In Harmony 2003-Dec. 03 - AMVC Dec03.pdf · 2017. 3. 4. · the annual Christmas Carols. In the mid-seventies Bill left General Practice to be Director of the Family Medicine Programme,

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C E L E B R A T I N G C H O R A L E X C E L L E N C E

2003 has been an outstandingyear for the choir in many ways.

It will be remembered as the year wepurchased, with the help of manydonations, a baby grand piano fromWinston Music. The piano and thecanvas cover cost $9500. Over half of thepurchase price was donated with therest coming from choir funds - and allthis in less than one year.

It will also be remembered for thememorable Opera/Dinner held at theSchool of Hospitality at Regency Park. Alot of help for this successful eveningwas provided by Fernando Delgardoand his students at Regency Park. Themeal was superb and the dining roomwas beautifully set up for the evening.With the inspiration of Annamaria Beniand Tasso Bouyessis the choirperformed a small programme that waswell received.

The performed three successful majorconcerts and many minor ones duringthe year in addition to running a filmafternoon, a Friends’ Night, a Quiz Nightand a Solo/Social evening.

Tonight, Friday, 12th December, wefinish the year with a Christmas Dinnerat the Glenelg Golf Club.

The success of all these events hasbeen due to many.

First, of course, are the choir memberswho have enthusiastically supportedand performed at these events. There isa great feeling within the choir and itshows through in their singing andactive participation. The feeling ofcommitment is getting stronger and withit greater comaraderie.

The Friends of the Choir are playing anincreasingly important role in the affairsof the choir and the Friends Night was agreat success. Next year we hope tohave a Friends Picnic.

As in any organisation there are somemembers who show extra commitmentand to whom the club is indebted.

Among these in the choir, and not in anyparticular order, are Neville Roach, who

Newsletter of theAdelaide Male Voice Choir

No. 10 SUMMER 2003

CONTENTS

Low-down on Bill Lawson .........................2

Oh! What a Night........................................3

Opera Concert ............................................4

Solo/Social Night ........................................4

Christmas Greetings ..................................5

Some memories of my time in the Choir 7

Introducing...............................................8-9

The English Language ...............................9

The Glynde Concert...................................8

Thank-youPatron:Her ExcellencyMarjorie Jackson-NelsonAC, CVO, MBE,Governor of SouthAustralia

President:Mr John Lawson

Vice-President:Mr Colin Styles

Secretary:Mr Colin Styles4 Petrel CourtFlagstaff Hill 5159Tel.: (08) 8270 2628Email:[email protected]

Treasurer:Mr John Winnall

Committee:Denis West (librarian)Ian Milbank, DavidEvans, Kevin Fisher,Jean-Pierre Rival

Conductor/Director ofMusic:Mr William Shaw

Accompanist:Mr Edward Kriek

Concert BookingsManager:Mr David DuffnerTel.: (08) 8356 6849

Concert Manager:Mr Neville RoachTel.: (08) 8332 1895

Vice Patrons:Mr Ray BrownMr Doug KarranMr Len TurnerMrs Genty StevensMrs Myfanwy James

Life Members:Mr Ray BrownMr Robert McLeay

Practices are held every Mondayat 7.45pm to 9.45 pm in theHall at the rear of the Church ofChrist, 100 Grote Street,Adelaide

Continued on page 2

2

William Scott Lawson - born 29thSeptember 1926

The first child of Ted and MaudLawson, Bill grew up with his youngerbrother Ted, in Reade Park. Heattended Colonel Light GardensPrimary School, St. Andrew’s School,then Unley High School. Even in thoseearly days he had a love of music, withjazz and classical his favourites.

On leaving school Bill worked atelders Trustee and while at Elders hewas in the Air Training Corps, enlistingin the Air Force when he was 18, keento serve his country, transferring to theArmy later to get some action!

