By Tanya Steele
A music variety and performance show with something for everyone is coming to Upwey’s Dandenong Ranges Music Council.
Nature and the Sacred will host the Variety Charity Concert on Sunday 7 April at 2pm, with two hours of performances scheduled.
Organiser, composer and performer Jacqui Rutten said the event will feature mainly local artists, with music and more including new original works by Barbra Hornung, Celeste Willoughby and Jacqui Rutten.
Mary Knights-Rutten , Ms Rutten’s mother will perform piano, Kelsy de Prada the flute, Danielle Zuccala with Jo-Anne Mileto, artist Catkincat will perform dance, Sean Duguid is to feature on trumpet with Mieke Florisson on piano and the Oakleigh Brass band are making a first time appearance.
There will also be music by Herbert. L. Clarke, Britten, Mozart and Schubert and others.
“We got younger artists, older artists and we’ve also got a lovely mezzo soprano from Melbourne,” she said.
Mezzo Soprano Danielle Zuccala was a student of the well known opera, music theatre and concert performer, Suzanne Johnston.
Ms Rutten said Sacred Stage has put on many concerts throughout the years in the hills and that they have been for charity, mainly for shelter for women and children experiencing homelessness.
“This one’s going to Hills itself to Dandenong Ranges emergency relief service –they’re a service that really helped a lot of people who are going through a bit of a difficult time up here.,” she said.
In its 16th year, the event will feature the Oakleigh Brass brand for the first time.
“I thought it’d be great to have a brass band and they said yes, I was really thrilled because they a very good band, led by someone from Melbourne University,” she said.
At the moment Ms Rutten thinks she will play piano on the day.
“It will be an improvisation based on just a little bird call that I jotted down one day,” she said.
“And Mary Knights-Rutten is hopefully playing a piece that I composed called ‘Warburton River’.
The concert promises a run time of around two hours, including an interval and time to draw the raffle planned for the day.
Southern Dandenongs community nursery has contributed for the raffle and Ms Rutten said the group had enjoyed the last concert and offered to donate a donated a plant voucher.
All profits will be donated to go towards the Dandenong Ranges emergency relief service.
Sunday 7 April, 2 pm at the Dandenong Ranges Music Council, Burwood Highway, Upwey
For more information (bookings for the event are preferred) call or email 0455 044 764 info@sacredstage.com.au
Tickets are 20 dollars or donation at the door, children are free.
Ms Rutten said the artists have all chosen works towards the concept of ‘nature and sacred’ and that it is an ‘enjoyable’ theme.
“There is really a lot of talent in this concert,” she said.
