DRMC Community

28 June 2007

Love to sing? The Dandenong Ranges Music Council needs YOU!
Are you free on weekdays?
Do you like singing, but would rather not join a choir?
Do you enjoy interacting with the elderly?
Can you give your time to bring a smile to someone’s face?

Then you are just what the Dandenong Ranges Music Council needs!! Our very successful group, the Happy Wanderers, has been brightening the day of many folk across the region through song. These ladies are so popular; they are unable to keep up with the demand, so a new group, with its own identity, is being established to help ease the pressure.

The Happy Wanderers visit 2 – 3 nursing homes and hostels a week, where they sing to and with the residents. The members are volunteers, whose love of singing brought them together, as well as a fierce desire to spread the joy of participating in music through the community. The Happy Wanderers average 160 performances a year, and were the recipients of the Shire of Yarra Ranges Australia Day award in 2004 for Community Groups.

You might be a stay at home mum with school age children, you could be recently retired, maybe even a part time worker looking for something different to do on your day off – whoever you are, the DRMC is looking for you!

A morning tea for all interested people is being held on Monday 20th August, 10.30am at the Dandenong Ranges Music Council, Community Music Centre, on the grounds of Upwey High School, 1451 Burwood Hwy, Upwey. To register your interest, please call the DRMC on 9754 6566 by Wednesday 15th August.

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For more information, or to arrange a photo shoot, please contact Sharon on 9754 6566 or 0425 849 264.

28 May 2007

Calling all composers, songwriters, arrangers – WE NEED YOU!!!
The Dandenong Ranges Music Council has a long history of providing opportunities for musicians of all interests to participate in music making activities, and now it’s the composer/songwriters turn.

Following the huge success of the Composer – Connecting – Community project in 2006, where schoolchildren and local musicians had the chance to meet and work with composer Dr. Calvin Bowman, a “real live” composer, the DRMC is seeking all the other composers/ songwriters/arrangers in the community.

Says Sharon Batterham, Arts Administrator with the DRMC: “We know that they are out there, some already established, with others emerging and possibly in need of contact with other composer/songwriters. The DRMC wants to hold a forum to look at the needs of composers – we are keen to communicate with anyone who might be interested in this venture.”

If you are a composer, songwriter or arranger, and would like to find out more information about a possible music writers forum, please contact the DRMC on 9754 6566 or email drmc@drmc.org.au

PDF version

For more information, or to organise a photo shoot , call Sharon on 9754 6566 (Monday and Wednesday)

2 May 2007

Special guest Dr. Calvin Bowman
The Dandenong Ranges Music Council invites the public to a special Afternoon Tea and Concert to present the Bill Borthwick Young Musicians Encouragement Prize, and the Ann and Chris Krans Music Award.

These awards, decided in an audition held in November 2006, recognise excellence and potential in young musicians. The Borthwick award, which is sponsored by the Upwey and District Bendigo Bank, will be presented to David Wang, with equal second place going to Matthew Zupan and David Athan. The Krans award will be received by Conrad Olsen, with the runner up prize going to Michael Byrne.

The Afternoon will include performances by the prize winners, and will also acknowledge the participation of Dr. Calvin Bowman in the DRMC’s recent Composer-Connecting-Community project.

Dr. Bowman composed a series of sings based on C.J.Dennis’ poetry for children, as well as pieces for strings and adult choir.

The Afternoon Tea will take place on Sunday 20th May at 2.00pm, at the Community Music Centre, located on the grounds of Upwey High School, 1451 Burwood Hwy, Upwey 3160.

PDF version

For more information please contact Bev or Sharon on 9754 6566

17 April 2007

What community music will be next in the ranges?
The community already has orchestras, big band, choirs, rock bands. youth music awards, Celtic fiddles, and country music. There's a great group with ATTITUDE learning computer music at the Community Music Centre at Upwey High School. The Dandenong Ranges Music Council wants to hear from people if all ages and abilities who want to make music, start a new group or develop a music or performing arts project. It has been suggested that there is a need for professional musicians, composers or music teachers living in the shire to meet socially for discussion or playing. Others have suggested linking local poets and composers to create new work.

