The Folk Choir has a gig scare!

Yes, the Folk Choir will be singing out in public this Sunday! Come along to the fundraiser concert at the Red Hill Community Sports Club (it's next door to the Broncos on Fulcher Road, Red Hill), for great music all afternoon, raffles and fun, raising money to upgrade the kitchen at the club.

The Folk Choir will open the show with a half hour spot at 1.30pm. Don't be late, you'll miss us. It will be some show, featuring our gorgeous singers with a heart-lifting repertoire, and showing off our resident string ensemble too. Join in the choruses, and next week, come and join the choir.

Here's the blurb from Red Hill Folk so you have all the details:

Red Hill Folk are organising a fundraising concert ... Kitchen-Aid!
Place: The Main Hall , The Red Hill Community Sports Club
22 Fulcher Rd, Red Hill, Brisbane (Next to the Broncos Leagues Club)
Date: Sunday 25^th May, 2014
Time: 1:30pm – 5:00pm
Entry Fee: $15 / $12 concession

Performers: The Folk Choir, Sue Wighton and Ross Roache, 3 Miles From Texas, Sadie and Jay, Mark Cryle and the Civil Union. 

High Tea: ‘High Tea’ plates of cakes, sandwiches and savouries for sale, plus tea and coffee and the club is fully licensed.
Prizes: Door prize and multi-prize raffle with wine, chocolates and CDs generously donated by the artists and others.

Come and support Kitchen-Aid. There’s a vast car park, so lots of off-street parking and plenty of room in the venue.

What a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon!

Folk Choir starts Term 2 on May 1.

Hooray for Singing! Folk Choir starts up again in February!

Welcome to 2014. The Folk Choir starts it's first term of the year on Thursday 6 February.

We've decided to try starting at 7.15pm, to allow more people to eat dinner and/or make it through traffic to choir, so doors will open at 7pm. Come and have a cuppa and a chat before warming up at 7.15 and having a friendly sing!

The cost remains the same at $15 casual, or $120 for the whole 10 week term.

The year promises lots of satisfying singing, some performances, the occasional inclusion of (non-vocal) instruments, and a collaboration.... watch this space!

Gig Alert! Folk Choir at Red Hill Folk Club, Dec 18.

This week at Folk Choir we're running through some lovely songs that we plan to perform at Red Hill Folk Club on December 18. Come to the gig! 7pm, Red Hill Community Sports Club next to the Broncos, Fulcher Road, Red Hill, Dec 18. We'll do a half hour set, there will be carol singing and Pirate Santa. Can't miss that!

We're going out to the Fred Smith concert!

Fred Smith in Concert - an excursion for the Folk Choir!

Don't forget that this week we have decided to go on an outing to see Fred Smith in concert in lieu of choir on Thursday night. Folk Choir members are entitled to the concession price, so let me know that you are coming and I'll make sure you are on the door list. You can book concession tickets online, and the list will confirm you at the door, or you will also be able to buy tickets at the door. As I won't be the person on the door, make sure you email me back to be on the list.

Here is the information about Fred's concert. I will also put a sign on the door at choir in case anyone does miss this info and come along.

The concert will feature Fred and a great band comprising bassist Liz Frencham, drummer Erin Sulman, and the Folk Choir's very own cellist Rebecca Wright and pianist Emma Nixon! Fred's insightful music is by turns uplifting, amusing, heartbreaking and deeply moving. Don't miss it!

WHEN: Thursday 28th November, 2013, 8pm.

VENUE:

Queensland Multicultural Centre

102 Main Street, Kangaroo Point

Brisbane, Queensland 4169

Bookings:    http://www.trybooking.com/68248 

FRED SMITH IN CONCERT

 Peace In The Pacific & The Dust Of Uruzgan

Recently featured on the ABC's Australian Story, Fred Smith is a diplomat and musician who has recorded extensively about his work and experiences in Bougainville and more recently in Afghanistan. His work with DFAT and the Australian Army have given him unique perspectives on Australia's place in a complex world and the experiences of the peoples with whom he has worked.

The show would be Fred presenting a concert in two themed halves. The first would be Peace in the Pacific. Peace in the Pacific explores the beauty, turmoil and complexity of the islands. It also celebrates the contribution of thousands of Australians who have worked on peace monitoring operations in Bougainville and Solomon Islands

The Dust of Uruzgan will make up the second half of the evening - Smith recently returned from 18 months working as a tribal and political advisor alongside Australian Forces in Uruzgan Province. He wrote a collection of songs from his experiences, playing concerts on the Multinational Base in Tarin Kowt where his music has become legendary. 

Media responses to the Dust of Uruzgan CD and show:

“A great work of art, a great suite of songs…an amazing thing if you get to see him perform it in concert”

Richard Glover, Drive, ABC 702 Sydney

“An exceptional songwriter and certainly the equal of Bogle, Walker and Schumann… a cycle of songs that are raw, remarkably honest and suitably ambivalent about the nature of war… a collection of songs that offers an intimate perspective on the war in Afghanistan.”

Bruce Elder, Sydney Morning Herald ‘Review of the Week’ 6–7 August 2011

“… the music of Fred Smith comes straight from the front line…raw, ribald, but also capable of moving grown men to tears.”

John Huxley, Sydney Morning Herald, 28 July 2011

What's happening in the Folk Choir?

Thursday 5 September is the final night for term three. 
We will be having fun with some chorus songs, and rehearsing the three songs we are taking out for the night on Wednesday 11 September to the Red Hill Folk Club. There'll be hot cuppas and hot singing!

Then we're having a three week break so we can fit in:
• 11 September: Folk Choir's floorspot at Red Hill Folk Club. Club starts about 7.30pm, at the Red Hill Community Sports Club, Fulcher Road, Red Hill, next to the Broncos' Leagues Club. We're on about 8.

• 13-15 September: Neurum Creek Festival. The Wish List, featuring The Folk Choir's Nicole Murray and Emma Nixon, with three special guests from the Folk Choir (Rebecca Wright, Alexa Sheppard and Naomi Rowland) will be playing at 7pm on Friday 13 Sept. Earlier that afternoon, Alexa and Naomi are debuting their new duo, Fiddlesque, in the blackboard concert. It's all happening at Neurum Creek, which is 12km down Neurum Road from Woodford township, Sunshine Coast Hinterland. This great little festival is full of enjoyable acts, and chances to sing and play. www.neurumcreekfestival.com.

• 21 September: The Mount Tamborine Celtic Concert and Ceilidh, a big night of celtic music and the chance to shake a leg! Featuring The Wish List, Rebecca Wright and Donald McKay, and Mark Cryle and the Civil Union in the concert, we then hand over to The Ceilidh Clan for a true Scottish and Irish ceilidh, with dances called by Donald McKay and Davydd McDonald. Loads of fun! Doors open 6pm, BYO picnic supper, all inclusive price $20 grownups, $5 kids. Book with Emma at emlnixon@optushome.com.au

The Folk Choir starts a new twelve week term on Thursday 3 October! 

The Folk Choir

Thursdays 7 - 8.30pm

at West Ashgrove Uniting Church Hall downstairs, 
between Glory St and Waterworks Road

$15 casual, $140 for 12 week term, or $75 for 6 weeks.

This term runs October 3 - December 19.

thefolkchoir.blogspot.com

CDs available at Folk Choir include: 

The Wish List - beautiful fiddlesinging from Emma Nixon and Nicole Murray - $20

cloudstreet - trad and original folk with powerful harmonies from John Thompson and Nicole Murray - $25 or $40 for two

Rebecca Wright and Donald McKay - warm-hearted Scottish trad and contemporary songs - $25