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Well, Sängerfest 2014 is over and
we are happy to report that it was a wonderful and very successful weekend. The
visiting Choirs enjoyed all the festivities, which commenced on the Friday
evening with the official reception at the Austrian Australian Club and a Mini
Oktoberfest at the Harmonie German Club. It was here where the festive mood
began and then continued throughout the whole weekend.
The Gala Sängerfest Concert on Saturday evening was a wonderful culmination of
massed choral singing, beginning with anthems from Australia, Germany,
Switzerland and Austria, then the traditional ‘Sängerspruch’ and ending with the
haunting signature song ‘Heimat’. The public was also treated to an encore ‘So
ein Tag’. There were many outstanding individual items as well: solos and duets
by Evelyn Graham and Miriam Rose, the Piano Trio with Liz Fyfe, Linus Lee and
Shirley Cramp and items by the Forrest National Chamber Orchestra String Quartet
and Hoffmann Brass added variety to the concert.
However, the real meaning of what Sängerfest is all about happened on Sunday at
the Festival of Choirs. Eighteen choirs sang their individual program and there
was such a variety of music that with every choir’s appearance you were eager to
hear their presentation. Songs included beautiful Heimatlieder as well as
traditional folk songs which provided enjoyment, and at times, some nostalgia to
a very appreciative audience. The three newcomers to the Sängerfest, the Hobart
German Choir, Crèmeschnitte Chörli of the Canberra Swiss Club and the Sydney
Swiss Yodlers with their two Alphorns added a new element to the program. A
special treat for the audience was an encore from the Alphorns.
Sunday evening was the Sängerfest Dinner/dance where everyone could finally
relax and party. The guests arrived to beautifully decorated tables, the flower
centrepieces being the creation of Jean Roberts. And party they did, the dance
floor was continuously filled to capacity with happy revellers. During the
evening the president of the ASB Dieter Mittasch presented various awards to
deserving Choir recipients, Hanni and Kurt Glanznig both receiving the ASB
Silver Pin for 25 years of membership with the Austrian Choir. The Austrian
Choir also received the Bust of Beethoven, ASB Sängerfest Wander Pokal, the ASB
Perpetual Trophy, for hosting the Sängerfest, which it gets to keep for three
years. It stands proudly in the Choir’s showcase at the Austrian Club.
The Farewell Brunch on Monday morning was a slightly quieter affair. This was
when we said Auf Wiedersehen, wished everyone a safe journey back to their home
state and promised that God willing, we would meet again in three years’ time,
we just don’t know where yet.
Above:
The Austrian Choir Canberra performing their welcoming
song ‘Seid willkommen, liebe Gäste’
Below: Duet: Miriam Rose and Evelyn Graham and the Piano
Trio Liz Fyfe, Linus Lee and Shirley Cramp
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