Gentle and effective

It was an afternoon of gentle, smooth, intoned voices that I had when I recorded The Resonants.  I'd recorded them several times before.  There's a sense of balance and sensitivity in their concerts rather than abrupt and outspoken voices.  Their theme was Sun Moon Stars and the magic of the Universe, of the natural world, from a range of composers, modern Australian to Elgar and Barber, various moderns of other countries, some locals and relatives as composers and arrangers, and even some pop music, Harry Styles and LaLa Land in choral arrangements.  Accompaniment was from piano, mostly, but also string quartet in the first set and just the violins therein or just the voices a capella.  And those two instrumental breaks, one of Here comes the sun by the string quartet and that LaLa land tune on piano.  And then the two conductors, Helen Swan, who formed the choir 35 years ago, and Kylie van Dijk, now Helen's offsider.  Piano was Emily Leong and the string quartet was Tim Wickham, Claire Phillips, Thayer Preece and Sam Payne, of CSO and other groups and regulars around town.  But so nice to hear these controlled, educated, trained voices that sat so well together, intoned some difficult intervals with aplomb, especially the deeper voices, but maybe it's easier there.  Not sure.  And a concert with an interval, less common in my recent experience.  Lovely, expect to hear it on ArtSound sometime.

Helen Swan (musical director) and Kylie van Dijk (associate MD) variously conducted The Resonants at Weston Creek Uniting Church in a range of choral works and with the accompaniment of Emily Leong (piano) and a string quartet comprising Tim Wickham and Claire Phillips (violins), Thayer Preece (viola) and Sam Payne (cello).