Mitchell Young Pirates?

Captain Stevenson, Angie LeChuck and Daft Petey

Another great musical devised by Mitchell Young Voices director, Michelle Griffin was enjoyed by an enthusiastic audience last weekend at All Saints Cathedral. As I entered the hall, I was greeted by three exotic characters, who also looked strangely familiar. There was something about Captain Stevenson, Angie Lechuck and Daft Petey that made me think I'd met them before.

As it turned out, I had never previously met the good captain, but when he's not a pirate who doesn't do anything he is Geoff Griffin, the father of musician, teacher, composer and conductor Michelle Griffin.

Angie is Mitchell Conservatorium's Cindy Fox and Daft Petey is talented actor, radio announcer and musician Ryan Fitch.

These three narrated the story, creating a suitable introduction and conclusion to the program.

Kathy Powell is not just the mother of talented Mitchell Conservatorium students Courtney, Timothy and Luke Powell, but is also a great singer and the perfect person to play the part of the evil Miss Elizabeth Black, who makes the orphaned children drink a nasty concoction of Brimstone and Treacle ... or tries to.

Mad Cap'n George

Michelle Griffin makes a grand entrance as the Mad Cap'n George singing Gilbert and Sullivan's Oh, Better Far To Live and Die and gave an excellent impression of a pirate who is one wave short of a shipwreck.
She cleverly kept in character through the whole proceedings: even when handing out prizes for the best-dressed pirate.

I enjoyed hearing the pirate orphans singing Paul Jarman's songs Find The Way Home and Far Away Our Home. You may remember Paul as the composer of the moving song, Pemulwuy

Does this map really lead to buried treasure?

Mitchell Young Voices provides a great way for young people to enjoy music through participating in singing, dancing and acting. If you'd like to be part of their next production, please ring Mitchell Conservatorium during office hours on 6331 6622 to find out about rehearsal times.

All Guitar Program at Mitchell Con

Aaron Hopper and Fretworx

Yesterday, I only knew the names of two of the people in the photo above. But the power of social media has changed all that! From left to right, we have Andrew Dean, Emily Foster, director of  Fretworx, Aaron Hopper, Tim Burrey, Melissa McKinnon and Kiaran Bryant, performing two of  Aaron's beautiful compositions in a concert at Mitchell Conservatorium yesterday.

It was an all-guitar concert, which provided an opportunity for Tim Burrey to present his A Mus A program, but it also included a wide variety of guitar styles.

Heath Auchinachie

Heath Auchinachie, of Ilford, began the concert with Drifting, an intriguing piece by Canadian composer Andy McKee. Heath has referred us to an extremely popular clip of the composer himself playing the piece.

Tim Burrey 

Tim Burrey played a program of music that was written by composers who lived between the sixteenth and twentieth centuries.  He showed he was as comfortable playing a Domenico Scarlatti sonata, Milonga Del Angel by Astor Piazzolla, a John Dowland piece or a suite of three pieces by Federico Moreno Torroba.


Tim's first teacher, Georg Mertens, played Villa-Lobos' popular first prelude, Albeniz's Asturias and a Fernando Sor piece.


The concert was warmly received by an enthusiastic audience of supporters. All funds raised from the sale of tickets were donated to Central West Care. We were interested to hear of their innovative programs from its director, Richard Ulbricht at the beginning of the concert.