Echoes of last year

It was almost exactly the first anniversary of Echo Voices Choir when I saw them the other day. It was also Canada day, which has relevance given some members are Canadians. They were signing for the C100 Musical Offering. This was not a long concert, but it was not without its challenges. I took away that they are a plucky outfit. It’s a community choir so I didn’t expect too many challenges, but this performance had a world premiere of a new work written by assistant director Crystal Muller, another arrangement by Crystal and one of Scarborough Fair by another of the members, Belinda Weiss. They may be un-auditioned, but there are several trained or training performers here, so they must enjoy the challenge. Crystal studies composition at UCAN, Director Leonard is an ANU student who I see regularly leading various ensembles and his sister Belinda is in a Music prep program for ANU. I think this was a totally new program. Crystal’s original surprised me with some very challenging male counterpoint of long, contorted intervals: a considerable challenge for the choir and an interesting composition. Scarborough Fair is well known and Belinda’s arrangement was smoother so easier on the choir, and a lovely, unexpected treatment. The others were a Canadian traditional song, Farewell to Nova Scotia, arranged by Crystal, an English traditional song, The oak and the ash, Blake’s Walking in the air and Jenkin’s Adiemus. My favourite from these was probably The oak and the ash which the choir performed with comfort. Short but sweet and with some original creations. Congratulations.

Echo Voices Community Choir is led by Leonard Wiess (conductor, director) with Crystal Muller (assistant conductor, director). Members are: Karen Dahl, Jenny Grierson, Linda Jeer and Angela Lunau (sopranos), Ada Goldsmith, Clare Smith and Belinda Weiss (altos), John Curmi and Crystal Muller (tenors) and Mark Evans, Phil Malcolm and Stephen Shott (basses).

Echoes of Christmas

It was on a notice board at work that I saw the announcement for this choral concert. The choir was Echo Voices. I’d never heard of them, but it was local and we were free so we dropped in. It turned out to be a lovely and quite unexpected interlude.
Leonard Weiss led the choir. He’s a current ANU student of composition with long experience in choirs. Echo voices are a community choir. They’d first met in July and this was their first public outing. I was pleasantly surprised by the first songs, with several notable voices, both male and female, and some decent harmonies and decisive dynamics. Some more complex counterpoint was less settled, but nothing that time and experience won’t iron out. The repertoire was also a pleasant surprise. From traditional Scottish bordering on shanties, through some well knowns, like Silent night and Lock Lomond, and Icelandic and English and olde French. I recognised Coventry carol, lovely with its tragic story and moving parts. Also interesting, and well sung, was a tune volunteered to the choir by local notable Judith Clingan. To my ears it combined simple harmony with a satisfying melody with one chromatic move. We were invited to sing along with the final song, We wish you a Merry Christmas, and I saw but didn’t hear mouths moving. But the good will and joy at the end of the first concert was evident and families and friends settled in for chockies and cherries and Christmas cakes. Interestingly, Leonard mentioned that the ANU School of Music had supported the choir in purchasing some charts. I wonder if this is indicative of the new role of the Music School as a catalyst in the community. We’ll have to wait and watch, but it would win back some of the ill-will that was so evident following last year’s blitzkrieg. Also thanks to Canberra Grammar who provided the rehearsal and performance space. They are doing some very good things in music outreach these days.

The Echo Voices choir was Leonard Weiss (director, conductor, pianist) with Ada Goldsmith, Belinda Weiss, Karen Dahl (sopranos), Amanda Mahhony, Carmen Longbottom, Carolyn Keegan, Clare Smith (altos), Crystal Muller, John Curmi, Peter Himmelreich (tenors), Lachlan Bayliss, Rob Bearlin (bass). Crystal Muller relieved as conductor for two songs.