smeh

im not sure if many of you care (or if you read these, i know it took me a while to finally sign up to this site) but i thought i should mention something about myself, not only to formally introduce myself properly (yes, i know im not that new!), but to see if i can actually use this blog thing (damn kids and their new fangled gadgets and whizzimijigs!) for future reference

anyways, im kim (or kimi, if you please) and im a second sop, and we're fairly awesome (not biased much), and im currently studying at curtin uni. I wont specify what course i am doing at the moment, mostly because i am currently in the process of switching, but i can say im doing a course in science and engineering, and am hopefully going to be accepted into the engineering degree, if all goes to plan.

i have many favourite composers, and not all of them are classical. i kinda like to think of metorphorically as the crazy cat lady of music, meaning that i have an ecclectic taste.

anyways, at the moment, some of my favourites include schumann, mendelssohn, holst, most of the songs by crowded house, einstein on the beach, chopin, stuff by voltaire (most recent obsession http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DC6UtsPa13o love the violin stuff and the kooky rhythms/subject matter).

well then, might be time to wrap it up. i get too easily distracted and such.
much loves xx

Cool Britannia

Last Saturday, 23 May, The New I Voci Singers once again donned the black ties and tulle for this year’s Best of British at Perth Concert Hall.

Taking the form of a ‘Last Night of the Proms Down Under’, this event has proved to be a favourite on the calendar of Perth Proms audiences, and included the gorgeous sound of Perth Proms Orchestra and a bunch of our favourite soloists.

David Hawkes once again took control of the microphone and guided us through two acts of all that we’ve come to expect of a last night of the proms, some costuming, a bit of humour (sometimes of dubious quality) lots of music and a big finish, complete with a drunken sailor, an explosion full of glitter confetti, streamers from the upper circle and balloons from the ceiling.

The excitement in the auditorium was mirrored absolutely by the energy backstage. From obsessing over hair styles and dresses, to the traditional cards tournament between tenors and basses; every member of the choir has their own method of preparing for the moment of truth.

Of course, the performance cannot be possible without a great deal of preparation, which for us included our usual Monday night rehearsals, as well as special rehearsals on the Friday evening beforehand, as well as during the day on Saturday. Not to mention the times outside of formal rehearsal that we all drive our friends, family and workmates mad with snippets of song, muttered under the breath because we simply can’t get them out of our minds.

In the end, the show went off without a hitch (at least without any hitch that you would have seen from the audience) and, with some toora-looras, a few hey nonnys and a whole swag of pomp and circumstance, The Best of British wrapped up for another year.

But, of course, there’s no rest for the wicked. We’ve started preparations already for our September performance at Government House Ballroom, with plans brewing for a possible extra show later in the year.

Relay for Life 2009

I Voci were invited to perform at the Relay for Life on Saturday, 28th March 2009. It was a real honour to donate our time at this event. We arrived at Perry Lakes Stadium when it was still light and the participants were going strong around the track, dressed in all sorts of colourful outfits, celebrating the joy of life. There was a strong wind blowing already which kept up for the rest of the night. We were able to hear a few of the performers on before us and really get a feel for what the Relay was all about. We sang our first bracket just before the Candlelight Ceremony, when all the participants stopped their laps and surrounded the stage. Unfortunately, the wind was too strong for them to be able to do the whole ceremony, so we all missed what would have been that little bit extra special: a hundred candles glowing "HOPE" on the stadium bleachers. As it was, the Candlelight Ceremony was very moving, incorporating three different generations of cancer sufferers lighting commemorative candles and a time for reflection of those who had lost their battle with cancer. After the Ceremony, the participants resumed and we continued, finishing our performance with "Sunny Side of the Street", which really seemed to epitomise the focus on hope and life. Despite the unusual & unpredictable conditions, I feel it was one of the best events to be involved in. Thank you to the Cancer Council for their invitation and to John for liaising with them.

