Rhythmos Chior
CURTIN University’s Rhythmos Choir wowed about 90 people at the Clipper Inn on Saturday night.
And so did 18-year-old local singer Ellen Melton, who is now studying contemporary music at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts.
Ella was a late inclusion on the program program, when it seemed Rhythmos’ musical offering would be very short. But her contribution was a welcome change of pace.
As it turned out, Rhythmos shook the mothballs off some of its old songs and debuted one new one so had a reasonable-length program afterall.
And the choir’s creator and musical director, engineering academic Dr Jonathan Paxman, was there to steer the singer through a widely varied program.
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Rae Heston and Dr Johnathon Paxman
Rhythmos’ harmonies — tacked onto modern music by the likes of Cold Play, Sia and Ed Sheehan — wowed the audience. There was even some choreography to add visual interest to the musical feast. And who would have guessed that the Lord’s Prayer could be such an up-tempo, foot-tapping piece? Baba Yetu — the Lord’s Prayer in Swahili — was composed by Christopher Tin as the theme song for the 2005 video game Civilization IV. When re-released in Tin's debut album Calling All Dawns, it was performed by the Soweto Gospel Choir. It was he first piece of video game music to be nominated for (and to win) a Grammy Award.
Event organiser Rae Heston received a rueful text message from one lady who had booked and paid for two tickets. “I am so sorry that (husband) and I didn't get to hear the choir. We were all dressed and sat to watch the news as it was too early to go. Both fell asleep. (Husband) woke up at 10 pm — too late to wake me to go then — he let me sleep on in my chair. I woke up at 3am.I hope it was a success and so sorry we missed it.”
The concert raised more than $700, which will help someone or some worthy cause, as well as being a great cultural event.
Arts and innovations committee president Laurie Smith commented the concert was another artistic event “would not have happened without Rotary”.
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Ella Melton