By Tyler Wright
A tribute to English composer Vaughan Williams will be held by the Dandenong Ranges’ Singularity Choir at Upwey Baptist Community Church on Saturday 3 September.
Proceeds from the event will go towards the meals program facilitated by Foothills Community Care, in partnership with Upwey Baptist Community Church.
Singularity Choir’s musical director Cecily Woodberry said the concert is a celebration of 150 years since Vaughn Williams was born.
“Vaughan Williams did arrangements for a lot of folk songs like Greensleeves, and he also did a lot of arrangements and wrote a lot of hymn tunes like All Saints,” Cecily said.
While the choir will mostly perform vocal music as part of the tribute, Fantasia on Greensleeves will be played on piano.
Cecily said Vaughan Williams’ fought in World War One, which caused him terrible emotional suffering and hearing damage.
“His great, great grandfather was Charles Darwin, and this is something people don’t know, and also to the wonderful Wedgewood Pottery; he was related to him.
So he’s got quite a legacy in that way, too.”
Dramatist W.S Gilbert and composer Arthur Sullivan (from Gilbert and Sullivan) will also be recognised during the tribute; with Singularity Choir performing sections of their works ‘Yeomen of the Guard’ and ‘The Sorcerer’.
“They’re not often heard, and there’s some beautiful music,” Cecily said.
As for Vaughan Williams; many people may still recognise his popular orchestral music, including pieces Mass in G minor and The Lark Ascending.
Williams also created what Cecily called both ‘secular’ and ‘sacred’ music.
“All the beautiful music he wrote is becoming more and more popular,” she said.
The Singularity Choir specialise in not one vocal line of music but signing harmony, and is well-known throughout the Hills with a popular performance of The Pirates of Penzance earlier this year.
This upcoming performance is designed as a tribute to important composers and artists, with Cecily had a simple phrase for Vaughan Williams’ work.
“It’s just glorious, it’s sublime,” she said.
Admission to A Musical Tribute to Ralph Vaughan Williams will cost $22 for attendees.
Those interested can book via trybooking.com/CBISG or purchase tickets from Diana Little.
Upwey Baptist Community Church is located on the corner of Darling Ave & Burwood Hwy, 21 Darling Ave, Upwey VIC 3158.
