild of Robert Shearer and will be presented by the Cooma Harmony Chorus and the Snowy Mountains Ensemble. The performances will also feature local and visiting soloists, including singers from the ANU School of Music. The concept of this Gilbert & Sullivan Extravaganza (everyone is now calling it simply “the G&S”) has grown out of the successes of last year’s musical colaborations in Cooma, namely: Gilbert and Sullivan’s, “Trial by Jury”, “Sing Your Own Handel’s Messiah” and the “Australia Day Music Celebration-Let Our Stars Shine”.

Robert Shearer, who is co-directing the production with Petra Lindsay, has selected excerpts from “The Mikado”, “HMS Pinafore”, “Pirates of Penzance”, “Yeomen of the Guard”, “The Gondoliers” and “Iolanthe”.

Ann Tame as the Duchess from The Gondoliers

He has ingeniously written a script that combines all these excerpts into a single musical narrative. While remaining true to the composers’ original vision, Robert has added modern references that will delight and amuse a present day audience. The popularity of Gilbert and Sullivan’s works has not diminished over the years. Their appeal lies in the combination of wonderful music and comedy.

“A Gilbert and Sullivan Extravaganza” will feature timeless favourites such as: I’m Called Little Buttercup, On A Tree By A River, A Policeman’s Lot Is Not A Happy One, When I Was A Lad, Three Little Maids, I Am The Captain Of The Pinafore, and many more.

A major focus of this production will be big, bold and lively musical performances by 21 talented soloists accompanied by a 20 member chorus and a full 26 piece orchestra conducted by Rodney Clancy. Lavish costuming, lighting effects, dance and movement will also add to this exciting production.

Important Details:

There will be 3 performances only:

• Friday 1st June at 7.30pm (Evening Performance)
• Saturday 2nd June at 1.30pm (Matinee Performance) and at 7.30pm (Evening Performance)

Venue: Cooma Ex-Services Club, Vale Street, Cooma

The Soloists (in no particular order): Richard Hopkins, Jack Clayton, Elizabeth Barnes, Deb Law, Nick Giger, Rowena Evans, Charles Bradshaw, John Price, Miranda Evans, Robert Shearer, Jesse Greig, Josh Burke, Dave Learoyd, Judy Gibson, Keren Dalzell, Tala Ferguson, Ann Tame, Nigel Griffiths, Julia Clancy and Hilary Keighley

With the support of the Cooma-Monaro Arts & Cultural Activities Committee and South East Arts, we were successful at gaining funding for the project from Regional Arts NSW, through their Country Arts Support Program.

We have already received some wonderful expressions of interest from various individuals and groups interested in participating in the concert, and now we are inviting more.

Please contact the coordinating team…

• ·         If you would like to be part of the musical performance;
• ·         If you have any appropriate stories to share (war memories and stories from all around the world);
• ·         If you may be willing and able to lend appropriate imagery – paintings, photographs, uniforms for the event; or
• ·         If you would like to be involved in any other way!

Prospective performers, please send some details about yourselves:

• ·         The name of your group and your contact details
• ·         What kind of group it is – instrumental, vocal, both
• ·         How long you have been performing
• ·         Number of group members and their age range
• ·         What kinds of instruments you play, and the level of proficiency
• ·         Anything from your repertoire or collection which might be suitable for this concert
• ·         Any performance highlights, such as recordings
• ·         Anything else you think that might be helpful

A meeting of interested participants is planned for 19 May in Cooma – the time and venue will be confirmed.

Email us at coomaremembrance@hotmail.com OR write to Snowy Monaro Arts Council, PO Box 1260, Cooma, 2630 on or before Friday 11 May.

Click on thumnails for larger image:

-The Joy of Song-

Shelley Hayton

This will be a delightful concert of familiar songs, arias and duets from well known operas, musicals and popular classics. presented by a enormously talented group of singers.

Driving this exciting event is award-winning Opera Diva, Shelley Hayton, who has been putting on these breathtaking concerts since 2000. The “Divine Divas”, Shelley and Soprano Lyndall Rees, will share the stage with an exceptional bloke, Baritone, Robert Horn. They will be accompanied by pianist, Emily Courtright. The Cooma Concert will have the added bonus of an appearance by Local Tenor, Robert Shearer.

The combined experience of this troupe of singers included many and varied roles in operas and musicals with Opera Australia, Victoria State Opera and Opera of South Australia.