After the war he studied medicine atAdelaide University. In 1954 Billmarried Beth Godfrey and followinghis internship at the R.A.H., theymoved to Hahndorf, where he was thelocal G.P. for 20 years. They had fivechildren - Janie, Digby, Alexandra,Robbie, Helen, who play an importantpart in their lives as do theirrespective families. During his time inHahndorf, Bill was involved in theestablishment of the town’s golfcourse, was patron of the HahndorfTown Band and also the local

Magpies’ Football Club. Hetook a keen interest in thehistory of the township andenjoyed his times as M.C. forthe annual Christmas Carols.

In the mid-seventies Bill leftGeneral Practice to beDirector of the FamilyMedicine Programme, beforebecoming Assistant Directorthe SA Blood TransfusionService until his retirement.He then continued with rurallocums for five years.

Bill was President of the SouthAustralian Branch if theAustralian Medical Associationin 1978 when he wasparticularly remembered as anactivist for road safety.

He has been Chairman of the JamesBrown Trust responsible to KalyraNursing Home at Belair, Chairman ofthe Peter Nelson Leukemia foundation,Chairman of the South Australian Anti-Cancer Foundation of the Universitiesof South Australia and also a memberof the Board of Flinders University.

Bill and Beth have lived at West Beachfor 19 years, where they enjoy walksalong the beach and linear park eachday with their dog Cassie.

In recent year Bill has been keenlyinvolved with the University of theThird Age (U3A) both as a student andas a lecturer.

Bill’s passions - apart from family andthe Adelaide Male Voice Choir -include golf, tennis, bridge, swimmingand theatre. He lives life to the fullest,making the most of every single day.

Bill is in the choir’s baritone sectionand regularly and enthusiasticallyattends practices and concerts. Hespeaks up at meetings and helpsstimulate discussion. He has a wealthof ideas and has the choir’s interestsalways at heart.

P R O F I L E

Low-down on Bill Lawsonby his familyAnswers - Word Puzzles - page 8

1. The letter “E”2. Sailing over the seven seas 3. Making ends meet4. Too wise you are,

Too wise you be,I see you areToo wise for me.

5. NOON

has not only managed the majorconcerts but several other events.He has done this professionally andquietly.

David Duffner has arranged thebooking of concerts and constantlykeeps in touch with secretaries andorganisers from various retirementhomes and organisations besidesconstant referral to the Director ofMusic and President.

Christian Pollnitz, always a willinghelper, organises the tea break atpractice nights.

Denis West and Bill Brooker(Librarian and Assistant Librarian)who spend a lot of hours sortingmusic and arranging for it to beavailable when required.

Members of the committee,particularly Colin Styles (Secretaryand Vice-President) and JohnWinnall (Treasurer) who havehelped in the smooth running of thechoir.

Ivy and Kevin Fisher who do such agood job organising the Quiz Nighteach year.

Ian Hunt, who regularly prints outhandwritten music that Bill hasarranged.

Soloists who performed so well forthe choir during the year were PruHompas, Annamaria Beni, TassoBouyessis and Anthony Waacke.And not forgetting all those choirmembers who have performedsolos at various smaller concerts.

And, of course, we are indebted toBill Shaw and Eddie Kriek for theirinfinite patience and professionalinput into the choir.

Continued from page 1

3

Oh! What a Night

On Friday, 24th October, with the aid

of the Regency Park School of

Catering, put on an Opera Dinner,

the first of its kind for the choir. It

was a huge success.

Tickets to the event were sold out

seven weeks before the day and the

total number of patrons was 114.

Annamaria and Tasso again inspired

the choir with their wonderful solo

singing and, although only a short

concert, the performance of the choir

was well-received selection of

numbers.

The meal, prepared and served by

students from the college, was

superb and the waiters very

attentive. The organising by

Fernando Delgardo and his class of

students all clicked into place on

the night. The choir is very grateful

to all these people and we wish

them well for the future.

At the end of the evening many

people asked if the choir was going

to do the same thing next year and

it anticipates that it will. You will

receive ample notification of when

this will be.

The evening was made an evening to

remember (although a little

embarrassing) for the president. First

Tasso got up and sang ‘Happy

Birthday’ to him, then called on

Annamaria to join him in singing to

the president and his wife ‘Be My

Love’.

