Our Activities
- Monthly Club Nights
- Newport Bush Orchestra
- Newport Community Choir
- Music Workshops
- Bush Dances
- Folk Festival
- Breizoz on Thursdays
- Performers at Community Events
Monthly Club Nights
The monthly club nights began in August 2004 and continue as our core activity. They are friendly and informal evenings for all lovers of folk music, folk singing and folk dancing. Actually for all music lovers generally as the nights tend to be very eclectic with a mix of fiddle tunes, swing, jazz, folk classics, popular music and a bit of poetry and storytelling too. All are welcome. Bring along an instrument or just come and enjoy the music at 7:30pm on the last Friday of each month ( see calendar ).
Entry is $5 or $3 for NFFC members, children and students.
Newport Bush Orchestra
The Newport Bush Orchestra has been running since early 2006. Under the leadership of local musician Greg O'Leary, the Orchestra has developed an impressive reportoire of Australian traditonal tunes. New members are always welcome. The Orchestra performs regularly at the Newport Fiddle and Folk Club.
The Newport Bush Orchestra runs on a number of principles that make it different from a ‘classical’ orchestra:
- All musicians, of all ages, are welcome, whether experienced or just starting out
- There is no written music - all the tunes are learned by ear
- Any musical instrument is welcome, but traditionally ‘bush instruments’ are used, e.g. fiddle, guitar, tin whistle, mandolin, bass, washboard, accordion, banjo, stick and black kettle...etc
- The repertoire consists of traditional Australian dance tunes
Download sheet music for the entire reportoire as at February 2007
Download sets list
Conductor
Greg O'Leary is a professional musician who has played with many folk and bush bands. He has also worked as a music teacher in schools. The success of a bush orchestra Greg led in 2004 with the Ringwood Folk Club inspired the Newport Fiddle and Folk Club to have a go too, and with some funding support from the Australian Folk Life Fund, the Newport Bush Orchestra was born.
As a conductor Greg has the ability to coach and encourage beginning musicians while inspiring more experienced musicians with his encyclopaedic musical knowledge. Every tune has a story and Greg seems to know them all. His infectious enthusiasm unites a group of disparate musicians and instruments into an accomplished orchestra.When and Where
Monday evenings 7:30 - 9:30pm. Terms usually the same as school terms, see Calendar for exact dates.
Venue:
Outlets Neighbourhood House
43 Mason St Newport
Enquiries
Michael Stewart
Phone: (03) 9399 4466
Thanks
- Victorian Folklife Fund for initial funding to get the orchestra going
- Outlets Co-operative Neighbourhood House for auspicing and providing a home for the orchestra
Newport Community Choir
Choirs are springing up all over Melbourne and Newport is no exception. The Newport Community Choir started up in October 2008 and has been going strong since then, rehearsing regularly and performing at local venues.
Everyone Welcome
Come along, join us and experience the fun of singing with others in a supportive environment. There are no auditions, just join in and have a go! There is a place in this choir for everyone – whether you have a little experience as a singer, a lot or none at all. We perform regularly at the NFFC club nights.
Choir Leader:
Alan Davies
Since first joining a choir ten years ago, Alan has sung in choirs large and small and has led singing workshops for schools and festivals. Along with his musical skills, Alan has developed a passion for choral singing and a firm belief that singing is for everyone.
Repertoire
The 2009 repertoire includes:
- Bonsoir - A beautiful and haunting French round
- Canaan's Land - An old 'shape-note' hymn with unusual timing and harmonies
- Dona Nobis Pacem - A round in Latin, meaning "Give us peace".
- Shut De Door - A lively Gospel song
- All Night, Swing Low Quodlibet - You have to come along to find out what this means!
- Dimna Juda Mamo - Tales of an evil wood-nymph from Macedonia
- Sinje-Nje-Nje - A traditional Zulu hymn
- Stay With Me - A beautiful Taizé hymn in 4 parts.
When and Where
Wednesday evenings 7:30 - 9:00pm.
Our terms are generally the same as school terms.
See calendar for details.
Venue: Newport Baptist Church, 26 Mason St Newport.
(We are in the church itself, not in the hall.)
Cost
$88 for a 10-week term. Not sure? Come along for a free try-out session. If you like it, pay for the rest of the term at $10 per session.
A limited number of concessional places is available at the reduced cost of $44 per term. These places are available to:
- Pensioners
- Full-time students
- Health-care card holders
Please note, we can't guarantee that a concessional place will be available. Concessional places are allocated on a 'first come, first served' basis. Concessional places are offered for the choir only, not for other NFFC activities.
More Information
Call Alan Davies on 9391 1103, or
Music Workshops
In 2009 the NFFC ran a series of 5 workshops.
Another series will run at around the same time of year in 2010:
- Guitar Workshop with Peter Baylor - Sat 21 February
- Irish Fiddle with Sean Kenan - Sat 9 May
- Comedy Writing with Gary Adams - Thursday 28 May (7:30)
- Mandolin with Bruce Williams - Sat 16 May
- African Dance with Suzanne 'Mzuri' Watts Sat 13 June
Contact us for more information.
Breizoz Thursdays
Two NFFC members - Greg Hammond and Simon Leverton - have teamed up with Breizoz Crêperie in Williamstown to create a monthly acoustic music event in the wonderful atmosphere of Breizoz's live music venue - a former chapel at the back of the building.
Every month they present a 'headline' performer with local support acts.
Bush Dances
The NFFC and Friends of Newport Lakes organise an annual Bush Dance at Newport Lakes Park. The 2009 Bush Dance will take place on Sunday 15 March, 4-7pm.
Folk Festival
Our second Folk Festival was a huge success. For reports and photos, see our blog, or if you want to see what you missed, the 2009 program is still available.
Performers at Community Events
NFFC musicians pop up at festivals, fetes, celebrations and concerts from Williamstown to Colbinabbin and beyond. See our Calendar for what's on.