FESTIVAL PERFORMERS
In 2009, the Mungindi Music Festival brings a diversity of music never been seen in Australia. Within the magic surrounds of Mungindi, sounds of rock, folk, jazz, classical, and tango will inspire and entertain every music taste.
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Don Burrows AO MBE
Legendary musician Don Burrows has been at the forefront of the jazz world for almost 60 years in the business. Don is a superb multi instrumentalist - flute, clarinet and all the saxophones. It is rare to have someone of Don Burrows calibre in this part of the world and in 2009 Don returns to Mungindi in 2009 as Patron with collaborator Kevin Hunt to perform music of international acclaim.
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Felicity Urquhart
It takes an extraordinary artist to emerge on each new album with a fresh, original and dynamic sound – yet at the same time stay completely true to herself. But integrity is a vital part of Felicity Urquhart’s music as her new album, Landing Lights, shows.The album title track ‘Landing Lights’ was co-written with ex-pat Aussie musician Jedd Hughes and touches the soul in the gentlest possible ways. The metaphoric description of finding comfort in that solid heart that awaits on ones return and gives balance to life.Like ‘Landing Lights’, the album offers a collection of songs that reveal the many aspects of this remarkable singer and songwriter.It’s not surprising that Felicity is so grounded, yet so comfortable stretching the boundaries. She’s an artist who’s at ease in her own skin. For Felicity, recording ‘Landing Lights’ was a chance to do what she loves most – making music – in between a hectic schedule which includes being a host on Channel 7’s ‘Sydney Weekender’, othe TV and radio roles, and being the face of The Heart Of Country for Tourism NSW.Felicity will be performing with a 5-piece band on Saturday night at the Mungindi Showground. Be sure not to miss this outstanding performer take the stage at the Mungindi Music Festival! -
Sydney Youth Orchestra Philharmonic
The Sydney Youth Orchestra Philharmonic returns to Mungindi the year after an enormously successful visit in 2007. As the first ever symphony orchestra to perform in a town like Mungindi, the SYOP returns with their repertoire of famous film music and popular classics.
Under the baton of the remarkable Brian Buggy OAM, the SYOP is NSW’s peak training orchestra for musicians aged 14 – 21. Featuring 65 talented musicians from all across Sydney, the SYOP is an orchestra of superb quality.
Recent performances by the SYOP have been at The Sydney Opera House, Sydney Conservatorium of Music and Riverside Theatres Parramatta as tours to Orange, Dubbo, Gulgong and Lithgow. The SYOP performs incredibly diverse repertoire from Tchaikovsky through to Indiana Jones and the Blue Danube Waltz!
The SYOP will perform as part of the ‘Songs of Mungindi’ as generously funded by ArtsNSW.
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The Mungindi Super Kids
It’s Thursday, school is out and off to music we go at the Mungindi Memorial Hall. We get tutored by these amazingly talented ladies from Bated Breath who can play the most beautiful music on their instruments. When we grow up we want to be just like them. We are going to play a piece at the Friday night concert that has been written especially for us … got to go we are late for music.
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Brian Buggy OAM
Brian Buggy is currently the guest conductor of the Sydney Youth Orchestra Philharmonic. He is a composer and conductor, multi-instrumentalist and vocalist. He conducted some of Australia's leading symphony orchestra in the ABC Concert Series for ten years. He has written film and television scores. He has published works for orchestras, chamber groups and choirs.
Brian has been commissioned to write "Mungindi Mosaic" for this years Festival which is a work for orchestra, narration and song which reflects the experiences of the people at Mungindi.
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Hoi Polloi
a. Gk - commoners, plebeians, working class
Diverse ages, backgrounds and experience are the ingredients that simmer together like a hearty casserole to form this tasty dish. Hoi polloi are busy entertainers who also perform in the long established Moree show band, The Moochers. Although incomplete in formal musical training, and with careers/jobs in the Moree community, Hoi polloi enjoy being weekend troubadours. During the last few years they have traveled countless miles to play at numerous out-of-the-way functions and have befriended every caterer and barman in the North West of NSW and Southern QLD. If you haven’t heard of Hoi polloi before, it’s no wonder as they usually operate without identification for purposes so mysterious that not even they themselves understand the reasoning.
