Emily Cat 176

I'm at Frankston Arts Centre and waiting for the show to start.  I have recently made the mistake of thinking l had bought tickets for shows when, in fact, l hadn't bought anything at all. Put the date in my diary and that was it. So l was very glad to find that l had actually bought a ticket to this show. I saw a Celtic Festival. At the moment there is a Celtic Festival touring Australia ( I didn't know about it ). On Friday some of the performers in that show came to Frankston Arts Centre and performed 2 shows. I saw Ghosts of Erin and Apolline. Both acts were so good. There's something about Celtic music; it makes you want to get up and do a jig. It's happy music and the audience on Friday was happy. Good music by musicians who connected well with their audience. What a treat on Friday.

 Beautiful voices singing in unison. If only l could sing in tune.

Welcome to December. Do you like opera?  I am liking it more and more. So much so that l am tutoring a class about opera next year. This will be the first time l've tutored any class and l'm a bit nervous but also looking forward to it. I'm also going to be talking about the music, which l like more and more now.  If you have any favourite operas let me know. Wish me luck.

I went to  The Mc Clelland Gallery on the weekend and heard a style of music l had never heard before.   It was so interesting and the instruments so unusual.  All the performers were so talented and they played so well together.  I like seeing new and different things.  We are so lucky here in the suburbs of Melbourne to see these interesting shows.  I've been able to see some many interesting and enjoyable shows so far this year and there's more to come. Nearly all of it in the suburbs.  How lucky am l. Thank you to Unholy Racketts & Ensemble 642 for coming out into the suburbs. 

I was going to talk about jazz today but felt like talking about the blues.  Jazz and blues are often joined together and there are some in list that are jazz clubs who are also blues clubs. Enjoy   Paris Cat Jazz Club www.pariscat.com.au Hume Blues Club www.humebluesclub.com Bird's Basement  birdsbasement.com Transit Rooftop Cocktail Bar www.transporthotel.com.au The Purple Emerald Lounge Bar purpleemerald.com.au Atrium Bar www.crownmelbourne.com.au Bar 303 303.net.au The Butterfly Club thebutterflyclub.com Uptown Jazz Cafe www.uptown.co.au

I was going to see this show with Alison, but, she's not well and gifted her ticket for someone else to use.  Get well soon Alison.  As far as l can remember this is the first G & S show l've seen. It was performed by The Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Society of Victoria. I didn't know that Melbourne had such a Society. Let me know if you like The Micado and have any of you seen it before?

Last weekend l travelled down to a church in Frankston.  It is a church that often has musical events and fund raising events for their organ repairs.  This was one of those events. 3 young, and very talented performers.  Siblings Naomi and Joshua Walker and Nyah Andersson.  Joshua played both the pipe organ and piano. His sister Naomi played piano and Nyah played the oboe. Can l just sat now how talented they all were. I have to make a confession, l much prefer piano to pipe organ. Joshua played both and has a preference for the pipe organ.  He's already playing in some of the big churches in Melbourne.  He has so much talent and is a wonderful piano player. If he chooses to pursue a career in music l think he will go far. Naomi played the piano and is currently studying a Bachelor of music at The New England university.  She is a very talented performer too. In fact, they are a talented musical family.  Nyah was so good too. I love the woodwind ...

Do you like classical music? I do. Never liked it when l was young, but, am liking it more and more now. Wilsons Road Mornington is the home for Frankston Musical Society and Peninsula Musical Society. On March 22nd l travelled to Mornington and saw a show from Peninsula Music Society, and how did l like it?  This the performer l saw. Stefan Cassomenos. Stefan is a very accomplished pianist and he performed a varied program including Mozart, Liszt and Beethoven. I wish l could play like this. Stefan is also a co-Artistic Director of the Port Fairy Spring Music Festival and has composed for Symphonys,  choirs and opera.  Wilsons Road has a very good name and attracts good shows. Last year l saw the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra perform and that was brilliant. I know that a keep saying it but it's true, suburban Arts are thriving in the suburbs of Melbourne.  If any of you are as interested as l am in the arts look in your local area and see what's on. You may get a plea...

I had forgotten about this ticket. Luckily l remembered and made my way to The Drum Theatre in Dandenong to hear B sharp Big Band play. I love Swing music,  it has so much energy, and, l love a band with a trombone.  The Theatre was full and the biggest chear was for In The Mood. It is a perfect song. What do you think?.  bsharpbigband.com.au drumgreaterdandenong.gov.vic.au

  On the weekend l went to another Choir performance. I had forgotten about this ticket and, having seen this choir before, went along on Saturday.  I like choirs and have enjoyed past performances by this choir.  Vox is a mixed choir with female and male singers, unlike the Bel Canto Choir which is all female. Unfortunately l didn't like this performance as much. I struggled to hear the male singers and wasn't that keen on the program. This is choral music, and l like choral music, but there was something that just didn't gel for me. The singing was good as was the pianist Heather Wickes. The audience was encouraged to join in on certain songs, but not me. I have such a terrible singing voice. Would l see this choir again? Yes l would. They are a good choir. I wasn't actually planning to see anymore Christmas shows after Bel Canto and maybe should have left it at that.  If you are in the local area  Vox are auditioning new members for next year. I won't be appl...

It's that time of year again.  I don't see many Christmas shows but l do like hearing choirs sing. Bel Canto is a local choir that perform at Mt Eliza here in Melbourne. Beautiful voices singing in unison. 

Another good show at Frankston Arts Centre. Antoinette Halloran is a Soprano with a wonderful strong voice. She sang opera airias and more. Accompanied by a pianist it was so good. We even heard Clare de Luna. That is a near perfect piece of music. It made me think that l know very little about Puccini. I am a new comer to classic music and definitely have more composers to find. Are any of you opera lovers? Do any of you know Puccini's work? Let me know in the comments.

Bonnie Lee Galea - www.bonnieleeglaea.com Bonnie Lee is a jazz musician based in South Australia. She tours locally, and internationally, with her partner Quinton Dunne who is also a musician playing the double bass. Nina Simone - born Eunice Kathleen Waymon in North Carolina. Nina was a talented singer and pianist. She changed her name so that her mother would not discover that she was playing piano in clubs around New York. Thankfully her music lives on.  If you are interested in knowing more please look at www.ninasimone.com

Walking to another show. Love, love. love suburban arts.

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One of the best female singers of all time.