Festive carols ring out at alternative concert

Rotary Club organises livestreamed event

On Sunday, it should have been a celebratory scene at the Punchbowl at Virginia Lake, with big choirs, soloists and Brass Whanganui entertaining an outdoor crowd with Carols by Candlelight.

There should have been people having picnics on the grass, then, holding their lyrics sheets in one hand and a lit candle in the other, singing into the evening with brass and choir accompaniment.

Whanganui’s Covid red light designation brought that long-standing tradition to a halt, but Shaun Hogan, of Rotary Club of Wanganui North, stepped up and organised an alternative.

On Sunday night, at the Cleveland Funeral Home chapel, a hand-picked choir and a reduced version of Brass Whanganui, with compere Jonathon Greenwell, played and sang traditional Christmas carols while being livestreamed to the Rotary North page on Facebook.

The occasion used Cleveland’s livestreaming facilities, with camera and equipment manned by fatherand-son team Craig and Rhys Cleveland.

Fourteen singers and about the same number of brass musicians, conducted by Bruce Jellyman, filled the chapel with music, while every word spoken or sung was translated into New Zealand Sign Language by NZSL interpreters, sisters Tarsha and Bernadette Cutelli.

The evening was introduced by Jonathon and the night began uptempo with Jingle Bell Rock.

As it is traditionally a charity event, the Facebook page had a link to a Givealittle page for people to donate and let Rotary do the charity work they do so well. The video of the evening’s carols and the link to the Givealittle page remain in place.

Included in the evening’s festivities were the Whanganui Mayor Hamish McDouall, and a certain gentleman in a red-and-white suit.

Also present were Rotary Club of Wanganui North president John Tindle, and Rotary district governor Marion Johnston. Many Rotarians also filled seats in the choir and the band.

In this time of uncertainty around public events, it was a fitting alternative and a fine evening of music and song.

Photos / Paul Brooks The choir in full song at the livestreamed carols evening.

The Cleveland technical department, Craig (standing) and Rhys.

His Worship the Mayor, Hamish McDouall, waits in the wings.

Compere Jonathon Greenwell keeps a special chair warm.

Carols as seen through the Cleveland chapel window.

Bruce Jellyman and Brass Whanganui.