A Noosa Chorale audience at the J on Saturday clapped and cheered and although, admittedly, the applause may have seemed a bit restrained, it was completely heartfelt.
They had just heard the choir perform Welsh composer Sir Karl Jenkins’ confronting modern mass for peace, The Armed Man.
Video footage of the brutality and savagery of war and the abiding message of hope for a peaceful future were a backdrop to conductor Kim Kirkman bringing home his singers in a masterly performance from the opening Hymn Before Action to the final movement Better Is Peace.
Guest soloist Touqir Alam sang the Adhan (Muslim Call to Prayer) which is the second movement in the work. It was accompanied by video footage of people from many lands and faiths at prayer. Chorale singers Paige Allen, Belinda Griffiths, Debbie Boyles, Brenton Lovett, Jonathan Anstock and John Davies also had solo parts.
Violinist Chrissy Davis led the 19-strong Orchestra Ensemble and the cello solo by Frankie O’Connor and crashing timpani of Jason Connors and Zac Douglas in the Benedictus were only two soaring moments of an orchestra in fine form.
The audience was “warmed up” for The Armed Man with a first half of five relatively peaceful and gentle works starting with the Agnus Dei – Missa De Angelis, a plainsong from the Gregorian chant period. Particularly moving was the cello solo of Jesse Martin in the Jewish work Kol Nidrei.
Photographer Ann Milland, whose photographs appear on this page, has been attending Chorale concerts for more than 20 years. Her comment: “Perfect, just perfect. The Armed Man is a challenge but this concert was one of the choir’s best.”
