- MCAA Gala Concert, Adelaide May 2025:
As reported last Bulletin, your committee believes all matters have been concluded including with a healthy profit.
- Feedback on Adelaide Concert:
Many thanks to those who returned opinions and reflections. Your committee can use such information to inform our next venture in Perth in 2028. Most returns were positive, constructive and congratulatory, whilst some proffered reserved opinions and subjective analysis along the following lines:
Positive:
Wonderful concert; great sell-out audience.
Evan Patton – universally highly regarded, excellent conductor who generated enthusiasm, drew out the dynamics, knew what he wanted & got it! Impressive.
Master of Ceremonies – Lynton highly accomplished, well prepared, engaged with audience superbly.
Orchestra – amazing, very well received. Accompanist – also highly accomplished. Solo flautist – exceptional young talent. All added significant variety to the choral presentations.
General praise for Lynton Nicholas, Neil Forrest & Adelaide Organising Committee and the MMCSA overall.
Qualified support & suggestions:
Acknowledgement of Country – prefer to hear it articulated and not simply included in print in program.
Seating logistics – ultimately came together well. Some choristers not grouped helpfully with others from their choir. Pre-seating – narrow, dark, became congested, claustrophobic, signage blocked when men sat obscuring guidance of later arrivals, bit confusing. Why not use immediately adjacent audience seating, clearer light, much more room for movement (but several stated they would not want this “cat herding” job!).
Pre-concert events – need finalizing much earlier, several arrangements too close to concert weekend.
Sold-out eventuality – saw mad rush for partners’ tickets from those who had not availed themselves of earlier purchase opportunity & then could not purchase normally – need to anticipate this in future & have mechanism for return of unable-to-use tickets for further distribution. (But good problem to have!)
- Recording/Video of Concert:
Evan Patton has completed his editing and appraisal of the recording. MMCSA will soon provide a full description of the songs and items to be included, the format of the final product (USB stick, CD?) and the price. Meanwhile, each choir should nominate one person to be the recipient of orders so that monies can be deposited in your choir’s account. You will be notified of the cut-off date for this bulk order opportunity so that each choir’s funds can then be forwarded to the MMCSA account as names and item orders are emailed to Neil Forrest at woodgee@internode.on.net
- Photographs:
I repeat the promotion included in the last Bulletin of Andrew Dickman’s photos of the concert. You should go to andrew-dickman.pixels.com and order directly.
- Perth 2028:
Notices have gone to the Musical Directors of all member choirs to commence preparations for Perth 2028. As for recent festivals, MDs have the opportunity to suggest the next Festival MD, recommend repeat repertoire items, recommend new (for MCAA) items, volunteer to be on the Repertoire Selection Panel and assist with copyright and licensing imperatives. Your committee will next meet in October to consider the responses and recommendations of our MDs.
We have more than three years before performance date, almost certainly (but still to be confirmed) early September 2028. I have been delighted to hear reports of choirs gearing up for Perth 2028 with fund raising activities and support initiatives. Your committee will carefully watch the musical side of things and ensure the Music Book (what colour cover this time?) is in all choristers’ hands by March 2027, 18 months ahead of our proposed performance date.
- Communication:
Such bulletins, as this, appear to have been well received in recent years so they will continue.
Keep singing well.
Cheers
NEIL FLEMING
President