The artists:

• Lyndall Rees, Soprano
• Shelley Hayton, Mezzo-Alto
• Robert Horn, Baritone
• Robert Shearer, Tenor
• Emily Courtright, Accompanist

The Programme:

1. Sound The Trumpet / Henry Purcel
2. Besame Mucho / Consuelo Velázquez
3. Nella Fantasia / Ennio Morricone
4. La Ci Darem / Don Giovanni by Mozart
5. Mon Coeur S’Ouvre á ta Voix / Samson et Dalilah by Camille Saint-Säens
6. Some Enchanted Evening / South Pacific by Richard Rodgers & Oscar Hammerstein II
7. How Can Love Survive / The Sound of Music by Richard Rodgers & Oscar Hammerstein II
8. Hymne `a L’Amore / Marguerite Monnot
9. If I Loved You / Carousel by Richard Rodgers & Oscar Hammerstein II
10. Send In The Clowns / A Little Night Music by Stephen Sondheim
11. Vienna, City of My Dreams / Rudolf Sieczynski
12. The Flower Duet / Lakmé by Leo Delibes
13. Soave Sia Il Vento / Cosi Fan Tutte by Mozart
14. Musetta’s Waltz Song / La Boheme by Puccini
15. I Heard You Singing / Eric Coates
16. Edelweiss / The Sound of Music
17. Climb Ev’ry Mountain / The Sound of Music
18. Pastorello D’un Povero Armento / Handel
19. Barcarolle / Tales of Hoffmann by Jacques Offenbach
20. Waltz of My Heart / The Dancing Years by Ivor Novello
21. We’ll Gather Lilacs / Perchance To Dream by Ivor Novello
22. Seguidilla / Carmen by Georges Bizet
23. Granada / Agustín Lara
24. You’ll Never Walk Alone / Carousel by Rodgers & Hammerstein

Robert Shearer (Tenor)

Concert Details:

• When: Saturday 26 November 2011 at 7.00 pm
• Where: St Paul’s Anglican Church Hall, Commissioner Street, Cooma
• Tickets: Adults $20, Concessions/Students $15, Students 10-18 years $10, Children under 10 years Free.
• Tickets available at Cooma School of Music or at the door.
• Bookings 6452 6067

• When: Saturday 10 December at 7.00 pm
• Where: The Multifunction Centre, Cooma Showgrounds.

Come and join in the musical fun of Christmas with:

• Cooma District Band
• Cooma Harmony Chorus
• Matt Charlesworth’s Band
• with MC -Rev Paul Cohen

Presented by The Combined Churches of Cooma

The Messiah - 12th November

Extra Messiah rehearsals with Leslie Spencer for the all singers (SATB) in the chorus are planned for:

Monday 31 October at 7.00 pm at the Old Cooma Railway Station (in Band Room)

Monday 7 November at 7.00 pm at St Pauls Anglican Church Hall, (behind the church in Commissioner Street)

Free of charge – All welcome.

Leslie has also been doing some more rehearsals for the individual parts. Please contact her for details. Mobile: 0428 907 510

For more information on Sing your Own Handel’s Messiah click here.

Map of Cooma CBD (Click to enlarge)

Snowy Scheme Museum Adaminaby

The Governor-General, Quentin Bryce will be attending to perform the opening ceremony of Snowy Scheme Museum in Adaminaby on 15 October 2011, at 11am.

As with the official opening of the Snowy Mountains Scheme on October 17 1949, when the Governor-General Sir William McKell performed the official duties, the Governor-General of today, will be performing the official duties at the new Snowy Scheme museum.

The Snowy Scheme museum will showcase the impact on the nation of the construction of the Snowy Mountains Hydro-electric Scheme, by highlighting the achievements of the engineers, the workers, the machinery and the role the project played in the development of the modern Australian nation. The scheme is widely considered to be the greatest engineering project ever undertaken in Australia, with the museum collection creating a multi-dimensional insight into the Snowy Scheme and its legacy.

In the meantime, the Adaminaby community is busy preparing for the day when the “GG” comes to town, and the museum committee and helpers are also busy with the installation of the collection, exhibits and interpretive material to make this landmark project come to life. The museum committee would also like to issue an open invitation to anybody who would like to attend this special day and invite any interested person to join the museum community.

The museum is also looking for equipment with Snowy Scheme provenance, stories, memorabilia and research about the more than 100 000 people, many from overseas, who worked during the construction stage of the scheme.

Music for this occasion will be provided from about 10.30 am by:

• Cooma Harmony Chorus
• Cooma District band
• And school children from the Adaminaby Public School

Further information about the museum can be found on the website: http://www.snowyschemecollection.com.au/

The carols will performed in the beautiful Centennial Park.

This year the Carols will be lead by the wonderful voices of the Cooma Harmony Chorus.

For more information visit: http://www.visitcooma.com.au/

Cooma Harmony Chorus singing carols in the park 03

Chris Wall

An Afternoon of Music promises to be an enjoyable and entertaining event. Our own Darrell Gaukroger, himself a talented musician has organized this concert which will feature  many of our local musicians.  The extremely popular Cooma Harmony Chorus will be performing along with Darrell Gaukroger, David Ford, Vera Shanley, Chris And Sarah Wall, and more.

• Where: St Paul’s Anglican Church, Commissioner Street, Cooma
• When: Sunday 5 December 2010 at 2.30 pm
• Tickets: $15 each (includes “Festive  Afternoon Tea”) Tickets are available from The Fabric Salon (Vale Street, Cooma) or Anglican Parish Office (Commissioner Street, Cooma). Tickets are Limited.

Cooma Harmony Chorus

from Cooma-Monaro Express, Tuesday 27 April 2010

from Cooma-Monaro Express, Tuesday 27 April 2010