Remembering Jenny Morrish 1984-2015
Many of our friends and family will know that not long after the Australian Nationals of 2015, our dear friend and percussionist extraordinaire, Jenny Morrish, was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer and passed away 7 weeks later. We had always promised Jenny that we would one day supply her with a decent set of percussion equipment to play on. Now, in her memory and honour, we would like to raise the funds and dedicate this campaign to her.Footscray Yarraville City band has set up a crowd funding page to help raise funds to purchase a professional set of timpani and other percussion equipment that the band has desperately needed for many years. Our poor percussionists, most recently Jenny, have been forced to rehearse on substandard equipment. Despite their best attempts, even musicians of Jenny's caliber couldn't make our timpani sound decent! But, being Jenny, she approached rehearsals with good humour and perseverance!Without high quality instruments, it is difficult bordering on impossible to attract percussionists of Jenny's caliber to perform with us on a regular basis. The domino effect would be that our younger musicians would lose the mentorship of professional musicians and the opportunity to learn and perform to their potential.To pledge to our campaign, head to:http://www.pozible.com/project/202209We appreciate every dollar that brings us closer to our goal. Thank You!
Guest Artists Announced for The Silent ANZAC
We are very excited to announce a stellar line up of special guests that will join us in commemorating and reflecting on the centenary of ANZAC.Please see the event details to learn more about the concert and to book FREE tickets. Bookings are essential, and are running out fast.
Nicholas Coghlan, The Poet
Nicholas Coghlan graduated from NIDA with a BDA, Acting, in 2002.He has worked extensively as an actor in film and television both in Australia and internationally, with leading roles in productions including, The Secret Life Of Us (Network Ten), and Orange Roughies (N.Z.1). He has appeared in award winning television productions such as, Howzat! Kerry Packer’s War (Nine Network/Southern Star), House Husbands (Playmaker Media) and Nowhere Boys (Matchbox/ABC3), and in films including, Star Wars III. Nicholas has also apeared on stage in various roles at the Melbourne Theatre Comanpy, Belvoir Street, Red Stitch Actors’ Theatre, and La Mama.Nicholas is a writer, director, cinematographer and producer and creates film and live performance works with his company, The Public Studio.
Ezekiel Ox, The Soldier
Ezekiel Ox is one of Australia’s most prolific and outspoken career multidisciplinary artists. He is an Australian entertainer, singer/songwriter, film maker, actor and political activist. He is currently the singer for The Nerve and Over-Reactor and in the past, has been the frontman for Full Scale Deflection, Smash Nova (with Forrester Savell and Eddie Perfect) and of course, Mammal. He was a founding member of the committee for Musicians Against Police Violence (MAPV) in Melbourne. He runs "Fish and Chip Studios", a mobile production house that focuses on limited post production and strong artistic performances. He also performs spoken word shows and has authored one self-published book "The Pub".
Maggie Haggart, The Mother
Margaret Haggart studied with Antonio Moretti-Pananti, gaining amateur performance experience with Victorian Opera Co., which became Victoria State Opera.In 1972 her professional career began in UK, with Welsh National Opera, singing Queen of Night & Gilda (Rigoletto). Principal roles followed with ENO, Scottish Op., Opera North, English Music Theatre, R.Albert Hall Prom Concerts & BBC Radio & TV. She performed with Nancy Opera & the Orange Festival in France, and Santiago Opera in Chile.Home in Melbourne from 1984, she appeared with VSO, all State Companies, Opera Australia, most major Festivals, most Symphony Orchestras, and ABC simulcasts locally, and worked in NZ., Italy, Singapore & USA.
Alinta Chidzey, The Girl
Alinta Chidzey won a scholarship to attend the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School, from where she graduated in 2001. She has since trained at The Howard Fine Academy and 16th Street Actors’ StudioAlinta’s screen credits include Winners & Losers, the U.S. Telemovie The Frontier for Sony, the ABC series The Dr Blake Mysteries and Neighbours for Fremantle.Alinta has become a fixture on The Production Company stage, playing Magnolia in Show Boat, Kathy Selden in Singin’ In the Rain and Svetlana in Chess. For Chess Alinta was honoured with a Green Room Award for Best Female Artist in a Supporting Role. Alinta played sassy Anita in West Side Story, for which she received nominations for a Helpmann Award, Green Room Award, Sydney Theatre Award, two GLUGS Award nominations and won the Australian Dance Award for Most Outstanding Performance.
