The weekly program keeping you up to date with Toowoomba Regional Council’s facilities, activities and services.
Council Connections with Darren Burton
This week Darren talks about the Mayor’s Over 80s Christmas Party in November, environmental grants, volunteers needed for the Toowoomba Gallery and Shop, after hours emergencies, Sunday’s anti-violence campaign, having your say on waste issues, libraries hosting mobile phone lessons and roadworks in the region.
The USQ Arts Theatre will come to life with the sensational sounds of two of the University’s favourite ensembles next month – the USQ Big Band and USQ Contemporary Singers will combine in what promises to be an extravaganza of music-making at their finale concert for the year.Directed by USQ Lecturers in Music, Martin Crook and Melissa Forbes respectively, the ensembles will perform a program ranging from Jazz, Big Band and Broadway to Latin, Funk and Swing.
Melissa Forbes
There’s just something about a Big Band with a swinging singer; something that, years after the ‘hey-day’ of swing, still entertains modern audiences,†said Melissa Forbes.
Our choice of program reflects the continuing popularity of this combination of Big Bands and singers.
In keeping with the great tradition of swing singers, the likes of Cab Calloway, Ella Fitzgerald and Anita O’Day, we will perform some great classics together with terrific new arrangements of popular songs such as Tom Jones’ It’s Not Unusual and the Supremes’ Stop! In the Name of Love’ with a Big Band twist.â€
Other favourites on the program will include Fly Me to the Moon, For Once in My Life, At Last, Classical Gas, Rhythm of Life, In a Sentimental Mood and Unchained Melody.
The USQ Big Band has a 30-year performance and pedagogy tradition, including memorable concerts with vocalists including Rachael Beck and Ian Stenlake (2011), Rhonda Burchmore (2009) and Kate Ceberano (2007).
On the other end of the spectrum, the USQ Contemporary Singing Studio is an exciting new additional to Creative Arts at USQ, established in 2000 by Melissa Forbes. For many of our students, this concert will be their ‘swan-song’ as they make their final appearance as students at USQ, and for others, it will be just one of many performances during their studies.
I’m particularly looking forward to joining the singers to perform a couple of trios and the entire ensemble for the final song, Lullaby of Broadway.â€
BIG BAND BIG VOICES will be presented at 7.30pm on Saturday, 5 November and 2pm on Sunday, 6 November in the USQ Arts Theatre.
Tickets are $26.50 adult, $21 concession, $16 student, $8 child and can be purchased through the USQ Artsworx Box Office on 07 4631 1111.
The Sunny Cowgirls are no newcomers to the country music scene. They’ve had 7 consecutive #1 video clips on Foxtel/Austar’s Country Music Channel. Their Summer Tour continues to produce sell-out shows. Sisters Sophie & Celeste aka The Sunny Cowgirls were the recipient of the 2011 Telstra Horizon Award – the award recognises established artists who have made significant inroads into the industry.
As well as their national tour, the girls recently appeared at the Gympie Music Muster & the Deni Ute Muster and tonight (28th October) in Highfields at the Cultural Centre.
Supporting the girls will be Sunshine Coast native, Liam Brew. Liam was named 2009 Toyota Star Maker (country music’s equivalent to Australian Idol, and released his debut album, Wild Heart†in August 2009. The album earned Liam a finalist placement in the 2010 CMAA Country Music Awards Of Australia in the New Talent Of The Year†category. Wild Heart†has produced two Top Ten video clips on The Country Music Channel and Top Ten singles.
The Sunny Cowgirls and Liam Brew tonight at Highfields Cultural Centre – doors open at 7.30pm, show starts at 8pm – Liam is on first.
The Toowoomba regional community is invited to a FREE Family Fun Day this Sunday, 30th October at the Milne Bay Aquatic & Fitness Centre, to help raise the awareness of the need to take a stance against all forms of violence and to culminate Family Week 2011 celebrations.
The Toowoomba Says No to Violence (TSN2V) family event, from 3.00pm – 7.00pm, includes FREE ENTRY to Milne Bay Aquatic & Fitness Centre, Entertainment with James Anderson, Crazy Candles, Outdoor/Indoor Inflatable slide, Balloon Twisting, Face Painting, Food, lots of Family Fun PLUS FREE on the Village Green across the road at 7.00pm, the fun family movie ‘Gnomeo & Juliet’. With the generous support of the Toowoomba Regional Council TSN2V has been able to arrange this wonderful family fun day at NO COST to families.
The ‘Toowoomba Says NO to Violence’ committee has planned this day of family fun to make a statement about the need to reduce violence. Whether it be domestic violence, street violence, sexual violence or violence against children, the message will be made clear. Toowoomba says NO!! Â
This family fun day also will bring together community champions of Toowoomba to promote that violence is preventable and not inevitable.