Nearly 200 people attended the Mapleton Choir’s two concerts at Kureelpa Hall on June 6 and 7, with both performances playing to a full house across the weekend.
The choir, which has been performing across the Blackall Range for 43 years, drew strong audience reaction throughout the programme, according to choir president Lou Tasker. She said the response to individual songs varied for different reasons, with some pieces landing unexpectedly.
“People respond to songs for all sorts of reasons, sometimes it’s the song you didn’t expect,” Lou said.
Among the standout numbers was Africa, which closed both concerts and was staged with the choir building from the sound of rain through to crickets and thunder before the full ensemble voices came in. Handel’s Lascia Ch’io Pianga, a classical piece centred on sorrow and melody, also drew a strong response, as did the upbeat Do Wah Diddy Diddy and Amigos Para Siempre, a song about friendship that Lou said leaves the choir “almost breathless” by its finish.
The choir opened the concert with Walk With Me, performed with what musical director Brian Martin described as a gospel shuffle, before moving through a programme that mixed classical, contemporary and audience-participation pieces. Concert emcee Jo Keylar was credited with researching and introducing each song for the audience throughout both performances.
Geri Hat Tricks Bring The House Down
One of the weekend’s drawcards was The Geri Hat Tricks, a smaller group formed from within the choir’s own ranks. The group began in 2025 when several choir members decided to put together a song for one of the concerts and has continued performing at every concert since.
The name is a nod to 1960s group Gerry and the Pacemakers, chosen partly as a play on some members’ ages.
For this concert, the group rehearsed every Tuesday afternoon for around two months, performing a two-song medley of Bad Bad Leroy Brown and Joy to the World (Jeremiah Was a Bullfrog). Both songs were built around audience participation, and singers said the crowd responded by singing and clapping along from the stage.
The group is hoping to return for the choir’s October concerts.
Individual Performers Take The Stage
The programme also featured original songs performed by individual choir members, a contribution organisers said takes considerable nerve.
“It takes quite a lot of chutzpah to get up and perform as an individual, and it’s wonderful when the audience erupts with applause,” Brian said.
Audience Feedback And Behind The Scenes
Feedback after the concerts was strong, with some long-time attendees telling organisers they found the choir’s performances increasingly captivating with each passing year. One audience member, writing on the choir’s Facebook page, praised the clarity of the singing, noting that every word of the songs could be heard, and said the concert had uncovered a surprising amount of hidden talent within the group.
Pete Goodwin, the choir’s vice president, said the afternoon tea that follows each concert, when choir members move among the audience, has become one of the highlights of the event.
“There is always such joy and generosity from people, we are always leaving on a high,” he said.
Brian also paid tribute to pianist John Taylor, who marks 40 years playing for the choir this year.
The choir’s next concerts, scheduled for October 31 and November 1, will be loosely themed around rivers and roads and are expected to include several songs dedicated to John.
The Mapleton Choir rehearses every Monday night at Kureelpa Hall and has around 40 members. It performs regularly at events across Mapleton and Montville, under Brian Martin’s direction since 2024.
The choir has thanked its supporters, including MADCA and a number of donors who have chosen to remain anonymous, as well as the wider community for what organisers describe as its continued love of the music.
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