2005, History and other events

Being born in 1985 meant that DVS was 20 in 2005! It was such a busy year, with one big show, and mixed choral program (including an opera!) and celebrations, including an Open Day (with other choirs) and a reunion. We donated $7000 to charity, $90,300 in 20 years.

Cavalleria Rusticana and Pictures at an exhibition, MD Boyd Owen

This two item concert was performed at Diamond Creek and in Bendigo. The opera (‘Rustic Chivalry’) was also performed with the Preston SO.

Open Day

At the end of October we staged an Open Day, which involved other choirs and members of other choirs coming to an afternoon rehearsal with renowned conductor Andrew Wailes, to prepare for an evening performance of the numbers rehearsed during the afternoon with each choir also contributing. This was made possible by a grant from Banyule Council and was held at Ivanhoe Grammar School with rehearsals in the church next door. More risers were required for this, so former member Dennis Hickey again produced the goods while a couple of rehearsals were held in the preceding weeks.

This did not start well with no-one being there to open up, but fortunately a Bible Study was in progress. Graham was there early, but there were a number of customers before any other committee members. Initially Graham took a vocal warmup, then conducted a singing class for those less confident while the more experienced singers started on the more difficult pieces with Andrew. Graham also did some note-bashing of the easier pieces before afternoon tea, and they joined with the rest for the easier numbers after that.

Afternoon tea and tea was provided by Robyn Ford and Dianne Richter with various Wilton girls serving. We were able to start tea when someone found someone from the school with a key wanting to open up the hall for the performance that night well before we were ready. Fortunately The Proclaimers arrived shortly after and wanted to warm up there. The concert went well, though there were only about 20 in the audience who weren't singing with a choir. Some of the choirs before interval left before the second half, which wasn't nice. Gerard wasn't available so Ian played while Graham conducted the DVS and in the massed numbers at the end, Colleen Arnott sang the solo in the Mozart Laudate Dominum while Mavis, David and Graham sang the trio in Creation. Other choirs included the Bellbird Singers, Austrian Choir, Heidelberg Choral Society and Cantabile.

Open Day Program

Other events

The year began with the Tsunami disaster in Asia on everyone's mind, and Lynne was inspired to organize a concert at which Serendipity and a number of members of DVS performed. They also sang some numbers from Carmina Burana. Lucas Richter impressed with some Flanders and Swann numbers. It also featured Raymond Khong and Joe Dolce. About fifty turned up and it raised over $2,000.

We also had an email from Gerard Fullarton resigning from the committee due to changed circumstances. He had been a valued member for some time. Fortunately Judith O'Shea came on board to take over this demanding position, though she went on an extended trip around Australia for a large part of the year. Work also started on a shed at the Flints' for storage.

A cabaret evening with the orchestra involved both groups doing medleys from the musicals, while the singers joined in some of the orchestra's songs. With a large male contingent, the original version of Old Man River was included, with Ed Carter and the male chorus. The first rehearsal attracted five sopranos and eleven basses.

The Cabaret evening was planned to be at Montmorency Secondary College, but when Maxine followed up, she found they'd booked the wrong building and no tables or chairs were available, so there was some frantic searching for another venue, which was found at Petrie Park, Montmorency. There was plenty of delightful music and the crowd was very happy. Malcolm provided the sound system, and spoke on his experiences with World Vision in the Tsunami ravaged regions, and it was a great success. Unfortunately there were no lights on the stage, so much of the action had to be on the floor, but the committee was pleased with an audience of a hundred.

The large audience sang along with the orchestra. Unfortunately, the performance at Ormond the same weekend was not as popular. The orchestra didn't play there; instead they had some local musicians, with Lucas Richter playing the Mozart bassoon concerto.

We were also invited to sing at the Choral@Montsalvat Festival again, but with Ian and Graham not available, it was left for Lucas and Robyn to share the conducting. Ian was performing with the Preston Symphony Orchestra and Graham was a soloist in a performance of Messiah, with Colleen Arnott, Judith O'Shea and Michael Try. The Choral@Montsalvat went well, except there was a wedding reception in the great hall below where they were performing, with open fires, which made it very hot and smoky.

It was only a couple of weeks after Oklahoma that we were invited to perform at Christmas in July at the Nillumbik Community Church. Beryl Nichols conducted and we were light on for men with one not being able to find the venue, but the audience wasn't really interested and a large table up the back made so much noise it was difficult for anyone else to hear us. We were fed and left shortly afterwards but found they made more noise when other acts utilized the microphones. However, we did get an invitation to perform carols in December.

At the eisteddfod a week later, the Novice section was won by eighteen-year-old Anne Gasko, who was also rehearsing The Hobyahs, from Alan Flint. Lesley Walton won the Ballad and took second in the Aria while Lucas Richter won the musical and Jennie Barnett the encouragement award.

A couple of weeks later we held a 20-year reunion for the group with about 80 attending. Edna Nelva turned up in her Iolanthe fairy costume, which she'd obviously kept! Much work had gone into contacting previous members and there was a pleasing turnout. The 20-year anniversary book was published with an appendix including all who had performed with the group over the 20 years. We had a lovely meal catered by Robyn and Dianne, some speeches and some Gilbert and Sullivan karaoke in the church, with many previous soloists reprising their roles.

In December we had the usual carols with around thirty in the choir. The combined Greensborough carols went well and then we sang at the annual Carols by Candlelight for Nillumbik Community Church, which was a much more commercial occasion. Finished at the Ivanhoe Boulevard as usual.