News from the Dante Musica Viva Choir

News from the Dante Musica Viva Choir

The first five months of 2018 have seen our popular Dante Musica Viva (DMV) choir giving a number of performances but also enjoying itself. In February it gave a concert at the National Multicultural Festival as it does every year; in March it was ready to sing at the annual picnic of the Fogolar Furlan but bad weather stopped it from doing so; in mid April on a freezing grey day it gave a brave performance at the annual Italian motoring show Auto Italia at Pialligo Estate; on 27 May it sang at the Italian Cultural Centre as part of the Italian community’s celebrations for Italy’s national day; on 4 June it sang for Covenant Palliative Day Care at a church in Cook; and on 14 June it gave a one-hour concert for residents and friends/family at the aged-care facility Villaggio Sant’Antonio in Page.

But on 26 April we let our hair down and had a party to farewell our adorable mandolinist Louise Ibbotson who, having passed the 80 years’ mark, found that she could no longer fit in choir rehearsals and performances given her husband’s high care needs. Louise had been with us for some 12 years ie almost since DMV’s foundation. She was an inspiration not only musically but also for her joie de vivre, sense of humour and fitness. This is evident from the photos. We farewelled her with plenty of love and good wishes and we know she will miss us as much as we’ll miss her!

The second half of the year will be equally busy, with highlights being a two-hour concert in support of the new Italo-Australian Community Services organisation on 1 July, and a concert in Yass (Maisie’s ‘Spring Love’ concert) on 27 October involving a local choir and three Canberra-based choirs including ours.

Yvette Devlin