Larry Hills celebrates the first 20 years of the Bass Coast Chorale.
By Larry Hills
WHEN I first stood in front of the newly formed Bass Coast Chorale in 2006, I didn’t know exactly what to expect. The room was filled with individuals who had never performed together as a group, yet each person brought their own unique talents to share.
Although I was no stranger to choirs and choral music – having been involved in them my whole life – this was a fresh experience. By the end of that very first rehearsal, everyone was singing together and feeling good about it.
WHEN I first stood in front of the newly formed Bass Coast Chorale in 2006, I didn’t know exactly what to expect. The room was filled with individuals who had never performed together as a group, yet each person brought their own unique talents to share.
Although I was no stranger to choirs and choral music – having been involved in them my whole life – this was a fresh experience. By the end of that very first rehearsal, everyone was singing together and feeling good about it.
 | Our debut performance, titled Autumn Kaleidoscope of Song, took place in June 2006 at St. Joseph’s Hall in Wonthaggi. It was a joy to share the stage with my other choir, the South Gippsland Singers from Leongatha. For the finale, both choirs joined forces for an inspiring medley from Les Miserables. The audience responded with heartfelt applause, clearly moved by the performance. We plan to close our 20th Anniversary concert at the Wonthaggi Town Hall with the same stirring finale. Looking back over the years, I recall the thrills and excitement of so many different performances. I am still there, up the front, leading the way. There are a few of us from the original group who remain, probably about four. |
Over time, choir members come and go, but the spirit stays the same. We don’t hold auditions; instead, people are welcome to attend a few rehearsals before deciding whether to commit to joining.
Conducting is about drawing the best, unified sound from a group of individuals. One of the most challenging aspects of teaching choristers is emphasising the importance of listening to others and singing together as one. The fundamental rule remains: watch the conductor.
Conducting is about drawing the best, unified sound from a group of individuals. One of the most challenging aspects of teaching choristers is emphasising the importance of listening to others and singing together as one. The fundamental rule remains: watch the conductor.
"The fundamental rule remains: watch the conductor." |
Singing together brings an extra dimension to each person’s persona. The choir is an opportunity for lasting friendships, much like team sports. It is a tight-knit group, with everyone looking after each other and striving to do their best.
One of the aspects I enjoy most about being the conductor – and making decisions about repertoire – is the opportunity to compose original pieces for the choir and to arrange music specifically for the Bass Coast Chorale.
One of the aspects I enjoy most about being the conductor – and making decisions about repertoire – is the opportunity to compose original pieces for the choir and to arrange music specifically for the Bass Coast Chorale.
They Went With Songs, Mesley Hall, Leongatha, 25 April 2015.
I take pleasure in composing music that holds significance for the group. The first major work I composed was inspired by stories and poems from Laurie Duggan’s book The Ash Range. I included the Aboriginal creation story and its intersection with George Bass’s mapping of Bass Strait. I titled it Stars and Maps.
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It was first performed by the South Gippsland Singers, the Prom Coast Singers, and the West Gippsland Chorale combined. This was just six months after we moved to Wonthaggi in 2005. Later, in 2009, I rewrote and expanded the piece for the Prom Coast Sea Change Festival, renaming it Starscapes and Visions.
Soon after, the Wonthaggi Centenary celebrations inspired me to write a requiem for the thirteen miners killed in the 20 Shaft explosion of 1937. The text blended stories from that tragic time with the text of the requiem Mass. |
FROM THE POST ARCHIVES
The Wichita songman
April 19, 2014 - Composer Larry Hills draws on his American heritage of choral singing to delve deep into the history of his adopted Australian community. By Gill Heal |
There is a moment in the Miners’ Requiem that moved me to tears every time I heard it – at the end of a duet between two trapped miners, when they believe they can hear the rescue squad, two whole bars of rests bring complete silence to both stage and audience.
The third major work, They Went With Songs, was written for the centenary of the ANZAC landing at Gallipoli. I followed the journey of young men who were recruited, trained, shipped off, fought, and either died or returned home and their interactions with their families.
Each of these works tells a big story, and I remain open to suggestions for the next one – perhaps the tale of the Wonthaggi Monster!
The third major work, They Went With Songs, was written for the centenary of the ANZAC landing at Gallipoli. I followed the journey of young men who were recruited, trained, shipped off, fought, and either died or returned home and their interactions with their families.
Each of these works tells a big story, and I remain open to suggestions for the next one – perhaps the tale of the Wonthaggi Monster!