04 December 2009

Newport Carols Orchestra

The carols orchestra came together last night under the baton of Michael Stewart for the first rehearsal for the carols night.

It is sounding good... I can't wait for the 12th Dec! ... Steve




01 December 2009

NFFC at Willi Town Hall

Hobsons Bay Council put on their annual Senior Citizens Luncheon on Sat 28 November at Williamstown Town Hall, and members of the NFFC were there to get the entertainment started for the event. Greg O', Michael S, Bruce, Maryanne and Steve performed a variety of tunes and songs and even had a few of the oldies (and the volunteers) dancing between the tables.

It is always a great feeling to get up to play on a real stage in such a beautiful old building.

Newport Bush Orchestra Nov 30

We missed our little invasion of pint sized virtuosi this week. Zion couldn't drive them.
We persevered however with our nautical theme with Rhonwyn taking the tiller and teaching us The Sailor's Hornpipe in G. We recombined with the rhythm players and tackled O'Neills' march and Captain Pugwash. Until we put the music on the website the shett muisc is avaiable at Session.com

30 November 2009

Club Night November 2009

From the number of instruments being lugged in the door at 7:30 we knew it was going to be a great night. Alan started things off with The Water is Wide, and most of the crowd quickly joined in. There were plenty of willing performers including Jackie with Leaving On a Jet Plane, Suanna and Simon with original songs, Bill and Miriam with County Down, Adrian with John Lennon's Love and Gerry with Winter Wonderland.


One of the highlights was Richard's performance on the musical saw. This is an old Australian bush tradition - it's an ordinary panel saw, played with a bow. The level of skill required to get a tune out of it is quite remarkable and the whole audience was spellbound as Richard played a couple of tunes. It's an eerie sound, reminiscent of the Theremin. Unfortunately we weren't able to take a video but there are some photos and you can see and hear other players of the musical saw on YouTube.

Poetry too was well represented with Dave giving us How McDougall Topped the Score and The Man From Ironbark. Dave's comic timing and delivery is just getting better and better and there was much laughter to be heard. Ted also amused us with a poem called Similar Cases by Charlotte Gilman, which takes a light-hearted look at Darwin's Theory of Evolution.

There were lots of new musical collaborations, with Moira and Rick combining for Allie's Waltz, Frank, Steve and Moira getting together for a wonderful calypso number, and Tiya and Adrian combining for Here Comes the Sun and Tiya and Gerry on Georgia. There was a bit of a Lennon/McCartney theme going, with a new performer (forgotten his name, sorry...) doing a lovely version of I'm So Tired.

Greg J gave us Glenn Cardier's Water Finds its Own Level in his usual energetic style, Jordan performed a lovely instrumental from Grizzly Bear and of course the Bush Orchestra folks came up with a couple of brackets of dance tunes.

It's amazing how new items find their way on to the repertoire; last week the combined Newport Community Choir and Willin Wimmin invited Michael, Steve and Richard to come along to a rehearsal to accompany them on Bourree for Bach. They took the music home and brought it along to Folk Club as an item, and very good it sounded too. Think of it as a sneak preview for the carols night on 12 December.

We wound up as usual with The Parting Glass at about 11:00 but nobody wanted to go home and it took another hour or so to pack up and clear the hall. A great finish to the regular club nights for 2009 but there is still plenty more music in Newport to fill in the days before we resume club nights in February 2010.

29 November 2009

Newport Bush Orchestra Mon 23 Nov

to be posted

Newport Bush Orchestra Mon 16 Nov

To be posted

Bo at the RSL Nov 25

After the Maritime Gigon the wilder members of the BO went to the Newport RSL where the regular Wed night bash was on.We did a set of tunes and songs, embarrassed Kathryn for the second time that night by singing her happy birthday and partied for ages and ages.
All was impromptu and very well received .... Again!
We are cooking!
I cant remember who was there but we lost a few and acquired Danny and Leonie i think.
Greg

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