REVIEW :: New Year's Viennese Serves Perennial Favourites

From The West Australian
by Neville Cohn
Friday 02/01/09

CONCERT
----------------
Vienna Pops
Perth Concert Hall
Review: Neville Cohn
----------------

For 21 years, John Christmass has mined the seemingly limitless repertoire of light classical music associated with Austria's capital to draw capacity audiences to the Vienna Pops concerts. These, with lots of laughter and nostalgia-drenched offerings, have routinely drawn capacity audiences to the Concert Hall.
New Year's Eve was no exception to the rule.

With the indefatigable, genial David Hawkes as compere and the New I Voci Singers on best form, this was vintage Vienna Pops. I particularly admired choral singing in the Alleluia from Mozart's Exultate Jubilate as well as Tim Cunniffe's charming arrangement of Shubert's An die Musik for choir and strings. It was a beautifully considered in Interpretation.

For years, tenor Justin Freind has been a stalwart of the Vienna Pops and he was in particularly good form in Strauss' Gondola Song with diction of exceptional clarity. But in The Drinking Song from The Student Prince, electronic amplification of this fine voice bordered on the excessive.

Another Charm-laden delight was provided by Renee Martin, Josephine Christmass and Kellie Orchard in the Evening Prayer from Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel.

Some fleeting lapses in intonation aside, Pavel Sergeyev's account of the finale from Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto was a clear crowd-pleaser, prompting an avalanche of applause that resulted in the movement being encored. I admired the silvery tone that Sergeyev drew from his violin.

Adrian Kelly was trumpet soloist in a villainously difficult arrangement of themes from Die Fledermaus.

Strauss' perennially popular Radetsky March brought the house down, with conductor Peter Moore as adept in conducting orchestra and singers as coaxing spot-on rhythmic responses from enthusiastically applauding audience. Von Suppe's Poet and Peasant Oveture was given an admirably energetic reading but an account of The Blue Danube would have benefited from a rather more Viennese lilt.

Over the years, the Vienna Pops concerts have raised almost $300,000 for worthy causes.

Would you like to sing with us?

Due to a substantial increase in both Soprano and Alto positions, there are limited vacancies for Tenors and Bases.

For more details visit our membership page and contact John Christmass: 9390 4275

Our Next major event: Vienna Pops, New Years Eve.

REVIEW :: Age No Problem to music's masters

From The West Australian
by Neville Cohn
Tuesday 09/09/08

CONCERT
----------------------
New I Voci Singers
Government House Ballroom
Review: Neville Cohn
----------------------

As I drove to Government House Ballroom on Sunday, I listened on the car radio to a broadcast by the BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by the 83-year-old Pierre Boulez - and I marvelled at the intensity and vitality he brought to his task.

At the ballroom, I marvelled yet again at the focused energy of John Christmass, that other seemingly tireless octogenarian who has devoted a long life to training choirs. The enthusiastic audience included people who had been in Christmass' first choral classes 40 years ago, their attendance a measure of the affection and respect show this grand old man of music.

Some of the most satisfying offerings of the afternoon lay in the keeping of a bracket o madrigals stretching back as far as the early 17h century. Much of the unaccompanied singing here was informed by a most pleasing refinement of style as in Thomas Morley's Now is the Month of Maying was no less pleasingly essayed.

Very little attention has been paid in Perth to marking the 50th anniversary of the death of Ralph Vaughan Williams so it was good to listen to his arrangement of English folk melodies, especially the delightful Wassail Song, its inherent joviality most effectively evoked in a fitting tribute to a great composer.

Duncan Gardiner (guitar) and Heather Bex (clarinet) provided a gentle instrumental interlude.
An account of Brahm's Gypsy Songs, opus 103, was less uniformly satisfying. Perhaps the choir had not taken the full measure of the venue's acoustics, singing these often-extrovert and passionate lieder rather too softly, an effect paralleled by the accompaniment played, beautifully, by Alex Roberts on a grand paino with its lid closed resulting in muffled tone.

Later, the choir gave an amusingly choreographed account of Anderson and Ulvaeus' Take a Chance on Me as well as Tim Cunniffe's arrangement of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah which brought the house down.