John Lawson, with soloists and honorary members of the Adelaide Male Voice Choir, AnnamariaBeni and Tasso Bouyessis, after being serenaded by them.

4

Choir members who participated in the Solo/Social evening held at Adelaide West Uniting Church on Monday, 1st December, were - From left toright (back row): James Thoday, John Wear, Ian Milbank, Ian Hunt, Jean-Pierre Rival, John Winnall. Front row: Eddie Kriek (accompanist),Colin Styles, Mark Tuckwell, John Lawson, Denis West, Charlie Gamba, Kevin Fisher, Bob Cooter.

Solo/Social Evening

Opera Concert on Sunday, 19th OctoberThe Opera Concert, which was heldat the Adelaide West Uniting Churchon Sunday, 19th October, wassuccessful in so far as theperformance of the choir and thesoloists.

Unfortunately the recording wasdisappointing because of theaccoustics of the church.

We appreciated all the help the staffat the church provided and weloved the atmosphere and all thefacilities of the venue.

All three soloists were a delight tolisten to and the choir appreciatesall the effort they went to and lookforward to hearing more from themin 2004.

Pictures: Annamaria Beni with TassoBouyessis on the left and Anthony Waackeon the right

5

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6

When I joined the choir, the theAdelaide Glee Club in 1963, wepractised at the Theosophical Hall inKing William Street, just North ofHalifax Street on the eastern side.The hall and the rest of theestablishment were in immaculatecondition and featured a lovelygrand piano which we were allowedto use for practice.

Our conductor at the time was thelate Roy Mellish, a good conductorwho loved nice harmony and so onmany occasions we performed lovelyworks by Hugh Roberton, a very wellknown composer of choral works.Two of his songs we sang were, All inthe April Evening and The Old Woman.Some of the words still come to me -

As a white candle in a Holy place,So is the beauty of an age ago.Her brood gone from her,And her thoughts are stillAs the waters under a ruined mill.

Roy Mellish’s wife was a former (andI emphasise former) well-knownsoprano who performed overseaswith her husband, who was anexcellent accompanist. One problemthat Clara had when she came to ourconcerts was that she lived in thepast, wore some of very out-of-dategowns and liked to sing along withthe choir, which was quiteembarrassing.

The Theosophical Hall had no placeto store our music and so it wasstored at the conductor’s home - notvery practical.

As there was some space at the rearof the hall, my old friend, the lateMax Gratton and I built a shed at hishome at Taperoo. Max was with ademolishing firm and was able toscrounge corrugated iron and sometimber. I went for two weekends fromMalvern to Taperoo but it was worthit because the shed held all themusic. The only problem was thatthere was no power so torches hadto be used to get the music weneeded.

The rent for the hall went up and sowe had to find another venue. Thisbecame available because one ofthe choir’s members was a memberof the Presbyterian Church onNorwood Parade, next to theNorwood Oval. It was at the timequite rundown because the peopleof the church would not join theUniting Church (they called it a take-over).

The church was freezing in winterand very hot in summer and weagain had a problem with musicstorage. The church allowed us toput music in various cupboardsaround the church which was, as youcan imagine, quite unsuitable. Oursaviour came in the form of CharlieTurner, a tenor in the choir for manyyears. Charlie was a french polisherand with the help of a cabinet makerwith whom he worked, made threecupboards with sliding doors which,when the choir left the church, ittook to the next place.

The rent went up and so we had tomove on. This wasn’t easy andentailed Bryn Cooper (a subsequentpresident of the choir) and myselfhunting round Adelaide, looking forchurches, halls, etc., taking downphone numbers and contacting anumber of them. Some were notavailable and others had the usualproblem of too much rent.

I then contacted the Minister of theChurch ofChrist, GroteStreet, andthey came tothe party andthat is wherethe choir hasbeen eversince.

In the early1960s theMayor of PortAdelaide, Mr.A. O. R. Tapp,sponsored an

annual Male Voice Choir competitionat the Port Adelaide Town Hall. Eachchoir (there were about sixaltogether) competed with the bestsoloist for each club competing in asolo contest. It was a great eventwhich petered out when Mr. Tapp’smayoralty came to an end.

