I guess it all started with nursery rhymes followed closely by Methodist hymns.
In Grade 5, Mrs. W. H. Keith Young (did she have another name?) came to Pleasant Street State School to train a group to compete in the South Street competitions. Each member sang a line or two and if you could keep in tune, you were an alto! I’ve been an alto ever since!
Ballarat High music teacher, Miss Landt, gave us great songs to sing, our house choir won and I sang in a quartet at Speech Night. I was hooked.
Over the next years, moving around as a student, I always found somewhere to sing.
Married and moving to Maryborough, I joined CWA just so I could sing in their choir. Uniform – a black dress with a pink artificial flower pinned on the shoulder. I didn’t wear black but if to sing demanded it, so it would be.
Moving to Merbein, with toddlers in the house, it was back to the nursery rhymes but, nearing Christmas, a group joined with Mildura singers to learn and perform Handel’s ‘Messiah’ – a brand new experience.
By the time we moved to Tallangatta the children were all at school – but there was no music there. A friend and I, with four children each, started an after-school Music group, singing and playing the recorder. For fourteen years we sang – anything from the latest musical to Paddy McGinty’s Goat. We had a waiting list to get in. We had concerts and parents applauded. We made a booklet of songs and sang in the car.
A carload of us joined a singing group at Wodonga and after this finished, we decided to establish our own singing group in Tallangatta. The numbers varied from 5 to 25 but we sang, however many turned up. Our repertoire ranged from folk songs, aboriginal songs, religious songs, protest songs, to rounds. It was all unaccompanied and all for our own enjoyment. Sometimes we had a Sunday afternoon concert. At Christmas we sang at the town Carol night, occasionally at Anzac day services, but basically we just sang.
I started teaching Indonesian. The best way to teach children a language is to teach them a song but where to find the songs? We made a tape – singers from Tallangatta Primary grades 1, 2 and 3 with son Stephen, guest accompanist. We sold hundreds. We changed the tape into a CD and sold hundreds more.
In Grade 5, Mrs. W. H. Keith Young (did she have another name?) came to Pleasant Street State School to train a group to compete in the South Street competitions. Each member sang a line or two and if you could keep in tune, you were an alto! I’ve been an alto ever since!
Ballarat High music teacher, Miss Landt, gave us great songs to sing, our house choir won and I sang in a quartet at Speech Night. I was hooked.
Over the next years, moving around as a student, I always found somewhere to sing.
Married and moving to Maryborough, I joined CWA just so I could sing in their choir. Uniform – a black dress with a pink artificial flower pinned on the shoulder. I didn’t wear black but if to sing demanded it, so it would be.
Moving to Merbein, with toddlers in the house, it was back to the nursery rhymes but, nearing Christmas, a group joined with Mildura singers to learn and perform Handel’s ‘Messiah’ – a brand new experience.
By the time we moved to Tallangatta the children were all at school – but there was no music there. A friend and I, with four children each, started an after-school Music group, singing and playing the recorder. For fourteen years we sang – anything from the latest musical to Paddy McGinty’s Goat. We had a waiting list to get in. We had concerts and parents applauded. We made a booklet of songs and sang in the car.
A carload of us joined a singing group at Wodonga and after this finished, we decided to establish our own singing group in Tallangatta. The numbers varied from 5 to 25 but we sang, however many turned up. Our repertoire ranged from folk songs, aboriginal songs, religious songs, protest songs, to rounds. It was all unaccompanied and all for our own enjoyment. Sometimes we had a Sunday afternoon concert. At Christmas we sang at the town Carol night, occasionally at Anzac day services, but basically we just sang.
I started teaching Indonesian. The best way to teach children a language is to teach them a song but where to find the songs? We made a tape – singers from Tallangatta Primary grades 1, 2 and 3 with son Stephen, guest accompanist. We sold hundreds. We changed the tape into a CD and sold hundreds more.
Then I came to Benalla and found the wonderful U3A program. I haven’t missed a Thursday singing group since I joined.
Some members of that group and others from the Uniting Church made a CD of songs called ‘Peace Be With You’ for palliative care patients or people feeling lonely or depressed. We gave them away. I was part of that project and so glad to be so.
Singing for me is not an accomplishment but a joy. I didn’t realise how important it has been to me until I wrote this down.
Carmyl Winkler
August 2022
Some members of that group and others from the Uniting Church made a CD of songs called ‘Peace Be With You’ for palliative care patients or people feeling lonely or depressed. We gave them away. I was part of that project and so glad to be so.
Singing for me is not an accomplishment but a joy. I didn’t realise how important it has been to me until I wrote this down.
Carmyl Winkler
August 2022
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