High praise for VT community following Drought Buster concert
Click image
The Choir of Hard Knocks wooed a 4000 strong North East Victorian crowd at Violet Town on a perfect Saturday evening. It was one of the largest audiences they have played to outside the Vodafone Arena
Our community can be very proud following the hugely successful event on 14 February. Praise continues to come from visitors around our region and from the Choir members
Jonathon Welch led the enthusiastic choir to an inspiring and uplifting performance in the drought-buster concert. The 90 minute concert included many of the Choir's original favourites along with new material created for the Violet Town performance.
The Lions Club's 'Violet Town Opera House' so named by Jonathon, was a magnificent temporary stage designed and built for the concert. It helped provide the atmosphere for a moving performance by the choir members.
The concert raised the spirits of the regional audience following years of dry conditions and the recent appalling weeks of heat and fire. Over $12,000 was raised on the day by the Red Cross / CFA for the Bushfire Appeal to assist our fellow Victorians.
This event could not have occurred without the kind financial support of the Pratt Foundation, Relationships Australia and Strathbogie Shire. [Robyn Machin]
Excerpts from Jonathon Welch letter
19 February 2009.
"What a joy it was to have the chance to come and perform for your community and all those that travelled from far and wide it seems - for such a great night!
You did a superb job of putting this event together - every detail was prepared and undergone with such professionalism and love - you are all to be congratulated for this event being the success it was - the Choir was STILL on a high today at rehearsal and they were so proud to have assisted in some way to help raise some funds on the night - they were beaming with pride on all accounts!
Click image
I think that the "Violet Town Opera House" made up of trucks and the cricket pitch tarp - was inspired - and you now that you have gone through this exercise - you should make it an annual event!
Can you please pass on all our love, appreciation and thanks to all the wonderful women who prepared the most amazing meals for us - and all the men who helped create the "Opera House" - it was just the most wonderful experience for everyone in the Choir!
Best wishes - and keep up the great work"
Dr Jonathon Welch, Australian of the Year - Local Hero 2008
Founding Music Director, Choir of Hard Knocks
'My Space' excerpts - from the Choir members
February 16, 2009 - Monday
Hi Everyone,
"Did you all have a great weekend? We had an awesome weekend. We spent The whole afternoon with the lovely people of Violet Town, in between Euroa and Shepardton".
"The people are so nice there. We left Collingwood at 10.30 and stopped at a few places on the way up. We got to Violet Town at around 1pm. The local council put on a wonderful lunch for us. We then split up and some of us went sheep shearing and some went swimming. And some of us stayed at the venue."
"We all had an extremely nice afternoon. Nothing was too much trouble for them. They Kept us all cool with beautiful iced water and we had coffee, tea and cakes all afternoon. We went on for a sound check at around 4pm. And, boy, it was hot."
"We then had dinner. They had put on a beautiful dinner for us. Like I said, nothing was too much trouble for them."
Click image
"... We had an absolute blast! We sung all our old favorites like Hallelujah, and shout. We also sung a couple of our new songs. Dancing In The Moonlight, and Australias most famous song ever, I am Australian. I am Australian was re written for us by the person that originally wrote the song, Bruce Woodley and we had launched that song at Flinders st station last year. during that song, because of the bushfire situation that was happening all around us, there was not a dry eye in the place. Including, some of us! It was a very emotional song."
"... We had 3 standing ovations and 3 encores! People just didnt want us to go and we didnt want to go. We all were mobbed by the crowd as we came off stage. That usually happens to us, but not to this extent. Clarko, one of the choir characters, was in his total element. He was dancing and singing like crazy."
"We spent nearly an hour signing autographs and having our photos taken with our fans. The people of Violet Town are so wonderful and really nice and friendly. We cant wait to go back there."
"WE WOULD LOVE TO SEND A SPECIAL THANKYOU TO THE CFA THAT WERE THERE. THEY WENT AROUND WITH BUCKETS AND RAISED FUNDS FOR THE BUSHFIRE APPEAL. THE WORD IS THAT THEY RAISED OVER 6 THOUSAND DOLLARS!!!!!!" [$12,070 in fact - Robyn Machin]