A rather unpleasant incidentoccurred at one of those concerts.The soloist from one of the choirswas singing and the accompanist forthe Metropolitan Male Voice Choirwas turning the pages for thesoloist’s accompanist, when hecollapsed dead over the keyboard.Needless to say the concert wasabandoned.

Some memories of my time in the Choirby Ray Brown

Ray Brown in Christmas mode at aprevious Christmas dinner at the OldColonial.

Ray was in the choir for over threedecades and besides serving asPresident, he was also Vice-President,Treasurer, Assistant Librarian andmember of the committee for manyyears. He is now a Vice-Patron.

He was also a consummate soloist, beingable to put across the story of the song.When Bill Shaw brought in music from“Oliver”, Ray played Fagin and dressedthe part. He so liked doing this that hebought a statuette of Fagin which nowtakes pride of place on his mantlepiece.

‘Fagin’ Brown

7

This photograph was taken prior to Christmas 1938. The original photograph was produced in colour and used as a coverphotograph for a “Homes and Gardens” magazine. All the choristers were presented with a black and white copy of thephotograph and my late mother obtained a second black and white photo which I still have.

Some of the choristers and the clergyman, organist (choirmaster) are deceased.

The choir (boys) practised on Monday and Thursday from 4.30 pm to 6 pm and on Friday evenings from 7.30 pm to 9.30pm together with the men and women. Men and women from the choir enlisted in the services when War broke out,September 1939 and many paid the supreme sacrifice and one man (now deceased) was a POW of the Japanese for three-and-a-half years.

Some of the boys are still alive and a few I occasionally still see.

St. Augustine’s, Unleyby John Beare

This concert was thisyear held at theabove venue andproved verysuccessful. With thehelp of the Minister,the Rev. Brenton

Daulby, the choir was able to perform welland they appreciated the sound qualities ofthe church.

The church has some magnificent stained

glass windows designed by William Morris.

The soloists for the afternoon were EddieKriek, the choir’s very popular accompanistand solo artist.

Kevin Fisher, who arranges this concert everyyear (usually held in the RAAF AssociationBowling Club hall in Hawthorn), performed athis usual high standard.

Mark Tuckwell, performed his first solos withthe choir and did them very well.

RAAF Association Concert

8

Andrew DicksonAndrew Dickson joined the choir inSeptember this year, after movingto Adelaide to study a MastersDegree. Prior to that he was inBrisbane for a year and in Sydney

for 3 years. Actually Andrew hasbeen on the move for many years,

with 10 years in the Navy(with postings all over

Australia), with work inthe United States andwith several years of

backpacking around the world. The joys of being youngand single!

Andrew’s love of singing started during high school here inAdelaide, when he was a chorister in several Gilbert andSullivan productions. Many years later in Sydney he sangin a number of A Cappella choirs, with a repertoire rangingfrom South African apartheid songs to Ukrainian drinkingsongs, Hebrew love songs to high energy Gospel songs.His singing highlight was “The Choral Sea” – a massedchoir performance at the Sydney Town Hall which was somoving that Andrew’s then boss (a big aggressive NavyCaptain) was reduced to tears!

Andrew’s early career was as an Electronics Engineer inthe Navy, after training at the Australian Defence ForceAcademy in Canberra. Later he worked as an eventsorganiser for several large events for the Dalai Lama inSydney and New York, he was Technical Manager for anInternet based NGO in Sydney, and lately he has beenworking for a small Australian manufacturing company. Hehopes to remain in Adelaide, and to steer his career backtowards Defence electronics. His other keen interests aresailing and kayaking, and he has sailed from Sydney toHobart, raced a trimaran around Vancouver Island inCanada, and paddled 2,200km solo down the River Murrayin a kayak.

==========================

IIIInnnn tttt rrrroooo dddduuuucccc iiii nnnn gggg

John AgnewMusic, in many different ways, has played a major role inmy family for at least four generations.

