2019-6 June Gazette

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Girgarre Gazette June 2019 Page 4 Graeme Leak “Hello Girgarre Friends” I am in Scotland, thinking back to the amazing time we all had on my most recent visit to Girgarre, my third in as many years. It is spring here, the fields are lush and green, the farmers are cutting grass. The rabbits multiplied while I was away and I think there is a bunny family living under the floor. The local farmers spray the fields with liquified cow poo at this time of year and some days your eyes water with the pong. This year I was engaged by Independent Schools Victoria to present workshops and a concert for their biannual Arts Learning Festival. During the planning, over a year ago, I suggested they bring the Junkestra to Melbourne, which is how our tin-can and rubbish-bin orchestra ended up playing a concert at the Deakin Edge in Federation Square on Saturday May 4. Once again Patrick Cronin, with his hallmark affability and calm professionalism, worked with us on the production. The week before we went to Melbourne was action packed. After three weeks and eight rehearsals we did a warm-up concert in Nathalia at the invitation of U3A. The evening, on 24 April at St Mary's of the Angels School, was a great success, thanks in part to the excellent supper, cakes and drinks provided by our magnificent and generous hosts. Patrick joined us for one song on trumpet, and my sister Lynne, who just loves Junkestra, drove down from Canberra to play her violin alongside Wallace. We played three pieces - an arrangement of the Bach Can-ta-ta ‘Jesu Junk of Wal’s Desiring (conducted by Maureen Shepherd), the Dean Martin classic ‘Sway’ sung by Wallace Williams, and a revised version of ‘Spirit Rising, the piece we performed at the Sound Shell opening last year, but without the line dancers, the fire brigade, the Rushie band, fire crackers, Jigarre Jammers and Doc’s ag bike. We did substitute an exercise bike, a hand mixer and a blender for the Ag Bike though… The next week was instrument making workshops in Melbourne in a marquee at Birrarung Marr. It was a hectic couple of days with a lot of energy from the kids. At the end of each session we came together and practiced some rhythms - living up to the name ‘Make and Play’. Above Right: Lyn Cosham who conducts the ’J-Ukes’ at the Cottage and Julie Gross McAdam at the Nathalia performance. Above Left: Val Maudsley at the Grand. Piano, Deakin Edge, Federation Square, Melbourne. Below: The school children absorbed in making instruments out of rubber gloves and tin cans.
Girgarre Gazette June 2019 Page 5 Graeme Leak - “Hello Girgarre Friends” continued…. Above: Unloading at the Deakin Edge. Below Left: Waiting for rehearsal to begin. Below Right: Relaxing in the Green room. May 4 arrived and the Junkestra boarded Mark Summers’ bus at 7.30am to journey down to Melbourne. The day was hard work, with set-up and sound check on arrival, then a full rehearsal before the concert. Some wonderful professional players came and added their voice to the orchestra: Boris Conley on Bassoon, Thea Rossen and Ben Segal on percussion, and once again my sister Lynne Kowalik on violin. The audience of about 200 were hugely enthusiastic from the minute the band arrived on stage. A large number of the audience were in tears as the group received a standing ovation. It was amazing. I think Junkestra is just beginning, and if you’ve not played in it before or you couldn’t make it this time no matter - the doors are open and newcomers are always welcome. Imagine if the whole town joined? On April 27 I conducted my third annual Jigarre Jamming Camp-over workshop with a strong roll up of about 60. We made a piece called ‘Nothing’ in 2 hours and performed it that night. The session demonstrated that doing nothing in a performance can be interesting and powerful. Stillness and silence are important counterpoints to movement and sound. It was loads of fun and the participants really put 120% into their performance. A video can be found at www.graemeleak.com. Thank you Girgarre for making this all possible. Until next time -Graeme Leak Above: Graeme conducts ‘Nothing’ at the popular Jigarre Jammin' Camp workshop. Right: Peter Berner with accordion at Deakin Edge A quote from Anne Smith, director of the Arts Learning festival, Melbourne in an email after the show: “The concert on Saturday evening was amazing!! Thanks so much for bringing the Junkestra to the Arts Learning Festival, it was a joy to meet them and a privilege to hear them play as an innovative, creative and positive community who has found regeneration for their town through music and the Arts. I will continue to think about the performance for a long time to come. I hope they know how special they are.”
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2019-6 June Gazette

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