This concert marked the 30th anniversary of the founding of I Voci. May there be many more happy birthdays.

Battle of the Choirs

Well someone suggested that we post some thoughts on our experience at BOTC, so I thought I'd have a go (and also have a go at this blog thing!).
Day 1 - 5 June 2008
For me the day started before 4am, and about 10mins earlier than I wanted as I had to get bonfire smell out of my hair. Mum picked me up to take me to the airport at 4:15. The day before she had said something along the lines of 'I hope you'll be bright and chatty on the way to the airport'. Surely she was joking! I said 'will you settle for awake and quiet as opposed to grumpy?' Amazingly enough I was more actually relatively cheery (mornings are not my strong point). We were supposed to be at the airport by 5am for the 6am flight, and arrived in good time at 4:45. Heaps of people were there already, with cases and suitbags galore (had to have somewhere to stash our snazzy duds). At long last John & Jo arrived with the new choir costumes that had been finished the day before, and the sashes for another outfit. We all hustled through the check-in and up to the departure lounge. Coffee seemed the next order of business for most people and did have the desired effect of warmth and life. There was a bit of bustle about who was in what seat. Eventually our flight was called and we trundled along with our hand luggage and suitbags (just in case!!).
I ended up next to Robin & Michael, thanks boys, you were good row buddies. We enjoyed some Umbilical Brothers on the TV for 15mins, before we had to pay. Between the three of us we managed to complete the In Flight crossword puzzle and other brain teaser items (I was the back up, the boys did most of it). I read some Agatha Christie, the boys shut their eyes and attempted to fit their long legs in the space provided.
At some time in the future we began the descent into Sydney. It was overcast. We landed. It was raining. Urgh. When the captain had mentioned descending, several of the ladies of the party buzzed around finding make up bags and further beautifying themselves. It paid off, the Channel 7 (Granada) little film crew were indeed waiting at the Gate for us (camera on). Cindy & I escaped into the Ladies before they saw us to do a final check. Then there was some very exciting 'yay, we're here' filming in the Virgin arrivals lounge. Sorry, tongue in cheek there. We hustled off to get our bags and then on to the 'BOTC tourbus' for a quick trip over to the QANTAS arrivals. Apparently, Virgin were a bit reluctant to allow freedom of filming. So we went up and down escalators ad nauseum, and then pretended to hail a taxi, but really all ended up at the bus.
Some singing ensued as the producer wanted to get some audio footage, for an idea of our sound for the studio. Interesting: bus...studio...bus - not seeing the similarity here!
At very long, long last we arrived at the hotel and got our little induction to the hotel, then were able to go upstairs and dump our stuff. I am a little fuzzy on the exact events that came next, but I'm fairly certain we headed over to Westfield Parramatta...you can feel what's coming, I know. Food. Yes, food, glorious food! Bearing in mind, I ate breakfast about 4am Perth time, lunch time was at 3:30 Sydney time. We were all extreeeeemely hungry. I feel it would be rude to say starving as we don't live in a third world country and we had eaten that day. Bit of shopping for minor food items (we weren't going to get every meal at the studio) and then back to the hotel for a rehearsal. This turned out to be a bit later than planned, possibly due to the infernally slow Green Man traffic signal.
Rehearsal of current pieces and of the opening theme tune. Break, change into snazzy new costumes (actually, it was seeing if they fit!), then back downstairs for some further rehearsal. Most of the dresses fit well, but a few had some interesting gapage. A bit more rehearsal and then we were allowed out for dinner. Matt, Kristy, Svenja (hmm checking spelling before I hit publish - gold I got it right!! You do have a way cool name) and I went to Lone Star, for dinner at about 9ish.
By then I was on sleep mode, so it was more than definitely time for bed when we had finished.
There is probably some more detail that I could put, but my fingers are pretty chilly, due to this frosty Perth weather, so signing off for now. Hopefully this will actually work and someone else will add their five cents soon.