Today, as a retired teacher, joiningthe Adelaide Male Voice Choirhas given me the opportunity tofurther pursue my lifelong musicinterest. Music was one of mymajor teaching areas.

Throughout these last 20 years, Ihave assisted in my school choirs’preparations for the annual PublicSchools’ Music Festival presentationat the Festival Theatre - bothas a choir trainer/conductorand pianist/accompanist. This was always a very rewardinginvolvement with the students - taking the ‘raw material’and working towards the final performance, with all thehighs and lows along the way.

Today, I’m on the other end of the baton.

he went to Sydney towork for a Commonwealthagency which sentpeople to Antarcticstations.

The following year he wentto Mawson Stationspending the yearcollecting ionosphericdata to assist radiopropagation studies. Then in 1974 he went to Casey as aglaciologist and drilled boreholes through the Antarctic icecap to measure rates of movement of the ice and collectcore samples for climate studies.

Keith returned to Sydney living there until 1985 whenfamily ties in Adelaide drew him back. He had met a ladyin Sydney and they were married in Adelaide in 1982.Together they built an earth-covered house on a 14 acreproperty at One Tree Hill. They have a son (18 ) and adaughter (16). Keith has worked for Defence at DSTOEdinburgh, (formerly WRE Salisbury) since 1988 as anelectronic engineer engaged on the Over-The-Horizon-Radar program.

In spite of having next to no formal music training, Keithhas had a strong interest in choral music for many years,singing in mostly church-based choirs, includingperformances of "Messiah" in the Sydney Opera House.In later years, he was a member of the Para Singers, agroup of people principally from Uniting Churches in thePlayford, Elizabeth area. It performed at communityfunctions, nursing homes and churches in the northernarea for about 12 years.

==========================

Keith GooleyKeith was born in Adelaide in

1946 and after spending someearly formative years in MurrayBridge attended WestbournePark Primary School and UnleyHigh School in Adelaide. Hewas an enthusiastic member of

the Scout Movement for morethan 10 years before

concentrating on universitystudies in electronic engineering,

graduating in 1970. He had decidedhe wanted to go to Antarctica

after hearing a talk given by a doctor who had spent a yearworking on an Antarctic station. So in the middle of 1970 Continued next page

9

Eddy WagnerBorn 9th November 1931,

the youngest of nine, in thenorth London borough ofStoke Newington.Schooling was limited,

owing to the Blitz andevacuations.

National Service for twoyears as a signaller in the

Field Artillery, serving inCyprus and Egypt,

then three and ahalf years in the Territorials (H.A.C.).

Came to South Australia in 1968 with my wife and son, andsettled in a R.D.C. house at Para Hills.

Not able to get work in my trade (Offset Litho), I foundemployment in the South Australian Library as abookbinder and later as a Conservator until my retirementin 1991.

Prior to attending the AMVC choir practices, I hadcompleted an eight-week “Singing for Beginner” WEAcourse. The tutor, on completion of the course, invited meto attend the Monte Verdi Singers practices as a basssinger. On reading through the considerable amount ofmusic I realised that it was mostly of a Latin nature, alanguage I am not versed in. I really thought I would suitthe type of music sung by the Adelaide Male Voice Choirafter hearing David Evans express our mutual like of PeterDawson on the radio (Company Sergeant Major). After adiscussion over the phone he suggested I attend Mondaynights - so here I am.

David HokinI was first trained as a tenor bySable Grivell in Adelaide from1958 to 1964, singing both soloand in small groups under hisdirection. During this time I alsosang as tenor and cantor in thechurch choirs at St James, MileEnd, and St Mary Magdalene’s,Adelaide.

In 1964 my wife, Meredith, and Imoved to Darwin where,unfortunately, there was littlemusic activity at that time.

From 1981 to 1984 I was a member of the DarwinCombined Churches Choir, singing tenor with some solowork. From 1985 to 1986 I was a tenor in the DarwinChorale. I sang tenor solos with the Darwin Music Societyfrom its inception in 1982 until it closed in 1985.

