Arriving at dawn of the first day of April 2010 in Auckland, for the Out and Loud choir festival, was the very tired but excited GALS choir of WA. This was the third Australasian gay choral gathering with choirs from NZ, Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne and an American group. Twelve members of the choir under the musical direction of Claire King made the journey for our first overseas trip. Enjoying great downtown apartment accommodation we joined three days of meetings, workshops, and rehearsals for the finale concert in the Auckland Town Hall. There was also lots of good group time together and oh, some sightseeing.
Registration and the welcome evening meant catching up with old and new choir friends. Saturday was a full day of workshops and massed rehearsals led by high calibre NZ musicians. Choralography, getting rhythm and conducting were just some of the workshop topics. Saturday was also the traditional cabaret night of the festival. The evening was full of colourful entertainment provided by choirs and small groups. But no one could top the great master himself, NEV and his lovely ladies, from WA – singing a Robert Palmer classic Simply Irresistible. This was the GALSWA contribution!!.
There were a few tired people on Sunday, a day spent at the Town Hall rehearsing for the evening concert. The hard work built the pre concert buzz as choirs readied for the concert. Each choir performed individually as well as being part of the massed choir pieces. GALSWA performed True Colours and Celebration – both well received. The highlight though, was the specially commissioned piece Me Ke Korokore by NZ composer David Hamilton arranged for mass voices and organ. All choirs learnt the combined pieces on their home ground before rehearsals and the final performance. The superb organisation by the Auckland Gay and Lesbian Singers meant everything ran smoothly over the whole weekend. Check out you tube to hear the whole concert.
The whole trip was a real buzz and affirmed that belonging to a gay choir is belonging to a large, unique, worldwide community of singers. Cairns put up its hand to host the next Out and Loud festival in a few years and I am sure that GALSWA will be there to fly the flag for the west. If you want to be part of this community why not come along to a GALSWA rehearsal and see what all the buzz is about? We rehearse Thursday nights 7pm start at the North Perth Lesser Hall in View Street – all welcome and no auditions. We are currently working on the next GALSWA concert scheduled for Saturday 26 June.
Andrea and Jude, GALSWA