Hoi Polloi present a mouth-watering feast of differing musical genres like a banquet full of many delicious flavours and textures. A live gig usually starts with an entree of elegantly prepared jazz dishes from the kitchens of past master-chefs like Jerome Kern or George Gershwin who baked musical delights with class and style. The main course can feature some nourishing meals that could be compared to anything from a Sunday roast (ballads) to a 1970’s cheesy fondue dinner (old rock & roll). For dessert, think of an indulgent black forest cake that will leave you feeling full and happy, but the recipe may have originated in Detroit or Memphis! After fine dining, manners dictate a snifter of cognac but out in the bush that’s the time to knock back a few rums and get the party rocking. Watch out – they can go off!!
Don’t be fooled by their sense of fun – good quality ingredients and stylish presentation are the fundamental philosophies flavouring every dish. The cast iron-chefs of Hoi polloi are Marty Roberts, Roger Beare, Jacqualyn Drenkhahn and Steve McPherson.
Bon appetit!
(Photo - Roger Beare & Marty Roberts – 50% of Hoi Polloi)
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Catastrophic Winds
Catastrophic Winds is a virtuoso group made up of some of Sydney’s most amazing young wind players. There is almost nothing they can’t play on their instruments and for this reason this is a group with the real WOW factor. They are conducted by Mark Walton and they play music that everyone can enjoy. Be ready to be impressed!
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St Leo's Catholic College Band
St Leo's Catholic College, under the direction of the brilliant and popular trumpeter, Matt Dempsey, will perform music from film scores, traditional concert band music and a few lighter items to get those toes tapping!
Look forward to the return of St Leo's Super Band at the 2009 Mungindi Music Festival.
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Clarimada
Clarimada is a cryptic word meaning ‘mad about the clarinet’ and that’s exactly what Catherine, Peter, Kevin and Som are. All four members of Clarimada study at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and all of them except Peter have attended a previous Mungindi Music Festival. They are all UPPER CASE VIRTUOSI and it’s not every day that you can hear musicians of this calibre serenading you outside the Mungindi supermarket. That’s where they will be on Friday Oct 2nd at 2 30pm so save your visit to the shops until then.
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Kevin Hunt
Kevin Hunt is a popular and versatile jazz pianist. He has, over the last 16 years, shared the stage with international artists including: Herb Ellis, Billy Cobham, Sheila Jordon and Larry Adler. He has also recorded and performed with most of Sydney's prominent jazz artists.
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~kevsy
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David Miller AM
David Miller is a good sport and for this reason he has been invited back to this year's Festival. At the 05 Festival whenever we needed a piano player David was always happy to oblige whether it was standing up accompanying the U3A choir on an electronic organ or playing an electric keyboard in a wheat field
Needless to say Mr Piano will be up at the crack of dawn on September 30th to accompany anyone who wants to play or sing in the dawn concert "Let The Piano Play"
David when he is not in Mungindi having the time of his life is Chair of Enemble Studies at the illustrious Sydney Conservatorium of Music. He is regarded as one of Australia's leading accompanist and for this reason he was awarded an AM for his services to music in Australia.
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Newtown Community Choir
From the cosmopolitan surrounds of Newtown in Sydney, the Newtown Community Choir can be heard singing out from St. Stephen’s church on Wednesday nights for hours on end.
With over 100 members, the choir promotes community harmony and respect through music. With people of all ages and musical standards, the choir is a melting pot of passion and energy.
The Newtown Community Choir is directed by the one-and-only Harri Harding. Harri’s enthusiasm for this choir is famous on the streets of Newtown as the new force in community music.
The Newtown Community Choir will sing as part of the 'Songs of Mungindi'.
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Scotty Troutman
Mungindi sure has Talent!
Scotty is a member of the local Kamilaroi Tribe and lives in Mungindi with his wife Susan and has 5 children. He has been playing drums since the age of 4 and started sing in pubs with his father John Troutman at the age of 9. His music is a narrartive of his life's experiences and there's a touch of Troy Cassar-Daley about his music. Scotty recently recorded his first album "Thallon Yellowbelly". Scotty will be performing solo at the Mungindi Showgrounds on Sat 3 October and will be performing with the Sydney Youth Orchestra at the Grand Finale Concert at the Riverbank on Sunday evening (4 Oct) as part of the Songs of Mungindi Project.