From 1981 to 1985, and again from 1994 to 1996, I sang firsttenor and tenor solos with the Darwin Male Voice Choir.The DMVC was, apart from a few months early in 1997,only operational for these two periods when it’sconductor, Jonathan Moon, was resident in Darwin.

The second period of my tenor training was with RuthHawkins in Darwin from 1981 to 1983 during which time Ipassed the 6th grade AMEB vocal exam. The third waswith Dean Patterson in Darwin from 1985 to 1986.

From 1987 to 1999 I was tenor, cantor, and tenor soloist inthe Christ Church Cathedral Choir in Darwin.

Meredith and I moved down to Adelaide at the end of1999, and since 2000 I have been a member of the“Random Notes” church choir at St Chad’s, Fullarton.

Reasons why the Englishlanguage is so hard to learn

1. The bandage was wound around

the wound.

2. The farm was used to produce

produce.

3. The dump was so full that it had

to refuse more refuse.

4. We must polish the Polish

furniture.

5. He could lead if he would get

the lead out.

6. The soldier decided to desert

his dessert in the desert.

7. Since there is no time like the

present, he thought it was time

to present the present.

8. A bass was painted on the head

of the bass drum.

9. When shot at, the dove doveinto the bushes.

10. I did not object to the object.11. I had to subject the subject to a

series of tests.12. The insurance was invalid for the

invalid.13. How can I intimate this to my

most intimate friend?14. There was a row among the

oarsmen about how to row.15. They were too close to the door

to close it.16. The buck does funny things

when the does are present.17. A seamstress and a sewer fell

down into a sewer line.18. To help with planting, the farmer

taught his sow to sow.19. The wind was too strong to wind

the sail.

20. After a number of injections my

jaw got number.

Let’s face it - English is a crazylanguage. There is no egg ineggplant nor ham in hamburger;neither apple nor pine inpineapple. English muffins weren’tinvented in England or French friesin France. Sweetmeats are candieswhile sweetbreads, which aren’tsweet, are meat. We take English forgranted.

In what language do people reciteat a play and play at a recital? Shipby truck and send cargo by ship?Have noses that run and feet thatsmell? How can a slim chance and afat chance be the same, while awiseman and a wise guy areopposites?

The English Language

The choir’s usual final concert of the

year at Glynde was again very

successful with an open invitation to

perform again there next year.

Three wonderful performances by

soloists Charlie Gamba, Kevin Fisher

and James Thoday ensured that

everyone in the audience enjoyed the

concert and it finished, as usual, with a

wonderful supper.

10

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY:APRIL

Sunday 25th 10.30 am SING AT THE CROSS OF SACRIFICE following the

Anzac March NOVEMBER

MAY

Sunday 16th 2.00 pm MAJOR CONCERT

JULY

Sunday 25th 2.00 pm CONCERT for Elizabeth Grove Uniting Church,

corner Harvey and Fairfield Roads, Elizabeth Grove

AUGUST

Sunday 15th 2.00 pm FILM AFTERNOON at the Capri Cinema, Goodwood

OCTOBER

Sunday 24th 2.00 pm MAJOR CONCERT

“Friends of the Choir” Mailing ListOur special “Friends of the Choir” mailing list informs you of the Adelaide Male Voice Choir’s Concerts and Functions.

Functions include dinners and other social occasions at which we would be pleased to welcome you.

For details please contact the Secretary

Mr Colin Styles, 4 Petrel Court, Flagstaff Hill, 5159

Tel.: (08) 8270 2628 Email: [email protected]

Please include me on the special “Friends of the Choir” mailing list

Name

Address

Postcode

Phone Mobile Email address

Word Puzzles(answers page 3)

1. What is the beginning ofeternity, the end of time andspace; the beginning of everyend and the end of everyplace? __________________________________

2. sailingccccccc__________________________________

3. ENDSSDNE __________________________________4. YYUR

YYUBICUR

YY4ME__________________________________5. Y Y guy guy__________________________________6. What word, when written in

capital letters, is the sameforwards, backwards andupsidedown?

The Glynde concert