Well, 2017 has come and gone.  It was another busy year with Lois and Margaret busy juggling the availability of themselves, choir members and repertoire.  The year started with our usual bevy of mid-week and weekend concerts.  The venues are mainly Aged-care and retirement villages – and they enjoy the time we put into singing for them (and with them of course!).

One of our other long-standing venues is The Gap Uniting Church, where we practice, and sing at their Autumn fair.  This year we sang a mixed bag of medleys, old favourites and new arrangements.

Beyond the Autumn fair, we were invited to perform at the Brisbane Music Performers Club, at 4MBS‘ premises in Coorparoo.  

We performed Broadway hits, such as Lullaby of Birdland and Lullaby of Broadway (not that we tried to put people to sleep!)… as well as a Calypso Medley!  It was also great to hear Brandon (our accompanist), perform some Chopin works.

Back to our usual venues during the year, and off to Aveo in August.  We sang a few of our Broadway medleys – (we’ve got quite a few up our sleeves these days!), and followed them with a mixture of solos (from our ranks), and community singing.

Each year we partner with the Lions Club of Ashgrove and the Gap.  Proceeds are split between the Serenata Singers, and the Lions Medical foundation.  This year the concert was entitled ‘Musical Moments’.

We sang our hearts out (as usual!), with a selection of new and old, well known and lesser known pieces.  We also had a performances by Brandon Swain (with some lovely Chopin), and The Gap State High School Junior Rock Band – singing some favourites.

It must have been a good year for radio stations, as we were also invited to the ABC’s Rebecca Levingston program.  As the studio is quite small, a contingent took up the challenge.

Margaret and two of our long standing members shared their stories, and a couple of lighter moments with Rebecca were wrapped up with some music.  See the ABC Blog entry here: Facebook, ABC Brisbane (Search for Serenata, on the 22/10/2017).

To wrap up our year, we performed at the ever-popular Gerard Majella Christmas Festival, with all the lights and festive spirit. We’ve been performing here for quite a number of years now – it’s always fun!

It was an opportunity to sing some favourite Christmas carols, and some lesser known carols from around the world, including Australian and American carols!  This was Margaret’s last concert with us, as she is standing down – we’ll miss you Margaret!