It wasn’t just the depth of sound from a full orchestra playing live. And it wasn’t only the richness of voice from the two soloists who were guests with the Victorian Concert Orchestra which performed at the Rex last Sunday.

It was also about the story of music’s connection to each generation and the part it plays in shaping lives.

The tightly packed Rex stage managed to accommodate the 40-piece orchestra (with some ingenious shuffling to fit the percussion section in) and the large audience was expectant – awaiting the musical delights to come.

And there was plenty to enjoy. From the rousing opening of the Australian National Anthem led by the powerful voices of soloists, Veronica Iredale and Nicholas Matters, through to orchestral pieces by Rossini (“Thieving Magpie Overture”), Elgar (“Pomp and Circumstance March”) the “Pirates of the Caribbean” and a medley of popular tunes from “My Fair Lady”, all of which gave sections of the orchestra a chance to shine. Under the watchful baton of conductor / musical director, Gerald Keuneman it was a unified and cohesive group.

The powerful and soaring lyric soprano voice of Veronica Iredale was shown to advantage in arias from Faust (the Jewel Song), Puccini’s “Oh, My Beloved Father” and “The Prayer” while having fun with the Annie Get Your Gun song “Anything You Can Do”.

With a career headed for the opera stage, Nicholas Matters showcased his tenor voice in stand-outs – “The Holy City”, “Music of the Night”, “Granada” and the closing duet “Time to Say Goodbye”. Currently completing his Bachelor of Music (Honours) at the Melbourne Conservatorium, Nicholas is also a member of the Opera Scholars Australia program, which is aiding in his development for this chosen career. He is hoping to travel to Europe next year, is learning German and has a strong desire to perform in the Phantom of the Opera.

Conversations with members of the ensemble revealed the talent base was spread wide across the ages. Young Rupesh Bankar was a lastminute replacement for one of the percussionists, having been recommended to fill the gap for the Charlton event. The Year 12 Ashwood High School student, who is doing percussion as one of his final-year subjects, had his first performance with the orchestra on Sunday, taking the complexity of music in his stride.

At the other end of the scale was octogenarian, Ron Murley on the double bass. A former GP proceduralist, Ron shares his time between the VCO as well as the Australian Doctors’ Orchestra which boasts an ensemble of 70-plus members. Originally starting his musical background as a pianist, Ron has played the double bass for just on 60 years and has been a member of VCO for around 8 years. The Victorian Concert Orchestra presents four to five concerts each year in regional and rural communities, with the aim of bringing orchestral performance to areas which would otherwise not have access.

The Rex audience certainly showed its appreciation for Sunday’s event with one patron calling out “Really?” when Gerald Keuneman announced the end of the show.

Before heading back to Melbourne the group enjoyed a light meal at the East Charlton Hotel.

See all the other photos in the issue.

This article appeared in The Buloke Times, 4 August 2023.