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.

The man, the land, the book and the song

The only known likeness of Pemulwuy, c.1801

It all started when my friend Louise mentioned that she had been on a chilly walk to the Pemulwuy shops today. The name sounded familiar, but it was a name and nothing more.

When I went to Belmont Public School in the 1950s and 60s, we did hear about Bennelong and we learnt about the local Awabakal tribe, but that was about it.

I'm guessing that the children of the 21st century would know that Pemulwuy was The Rainbow Warrior, a brave man who didn't take the arrival of the European boat people lying down.

If they were at all curious, they would also discover so easily that because the city of Sydney is built on his land, his name has been given to a Sydney suburb near Greystanes, and that he is the subject of a stirring novel by Eric Willmot, which inspired Paul Jarman's moving choral piece.

The linked articles from The Australian Dictionary of Biography are fascinating, as is the current Pemulwuy entry in Wikipedia. Matilda Media and See Pictures intend to produce a feature film, telling the story of Pemulwuy's battle for his people.

If you would like to read about Jarman's song, please scroll down this link to an article the composer has written about two of his compositions. The article gives musical examples, the story of the work's creation and also the lyrics which you might like to read through as you listen to this thrilling performance of the song by 500 male voices in the Voices of Birralee concert finale in the Queensland Performing Arts Centre in  2011.