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Remmy M
Renee Millner is a popular singer songwriter from Orange NSW and she will be singing several of her own songs. This is Remmy M’s first performance at the Mungindi Music Festival. -
Encanto
We formed in February 2007 with the intention maintaining a small tight group of performers to provide an eclectic range of songs. The group's diversity of repertoire comes from the fact that we are "multinational", with members originating from Chile, El Salvador, USA, Australia and Ireland. Our repertoire is selected to highlight the strengths of each of the four part harmonies and we aim to produce a strong unified blend in both our accompanied and a cap numbers. Rehearsing once a week, we strive for - and enjoy- the social benefits of a regional community singing group.
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Taurus
These great exponents of classic Rock’n’Roll are really looking forward to returning to Mungindi for Festival 2009. This will be their third festival. Although the line-up will be slightly different this time round, the sound will remain much the same. Sam has been a great loss to Taurus, but, understandably, his priority at the moment is to successfully complete his degree at Newcastle Uni. His replacement, Graham Doust, has been working on and off with Wilf and Tony for several years. Graham, on vocals and guitar, is a rocker from way back and still runs his own group, “Basic Principals”, in Coffs Harbour. He is very excited about his first Mungindi experience. Wilf and Tony are keen to renew many old acquaintances at the festival and to set the floor alight again at the Saturday night dance. -
The Windjammers
They are the mauve group who plan their whole year around attending the Mungindi Music Festival. They are amateurs which means that they really enjoy playing music and they just love the atmosphere of the Mungindi Music Festival. The music they play is a mixture of styles and since the last Festival one of their saxophonists has been burning the midnight oil writing a number of new charts for the group.
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Zoe Bloomfield
Zoë Bloomfield makes her Mungindi debut in 2009 as story-teller of the 'story of magic music'. This fairy tale for children features the story of musical instruments and is a first class way to introduce young people to the instruments of an orchestra.
Zoë is a phenomenally talented young educator. Having conducted Toddler’s Proms at Sydney’s Government House, Leichhardt Town Hall and in Ultimo’s Community Centre, Zoë has developed a loyal following as someone who captures the imagination of young children through her story of music.
Zoë is also a talented violinist, passionate baker and enjoys all form of haberdashery and is currently completing her tertiary studies at the Australian Institute of Music.
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Wizard & Oz
"Eccentric,brilliant piano player. Incredible voice and talent on guitar, every performance they gave ended with roars and cheers for more from the crowds". - Illawarra Jazz Club News
Wizard and Oz were a crowd favorite at our festival. Andrew’s piano prowess takes a back seat to no one. David is one of the most versatile singers in the business, amazing! And they come out to play…and play and play!! They raised the roof at our mainstage a full foot!! Wizard and Oz are true pros who give all they got each time out.- Joe Mosher St John Jazz & Blues Festival, New Brunswick, Canada
"They are musicians with the ability to enthral, amuse, entertain and have the audience wondering, "what next"? While realising they are watching incredible talent". - Lylie Price Merimbula Jazz Festival
“They lifted the festival to new heights” - Charles Adams – Monbulk Jazz & Blues Festival
The Wizard and Oz appeared first, Andrew Farrell (The Wizard), one of the finest piano players in the country, totally unique. I have never seen anyone do what he can do, from classical to todays music, together with Dave McMillan’s (Oz), dynamic guitar playing and amazing voice. The audience was spellbound as the pair performed, in their own style classics from the 60’s and 70’s. Beatles, Ray Charles, Doobie Bros, Rod Stewart, Joni Mitchel, James Taylor etc. etc. Plus their own music. The list was endless. Over 200 people witnessed a stunning set by these two, someone asked me "How can two people create so much power and feeling and have the audience so absorbed?" I don’t know how, but they always do and this performance was no exception! There is no way to explain them other than to say; "They are mind numbingly spectacular", a quote from Neville Drummond who was in the audiencefrom the Inverloch Jazz Festival. - ANDREW HICKINBOTHAHICKINBOTHAM WINERY
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The Sydney U3A Choir
On the 2005 Countrylink Mungindi Festival Train from
Despite this blot on the good name of Mungindi we are allowing the U3A Choir back because not only do these ladies and gentlemen have an enthusiasm for music they also have a huge enthusiasm for living and fun. They sing with spirit and verve and live life to the full.
