Young Voices get the Woodend Winter Arts Festival off to a flying start

At the end of a typically very cold day in Woodend on Friday 9 June Young Voices of Macedon marked the beginning of the Woodend Winter Arts Festival with an outdoor performance outside the Buffalo Sports Stadium. Performing on the back of a large truck, the choir warmed the hearts of bystanders with a programme of a capella music, the only accompaniment being body percussion executed by the singers themselves. The choir drew on its extensive repertoire of favourite rounds, along with the Aboriginal song Innanay and an impressive 3-part setting Sing Alleluia, clap your hands by Sally K Albrecht. Another highlight was a 2-part setting of Hungarian folksong The handsome butcher.

A totally a capella performance (without piano) was a new experience for the children. Their teachers Jess Demare and Peter Hagen are to be congratulated on preparing the children for this exciting challenge, and for making the experience a lot of fun.

Term 3 will see the learning of repertoire for the annual concert, to be held on Sunday 10 September @ 2.30 pm at the Church of the Resurrection, Macedon. Children from 5 years are welcome to join this vibrant and friendly choir, which aims to provide quality music education through choral singing. Rehearsals take place on Thursdays from 4.15 to 5.45pm at the Norma Richardson Hall, Buckland Street, Woodend.