Choirbolical Workshop

An enjoyable day of singing will be held on Saturday 13th March for anyone interested in coming along.

Workshop facilitators: Kate Schirmer – vocal technique 

                                               Jason Goopy – musicianship

Where: McMorrow Centre. Our Lady of Lourdes primary, 2 Ascot Street Toowoomba

Times: 9.00 – registration & cuppa

              9.30 – vocal warm-up  followed by workshop

              3.30 - informal performance to conclude the day

Cost:    $40  waged     $20 unwaged/ students

-ALL WELCOME –

End of year update

The end of year is fast approaching, so here is our program for the rest of 2009.

Unfortunately the BIG SING in Brisbane has been canceled this year (it was to be this coming weekend 18th Oct). However we do have 3 performances in Toowoomba coming up:

November 15th  Remembrance Day concert at Westhaven RSL, Arabian St. 1.30pm

December 15th   Christmas Lights concert  at St Lukes, Herries St. 7.15pm

December 18th   Burstow’s Christmas Wonderland  in Queen’s Park 7.15pm

Term 4 REHEARSALS:  Oct 6, Oct 13 (with Tess), Oct 27, Nov 10, Nov 24

A BIG CONGRATULATIONS TO MARGARET on the birth of baby Elizabeth. We look forward to her return soon.

Choir update

REHEARSAL dates for the next little while…

Tuesday 8th Sept with Tess – welcome back Tess!

School holiday break though men & girls might organize a get together practice (watch for emails)

Tuesday 6th October

Tuesday 13th October

UPCOMING Events:

Sunday 18th  Oct – BIG SING Kodaly QLD – workshop/ concert Stuartholme Brisbane

Sunday 8th Nov – Remembrance Day concert Westhaven RSL 1.30pm

Tuesday 15th Dec – St Lukes Christmas Tree Lights & concert 7.15pm

Friday 18th Dec – Burstows Christmas Wonderland – Queens Park 7.15pm

REPERTOIRE

Joy to the World (Jeremiah was a bullfrog…)/ Remembrance day Medley (Pack up your troubles etc)/ What a wonderful world/ Fly me to the Moon/ others include His Eye is on the Sparrow

Best wishes to Margaret while she is away having a baby. We’ll see her and the baby for rehearsals later in the year!

VOCE Meeting – minutes 20/01/09

Thanks to Loretto for hosting a VOCE meeting to decide on some Choirbolical 2009 events & repertoire, and thanks to everyone who attended.

  • See Rehearsals – Term One 2009 for dates of rehearsals.
  • We will be working on music ready to sing at Dan (Pam’s son) & Tammy’s wedding on the 16th May at St Pauls Lutheran Church Phillips St.   11am start.
  • Need to re-establish a Choir list of members with a  phone tree for changes.
  • Are we going to Gundy as a choir or individuals? Could we hire a bus? Need to decide in Feb. to let Paddy know. Those who went in ’08 had a great time.
  • Spring Sing date needs to be brought forward to 29th August to accommodate our men who might go bike riding on the first weekend in Sept.

Big Sing 2008

What a great day was had by all at the Big Sing at Stuartholme on Sunday. We enjoyed the workshops with James and Claire and the concert in the afternoon was well received. Choirbolical’s performance was fantastic with great conducting by Margaret on shaky legs. We’re already looking forward to next year – hopefully at the same relaxing venue

Relaxing over lunch Jason giving us a quick rehearsalChoirbolical performanceAll choirs

Voce Meeting – minutes 20/5/08

VOCE Meeting – 20 May 2008

 Present:  Loretto, Andrew, Marion, Kent, Brian

Apologies:  Ritamay

1     Men’s Workshop.  On Sunday 15th May Jason Goopy will conduct a men’s singing workshop at Brian and Di’s place (19 Prince Henry Drive), commencing at 10 am and concluding with an afternoon tea to which the non-male members of Choirbolical are invited to come along and hear the results of the workshop.  All members of Choirboloical are invited to tell any males friends/relatives/colleagues to feel free to come along – cost $20 and bring something for a shared lunch.

2   Spring Sing.  Saturday 13th September.  Check with Choral Society.  If this is not available try Middle Ridge Hall.  To invite G/windi people at weekend of 31st May ($30 for waged participants and $15 unwaged).  If there is anybody who would like to do the flyer/program for this year’s Spring Sing let Marion know and she will provide you last year’s as a template.

3   Anzac Day Medley.  We would be happy for Margaret to organise a date and time on a weekend for us to perform our Anzac Day medley (and maybe some other songs thrown in) at Salem or somewhere like that.

4   Anzac Day.  Further discussion with the whole choir about what we do next year.  At the end of the year to review all of our performance commitments for 2009, including Anzac Day.

5   Gundy Workshop. Choirbolical not singing as a choir, but members are looking forward to attending a day of singing and hospitality at Goondiwindi.

 

Next Meeting:  Early August.

Rehearsal Dates Term 2

Please find Rehearsal dates for Term 2 listed on the site. The ANZAC day performance at the RSL Westhaven Retirement Village was interesting, but a fantastic medley enjoyed by those who stopped to listen. Thanks Margaret for putting it together and your wonderful conducting. Also thanks to Lorraine who accompanied us once again.

Voce Meeting- minutes 11.3.08

Voce Meeting 11.3.08
Present: Brian, Di, Catherine, Kent, Loretto
Business:

  • Workshop comments Participants enjoyed the contemporary repetoire whilst finding it quite challenging musically.

It was relaxing not having a public performance at the end of the day and we enjoyed having some pieces to add to our repertoire which we can continue to develop.

