(Left-Right) Ian Jobling, Noosa Chorale President Kay Cartwright, bass Jim Fagan and Dawn Fraser. [Photo: Ian Jobling, Noosa Chorale]
By Philip Barker
ISOH member Ian Jobling has organised the “Spirit of Olympia” a concert which is set to take place on May 28th and 29th at the “J” Theatre in Noosa Heads, Queensland.
Jobling, Olympic studies director at the University of Queensland, now sings as a tenor for the Noosa Chorale. He hopes the concert will capture “the joy, the beauty, the glorious music of the Olympic Games since 1896.”
Swimming legend Dawn Fraser is set to make an appearance on stage. She has been appointed special ambassador for the concert and told the local Noosa News “To me, music like this brings back a lot of memories. When you are at the Olympics you hear the music but, because you are concentrating on your sport, it goes out of your head. To have it all brought back to me is marvellous.”
During rehearsal for the concert, choristers have had to observe ‘social distancing’.
The programme is set to include the Olympic hymn, written by Corfiot composer Spiros Samaras and first performed at the 1896 Athens Games. It will also feature selections from Chariots of Fire to mark Paris 1924 and a setting of “Be Still my Soul” by Jean Sibelius, known to be Eric Liddell’s favourite hymn. Music will also include “One Moment in Time” a Whitney Houston track closely associated with the 1988 Seoul Olympics and tracks composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber for the 1992 Barcelona Games.
Images of famous Olympic moments will be projected on giant screens during the performances.
The concert was originally scheduled for last year but postponed as a result of the pandemic.
The Choir will be joined for the performance by an orchestra conducted by Noosa Chorale music director Adrian King.
“Because of the pandemic, last year was barren and arid. That’s why every singer without exception is so pleased that at last we can all come together, make music and sing our hearts out.” King told Noosa News. There will also be guest performances by soprano Judit Molnar and tenor David Kidd.
“The Chorale’s initiative is certainly promoting the Olympic spirit in a most unique way.” said Australian Olympic Committee Chief Executive Matt Carroll.
The late Karl Lennartz organised an evening of Olympic music in Cologne back in 2008, but Jobling believes that this will be the first such concert on this scale.
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