November 24th, 2023Chorus tunes up for twilight market
Words & Image: Eve Lamb
Those who get along to this Friday’s Creswick Twilight Market can expect to be transported, albeit temporarily, to the Seychelles, Timor and South Africa.
These are just a few of the exotic locations from which the town’s Creswick Chorus community singing group has sourced its repertoire for the pre-Christmas evening market that gets started from 5pm this Friday November 24.
The local group will be performing live at the market from about 6.20pm, adding an extra dash of atmosphere to the annual pre-Christmas dusk shopping experience.
“We’ll be singing for about 20 to 30 minutes and we’re doing songs from Timor to the Seychelles to South Africa and Ghana to local Dja Dja Wurrung country,” choir leader Stella Savy says ahead of the market gig.
Besides offering a prime opportunity to tick off some Christmas shopping with unique hand-made artisan goods and produce, the upcoming twilight market will provide a top opportunity to check out the local Creswick Chorus and consider joining up.
The group rehearses weekly, has about 30 members and is now approaching the end of its second successful year of existence with bookings into the future already including CresFest 2024.
Quite a few of the group’s members will also add their singing talents to the town’s evening Carols at The Courthouse event on Saturday December 9. The free community event is being hosted by Creswick Theatre Company and will feature Creswick Brass Band and a seasonal visit from Santa as well..
“Some of the Chorus members will be coming along to add their voices to the Carols at The Courthouse,” says Creswick Chorus member Jenni Sewell who’s also a committee member with Creswick Theatre Company. Jenni says that in the lead up to Christmas some of the Creswick Chorus singers will also be taking to the streets to sing Christmas carols at various locations in Creswick.
Stella says watching the local singing group grow and thrive in the two years since it started has been rewarding. “Initially I was wondering how many people in Creswick wanted to sing, and I’ve been impressed,” the well known local muso and community choir leader says.
“I’m impressed with the sound of the choir.”
There is still plenty of room, however, for more members to join up, and particularly more male members would be welcome as currently female membership far exceeds male membership, meaning there are far more members singing in the alto and soprano ranges than in tenor or bass registers.
“We’d love to have more men sing with us every week. That would be awesome,” Stella says.
“We have bass parts sitting there waiting to be sung, and the more singers we have in this group, the more supported people feel.
“You don’t need to worry about how your own voice sounds. You just come and add your voice to the community sound.”
Regular additional workshops, public gigs and even the occasional surprise flash mob performance are all on the group’s program.
Weekly rehearsal sessions take place from 5.30 to 7pm every Wednesday during school term at the Creswick Neighbourhood Centre Hall where Stella also leads the local children’s choir from 3.45pm on the same day. Further information about joining the Chorus is available through the Creswick Neighbourhood Centre.