Mungindi is waiting with a very warm welcome for the return of the
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The Mungindi Choir Brigade
The Mungindi Choir Brigade were formed by Mungindi's local piano teacher Sue Price especially for the inaugural Mungindi Festival. Sue very cleverly selected a most fetching bright red top as the MCB official uniform and this was just the catalyst to entice all the singers of the Mungindi area to sign up.
Their part singing at the 05 Festival were extremely polished and impressed everyone and again the Mungindi Choir Brigade will combine for some items with the Chatswood U3A choir.
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Matt Dempsey
Talented trumpet player and inspiring conductor Matt Dempsey returns to Mungindi in 2009 with the combined bands from St. Leo's and Loreto Normanhurst. These schools in Sydney are very fortunate to have such a dedicated educator as Matt.
At the festival Matt will also lead a brass ensemble to perform traditional brass band music as well as the opening fanfare at the Opening Concert on Friday night.
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Sax From The City
Sax From The City are hot – in fact piping hot! If you were at either of the two previous Mungindi Festivals you can’t help but remember this group because it is now a tradition that they play as they march through the audience to start the Friday evening concert.
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Bated Breath
Bated Breath rehearse for most of the daylight hours every Thursday so as to justify being the favourite instrumental ensemble in an around Mungindi.
Bated Breath grew from the original group "The Three Clarinetists of Mungindi" who played with such distinction with Don Burrows at the opening concert of the 2005 Festival. The original group became such local celebrities everyone in Mungindi wanted to learn an instrument so they too could perform at this years Festival.
Bated Breath have in their short time together redefined several longstanding Western main stream musical traditions such as starting together and finishing together, playing with a constant pulse or observing the restraints of traditional key signatures. If you feel that so many groups these days all sound the same then Bated Breath will renew your belief in individuality. If on the other hand you are wondering why Bated Breath got invited to play at this years Mungindi Festival and your group didn't .. well are you on the organising committee?
You will love Bated Breath because they are the spirit of Mungindi.
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Mark Walton OAM
Inspirational musician, educator and founder of the Mungindi Music Festival returns in 2009 to inspire everyone with his undeniably brilliant musicianship, charisma and great humour.
Mark Walton is highly regarded as a leading clarinet and saxophone player and teacher in many parts of the world. He has recorded seven solo albums, written over 200 music books and recently written a highly entertaining musical for children called "BOBBY THE MUSICAL"
Mark has a passionate commitment to music in regional NSW and has had musical input into over 40 country towns in the last five years. He has directed Music Festivals in Young, Forbes, Coonabarabran, Tamworth, Dubbo, Kendall, Wagga Wagga, Mungindi,
Mark is the former Chair of Performance at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and is now the Musical Director at the Christchurch School of Music in -
Clarinet Calypso
Since the last Festival this very classy group of clarinetist has been practicing furiously learning a whole new repertoire of music that will simply amaze you. You will be able to hear them outside the Mungindi Bakery at 2 30 on October 2nd.
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Cafe Latte
Cafe Latte is an ad hoc group of very sophisticated adult musicians drawn from several states.
Some of these muscians state that they just like to be in Mungindi becaue it is the best Festival around whilst others state that it is one of the few places that they are alowed to play in public!
Cafe Latte played to rapturous audiences at the 2005 Mungindi Festival and the Arts Critic of the Mungindi Matters commented that there was an equal amount of enjoyment when they were playing as to when they stopped!
If you play a woodwind or string instrument and feel that you are old enough come and rehearse and perform with this fun loving group please contact their conductor Mark Walton.
Cafe Latte play with joy, enthusiasm and don't take themselves too seriously.
The Mungindi Music Festival is a subcommittee of the Mungindi Progress Association Incorporated Y2937447