Vita Destructa - Todd Smith live performance
Footscray-Yarraville City Band performing Vita Destructa at the 2015 National Band Championships in Sydney. The band has since commissioned Todd Smith to write a large scale work to be performed at an ANZAC commemorative concert in November, 2015.
MISF 2015
Photos from our Best of British concert with Jonathon Welch and a 500 strong massed choir! A concert tying with the Melbourne International Singers Festival featuring John Rutter's major work, "Gloria". There was a singing soprano cornet solo from Tristan Rebein, and Luscious cornet solo from Jamie Lawson! Photos courtesy of Matthew Jones, School of Hard Knocks.[envira-gallery id="504"]
Absolutely Everybody Loves the Movies
We were delighted to perform once again with Dr Jonathon Welch AM, and all the wonderful people in THECHO!R, as the School of Hard Knocks presented 'Absolutely Everybody Loves the Movies'.
Music for Jenny
Our dear friend Jenny Morrish has recently passed away, and our thoughts are with Jenny's family and close friends during this time.The planned benefit concert is going ahead on Sunday 23rd August, and together we will share in an afternoon of remembering and celebrating Jenny's life.What an incredibly cool, kind, and talented woman she was.Jenny, we miss you.x-PROGRAM-3:30 PM Jacob Abela- Piano4:00 PM Footscray-Yarraville City Band4:30 PM Percussion Ensemble----------------------------------------5:00 PM DINNER: BBQ, drinks, cake stand. (GF/ Vego options available) Gold coin donation.-----------------------------------------6:00 PM Combined Orchestra with Simon Thew:-Candide Overture, Bernstein-Don Giovanni Overture, Mozart6:30 Combined Orchestra with Fabian Russell:- Symphony No. 7, Beethoven-VENUE-Orchestra Victoria, 25 Albert Dr Rd, Albert Park VIC 3206-TICKETS-Adult $20U 17 $10Tickets available at the doorAs chosen by Jenny and Jenny, donations will be given to The Alfred Hospital and Peter Mac.-WHAT ELSE?-There will be many other things happening throughout the event:BLIND AUCTIONRAFFLEFUNDRASING HEADSHAVESo make sure to bring plenty of spare change :)See you there!For more information please contact:louisa_trewartha@hotmail.com
2015 Victorian State Solo & Ensemble Championships
The 2015 Victorian State Solo and Ensemble Championships were once again held at Our Lady of Mercy College on 25-26 July, and many of Footscray's finest competed again this year.Nearly all the open sections contained a Footscray player in them, with up to 5 Scraggers in some sections!! All performed to an excellent standard with many placing 1st or 2nd in their sections, which meant we won the Open Aggregate Trophy for the second year in a row!!!2015 Results:Open Slow/Sacred Melody - Alison Teece 1st place.Open Bb Cornet - Jamie Lawson 1st place, Brenton Burley 2nd place.Open Trumpet - Marcus McLaughlin 1st place, Madeline Anderson 2nd place.Open Flugel - Marcus McLaughlin 1st place.Open Baritone - Kathryn Cooper 1st place.Open Euphonium - Andrew Heading 1st place.Open Trombone - Emily Furlong 2nd place.Open High Tuba - Emily Hansen 3rd place.Open Low Tuba - Iain Fisher 1st place, Emily Hanson 2nd place.Open Quartet - Scraggers Tubas 1st place, Scraggers Trumpets 3rd place. A big congratulations to all who competed!!!We hope to see FYCB represented by even more players next year!
ANZAC Centenary Commemorative Concert
ANZAC Concert 26-4-15Join us for an afternoon of wonderful music to commemorate the Centenary of ANZAC.The concert features the mighty Footscray-Yarraville City Band with internationally renowned Contralto Liane Keegan, Geneva Instruments™ artist Jamie Lawson, and International Organ soloist Thomas Heywood on the fabulous St Andrew's Church organ.
Workshop with Professor David King
Last Thursday evening, Footscray-Yarraville had a workshop under the world-renowned Professor David King, sharing his amazing musical insight and offering extremely valuable advice on the major work for the state championships, "Dances and Alleluias" by Philip Sparke. Some members of the band chose to have a one on one lesson with David, and all found the lessons to be extremely beneficial to their playing. We are very lucky to have such a magnificent musician giving the band his time, and eagerly look forward to another workshop in the future!
Dan and Elle from Fox FM's Suprisal
FYCB was honoured to be a part of a surprise proposal on an epic scale! Read the full article here. Have tissues handy![envira-gallery id="541"]