For more information please contact the DRMC on 9754 6566

20 March 2007

The Dandenong Ranges Music Council will be rocking to the sound of country music beats, when the Outer Eastern Country Music Club holds their monthly get together on Sunday 1st April 2007
All country music enthusiasts are invited to get their cowboy boots on, dust off their microphones, and come and join in the fun from 1pm to 3pm. This family friendly, no alcohol event takes place in the DRMC’s Community Music Centre, situated in the grounds of Upwey High School, 1451 Burwood Hwy, Upwey 3158
This monthly event has become a firm favourite with all boot-scooting, country singing, guitar playing country music fans from far and wide. Everyone is invited to come along, either to perform with a live band, or just to watch the fun

For more information about this fantastic afternoon, or to arrange a photo shoot please contact Tina on 9758 9165 or Karen on 0406361210

The Dandenong Ranges Music Council is ready to get off to a musical start in 2007, with several groups set to make even more beautiful music
The Dandenong Ranges Orchestra, after a very successful year in 2006, is planning more fantastic concerts in 2007, and will maintain its policy of no auditions – just come and play. For more information, contact John on 9755 1561
The Ranges Young Strings is planning to expand the number of groups offered to include a chamber string group and a junior string program. In addition, there are scholarships available for students interested in learning the cello, double bass or viola. For more information, contact Rosie on 9754 8060
Other groups looking forward to an exciting year are the Hilltops Singers, Dr Swing Big Band, Singularity choir and rock group Dead Set. The DRMC is also thrilled to be continuing its work with the elderly and disabled community, through the Happy Wanderers group and the Music for the Disabled team. The youth of the area have the activities of the Youth Music Connection (contact Kieran 9753 6234), and the new Circus Folk (contact Rochelle 9753 6234), to become involved in, while those who enjoy a jam session without the electric side are invited to take part in a regular over 30’s acoustic jam (contact Carol 9752 5679)
The Dandenong Ranges Music Council is also looking forward to the development of many exciting community music projects over the coming year. Starting the ball rolling is the Country Music Club gathering on Sunday 4th February, at the Community Music Centre, Burwood Hwy, Upwey, from 1pm. After a successful launch in 2006, the Country Music Club is ready to go and invites all fans of country music to come along and join in the fun. Contact Tina on 9758 9165 or Karen on 9801 2761 for more information
It will be a big year for all those involved at the DRMC – anyone wanting to be a part of it can call 9754 6566 and start making music

For any information, or a photo shoot, please contact Sharon on 0425 849 264

19 September 2007

The Dandenong Ranges Music Council is thrilled to announce that applications for participation in the Ann and Chris Krans Music Award and the Bill Borthwick Prize are now open.

This year, the DRMC has introduced a special award for Brass and Woodwind players, to encourage them in their musical pursuits.

The Ann and Chris Krans Music Award is for musicians 18 years and under, and was instituted by the Krans family as a memorial to both Ann and Chris Krans and their love of music. It is suitable for young musicians who have passed Grade 6 AMEB or equivalent and are intending to be professional musicians, either as performers or educators.

The category for musicians 14 years and under, The Bill Borthwick Encouragement Prize, is aimed at encouraging a love of music, and honours the memory of the Hon. Bill Borthwick, who was patron of the Dandenong Ranges Music Council from 1980 to 2001. Applicants must have a minimum of two years training or Grade 3 AMEB or equivalent. This prize, in its seventh year, is sponsored by the Upwey, Belgrave, Cockatoo/Gembrook Community Bank Branches of the Bendigo Bank.

The selection of recipients of the awards will take place on Sunday 11th November at the Community Music Centre, located on the grounds of Upwey High School, 1451 Burwood Highway, Upwey 3158. An afternoon tea will be held on Sunday 25th May 2008, to present the awards and hear the prize winners perform.

Applications close October 22nd 2007.

	Borthwick Prize
	Ann and Chris Krans Award

For more information, please contact Sharon on 9754 6566, or email drmc@drmc.org.au