It was particularly delightful seeing people we have sung with previously now coming back to present workshops for us – and doing such a fine job too.

A delightful day all around – and as usual the food was magnificent!!!

Loretto to forward these comments to Rachel Dwyer for Qld Kodaly newsletter.

  • Goondiwindi workshop dates are May 31 – June1. Kent to confirm these dates with Rebecca. Workshop to be discussed at next choir to determine whether we go as a whole choir or as individual participants.
  • Future venue for rehearsal – Uniting church hall, our current venue have notified us of imminent charges to include $20 per hour plus $10 per additional hour or part thereof plus $5 for heating if heaters turned on. St Marys school is a possibility. Kent to contact Jason and find information regarding security codes, whether Jason would need to be there etc. Lourdes hall is also available. Catherine to check similar details with the parish. It was noted that St Marys may be a useful venue for the Spring Sing especially if we have male and female choirs rehearsing.

Workshop – Saturday 1st March

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A SINGING WORKSHOP WITH JEN BERGSTRUM & JASON GOOPY
SATURDAY 1 MARCH 2008

McMORROW CENTRE, OUR LADY OF LOURDES SCHOOL, 2 ASCOT ST, TOOWOOMBA
TIME: 9.00 am (for 10 am start) – 3.30 pm
COST
: $30 (includes morning tea and lunch)
Choirbolical is hosting a singing workshop for current, new and potential members and for other friends. It will be a chance to spend a day singing and learning and connecting with others. Jen Bergstrum will be the facilitator for the day, and in the afternoon we will split with Jen working with the women and Jason working with the men, and then come back together again and sing to each other. Jen will be introducing the choir to some simple yet effective arrangements of pop/contemporary songs. Participants can expect to leave the workshop with some new repertoire, a deeper understanding of contemporary styles and, hopefully, that sense of community togetherness that is so often borne out of singing with others.

About the facilitators:
JEN BERGSTRUM
graduated from the University of Queensland in 2005, with a Bachelor of Music (Hons 1)/Bachelor of Education (Secondary). Her qualifications include the Australian Kodály Certificate in Music Education (Primary). Jen is currently working for St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School in Brisbane as a classroom music teacher and choral conductor. In 2007 she founded the St Aidan’s Community Choir for Women, bringing together 65 mothers, teachers, past students and members of the wider community to sing once a week. Jen has presented workshops in music education both nationally and internationally, including a presentation at the 2005 International Kodály Symposium in Leicester, England. In December 2006, she attended an intensive two week music education course in Hungary as one of twenty invited teachers. Jennifer has co-written a student workbook and teacher manual, Australian Art Music in the Classroom, for use in schools across Queensland, and has had articles published in the Queensland Kodály News, the Victorian Kodály News and the Queensland Journal of Music Education. She has a passion for singing and choral music, which has fuelled her work as a professional singer, vocal coach, choral conductor and musical director.
JASON GOOPY graduated from the University of the Queensland in 2007, having completed a Bachelor of Music (Hons 1) and Bachelor of Education. He holds an A.Mus.A. (Saxophone Performance) and has completed the Australian Kodály Certificate in Music Education (Secondary). He is currently the Music Coordinator at St. Mary’s College, Toowoomba, which includes teaching classroom music for grades 5-12 and choral conducting. Jason has been an active member of the Queensland Kodály Choir and Chamber Choir for the past 5 years. In 2006, Jason was the principal saxophonist in the Queensland Youth Orchestra’s Wind Symphony and Big Band, and in 2007 taught Woodwind at St. Laurence’s College, South Brisbane. Jason has performed in a variety of choral and instrumental ensembles on local, state and national levels giving him a wealth of musical experiences. He enjoys sharing his passion for music with the community, and encourages everyone to include regular music making in their life.

To register your attendance or for enquiries contact:
1.
Kent Smith [email protected] ph. 0417976098
2.
Marion Elvery [email protected] ph. 0417703794
3.
Loretto Wainwright [email protected] ph. 0438322883

Voce Meeting- minutes 31.1.08

Present: Margaret, Andrew, Brian, Marion, Catherine, Ritamay, Loretto, Rebeka, Kent

1. Workshop. Jen Bergstrom and Jason Goopy (new voice teacher at St Mary’s and recent UQ graduate) will facilitate a workshop on Saturday 1 March. Jen will be facilitator for whole day while Jason will do 2 hour session

Action: a) Ritamay and Catherine will contact Choral Society and Lourdes etc. about halls.

Action: b) Kent will contact Paddy/Goondiwindi to invite them to attend

Action: c) Margaret will contact Jen about content and ask Jen to talk to Jason

Action: d) Media – Marion to put information about workshop on web site and negotiate/delegate contacting Chronicle

2. Presentation to Catherine for her hard work last year as Treasurer and as a bribe to continue it this year – Catherine graciously agreed to continue this year

3. Performances:
a)
Anzac Day – Friday April 25th – performance at RSL Westhaven Village and lunch at Picnic Point following

b) Spring Sing – Saturday 13th September

c) Big Sing – probably 26th October

d) Christmas Tree Festival – Wednesday 10th December – ½hr

e) Jazz Club – middle of the year

4. Repertoire:
Margaret looking at new songs and revisiting some old songs (eg. Cloud’s Veil, Keep Your Lamps, Ni Yet Neni – Hebrew Song), some songs for men etc

5. Kent will send email about first rehearsal, new terms, workshop and nibblies to all members on old list and remind them to subscribe to web site.

6. Kent to send old email list to Marion to check who is subscribed and who isn’t and then to subscribe those who haven’t


7.
Next meeting: Wednesday 23rd April – @ Brian’s