I Cantati Chamber Group at St Luke's

 Benjamin Britten's Ceremony of Carols and excerpts from Bach's Magnificat in D with soloists

Tess Laird sop, Rosalie Nevell sop, Carli Walker mezzo, Philip Prendergast tenor and Jo Maskell bass, directed by Egberty Guichard.

I Cantati chamber group at St Lukes

Benjamin Brittens Ceremony of Carols Nancy Webb piano Rosalie Nevel

and excerpts from JS Bach's Magnificat in D Jon Maskell

a chamber group from Toowoomba Philharmonic Soc. and ensemble strings and oboe
Andrew Doecke organ/piano
Egbert Guichard director/conductor

Educating Rita

We were unable to get to a Reg night for this play so I bought tickets for the night in aid of Glennon House which is the old Clewleys Motel on Ruthven street, now used for accomodating people coming into Toowoomba for cancer treatment, I think. It was an experience going there - quite a run-down warren. The Rep theatre nights are a good way for groups to fundraise and get new people into the theatre. Educating Rita was quite an enjoyable play.

Cinderella

 Toowoomba Choral Society

I got an email from rep looking for backstage volunteers so I went along with the kids. Matthew Skerman was in charge of us and we cleaned the stage and mopped it before each show. I only turned up the Sunday before which was probably a dress rehearsal. Three performances.

Elijah

Mendelssohn's Elijah with Philo, TCS and Ars Cantorum
conductor Andrew Doecke, organist Pamela Duane
 also violin, viola cello and flute
Robert Williams bass baritone.

2 performances at St Lukes then a week later on Sunday 25 at St Mark's Warwick.
We went down by bus from Philo.

I started practising early with some at St James as I was not enjoying the TCS choral work with a male teacher from Grammar.
It was also good rehearsing at Philo with them.

Toowoomba Concert Orchestra

Because the orchestra supported our performance of Elijah we went along to this concert the same day.
Grieg's Piano Concerto Op 16 with Maree Kilpatrick at USQ Arts Theatre

Smetana Ma Vlast

Art exhibition at Rosalie Gallery Goombungee

Rosalie Eustace and her son David had a combined art exhibition called Release: letting go of the conventions.
We went to the launch.

Don Giovanni

This production of Don Giovanni was by Oz Opera, the touring branch of Australian Opera at the Empire Theatre. It was sung in English but included a chamber orchestra and we really enjoyed it.

Twist

Twist was the Rep play where we sat at the back row next to a guy who had failed to wash before attending.

Bolshoi simulcast

Le Corsaire simulcast around Qld from Brisbane QPAC.

Bolshoi Ballet with Qld Symphony Orchestra,

Good Things

Rep Play - Good Things by Liz Lochhead. This was interesting as the leading lady had lost her voice so the role of Susan was read by the director. It worked out well.

Sounds of Notre Dame

Last night we went to St Luke's for an organ concert with Olivier Latry from Notre Dame Paris and the Camerata of St John's chamber orchestra from Brisbane. There was a good audience and it was a very good concert.

Singing from Scratch

This year the Choral Society put on Singing from Scratch with Jubelmesse Mass no. 2 in G by Carl Maria von Weber. It was first performed in 1818 in celebration of the Golden Wedding of the King and Queen of Saxony.
Having joined Choral Society in January, I was part of the core group who rehearsed it prior to the day. However I did not feel that I had made great progress, it being quite difficult, especially the high parts which need plenty of warm up and support. It is quite disconcerting at home alone.
Emily joined me for the day and we enjoyed the morning session at the Choral Hall. In the afternoon we rehearsed on the choir risers at St Lukes and discovered the acoustic disadvantages. Being unable to hear others, I did not have confidence to make the entries and Em was doing it from scratch for the experience so she was unable to fully support me. She decided to head back to Brisbane in daylight and I went home for a break before returning in the evening for the concert.
The Choral Choir sang three songs in the lead in - On a clear day you can see forever; Banquet Fugue from "the Reluctant Dragon" by John Rutter and He's got the whole world in his hands. I was placed centre front row for that, then moved back and was able to find a more favourable spot than in the afternoon although Kevin beside me came in on the bass entries instead of tenor which was distracting.
So the mass went off quite well for me and the audience seemed to think it went well.

Daylight Saving

A play at Rep theatre, set in Sydney by Nick Enright.

Mulchers

We bought our first mulcher in Mareeba to keep our block pruned, providing us with mulch and firewood for our barbecue. It has worked very well.
It gets regular use at Cotswold Hills but around 2007 it needed some welding repair when the internal curve in the tube came away. Vicki Battaglia had it fixed for us and the welding continues to hold up well, however it gave way again in 2013 so we had it welded by Michael Crok Ally Arc Welding McDougall st. $40
At the same time, Aldi had a mulcher on special which we bought for $199. It works in a different manner and should complement our older one.