Welcome

Latest News

Sinfonia Donates funds raised from 20th Anniversary concert

Sinfonia Celebrates and Donates to Local Firies and Farmers

On 24th November, 2019, Sinfonia MNC held its Twentieth Anniversary Concert in the Manning Entertainment Centre. It was an afternoon of much joy, good music, and fun. Our Conductor, Iain Pole, led the orchestra superbly, nowhere more effectively than during the solo performances of three of our past scholarship winners, Jara Stinson, Abi French and Lindsay Kaul. We were so pleased that so many of our past proteges attended to play and to wish us well – Jonathan Billingham and Don Secomb OAM deserving particular mention for giving up their own gigs!
Our long time collaborators, Kantabile Chamber Choir and Company of Voices appeared with us for performances of Verdi’s Chorus of The Hebrew Slaves and The Anvil Chorus. We even had a real anvil – pounded very professionally by one of our newest recruits, Tanya Berry. Our Inaugural President, Leigh Vaughan OAM led the orchestra and the combined choirs to a standing ovation. No local production would be complete without the ABC’s incomparable Cameron Marshall and he was indeed our compere (he would find a joke in there somewhere).
But there was also a serious side to the festivities. Apart from celebrating our longevity, in this time of climactic terrors and dangers, hardship and calamities, we decided we must give back to our community, not only through the gift of music, but through actual donations of hard cash. So many have lost so much and there is no end in sight. We set aside $10 from each ticket sold - $5 for the Rural Fire Services and $5 to drought relief. We also set up donation buckets in the foyer of the MEC and “sold” our programmes for a donation. We were overwhelmed by people’s generosity. Even those who were stretched themselves managed to drop in a little “something”. And that “something” added up to quite a lot – just under $4,000 collected from the buckets and through ticket sales.
Where did we donate? Rainbow Flat Rural Fire Service lost its fire station and of course all its contents to the flames so it was our choice to receive our RFS donation. Elizabeth Berry, our President, contacted the Captain of the Brigade, Robert Derbyshire, to arrange the handover of a cheque for $2,250. The Rainbow Flat crew will be able to put this money to good use in restoring their rural fire station to its usual condition of fully equipped readiness.
We all know that the fires are not the only problem in our beautiful Manning Valley. The drought is badly affecting our farmers, perhaps not quite as calamitously as in some places further west, but we at Sinfonia all believe that we must first of all support those who have supported us in the past. Taree Lions, which has previously donated to Sinfonia, is currently coordinating financial (and other) donations to our local farmers, so it was obvious that we should give our cheque for $1,725 to them for onwards distribution. Our Treasurer, Peter Macfarlane did the honours for this with Taree Lions President, George Greaves.
We hope all of you who attended and donated will be pleased to learn of this happy outcome. Come to visit us on www.sinfoniamnc.com.au to find out more about us and to check for our 2020 concerts. We look forward to seeing you all again next year. We wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year – with rain!

Elizabeth Berry, President of Sinfonia, hands our cheque to Captain Robert Derbyshire of Rainbow Flat Rural Fire Service, beside the tranquil Manning River.

Join Friends of Sinfonia - Click Here

Annie Van Breukelen -
Flying High with Sinfonia

Our Sinfonia Community mourns the passing of a Favourite Musician - Annie Van Breukelen
Juen Van Hand, our past Concert Master, had these words to say about her Mother.
“Annie was born in Amsterdam in 1923. She died peacefully in Queensland during the evening of August 16, 2019.
Annie had a musical upbringing, playing the piano from a young age. However, that wasn’t enough to satisfy her. At the age of 37 she learnt to play the violin, following an ardent adult pursuit. This remained her major musical love for the rest of her life.
During the ten years we all lived on the mid north coast, Annie payed regularly with my string ensembles as well as with Sinfonia. These musical performances were her greatest joy, apart, of course, from her love for her family and her fur friends.
Sadly Annie’s declining eyesight and mobility dictated an end, at 93 years of age, to her playing involvement, which was very hard for her to relinquish. The musical friendships she had made in Sinfonia remained in her heart, despite no longer living locally.
However, Annie never gave up playing, and gave a few small recitals at the nursing home, even in the last year of her life, playing from memory as her eyesight was no longer reliable.
I am so grateful that Annie had her musical memories and experiences to draw upon in the difficulties of the last year of her long and creative life.”
We at Sinfonia all join with Juen in celebrating our friendship with Annie Van Breukelen.
Elizabeth Berry - President

Welcome to Sinfonia MNC. This vibrant regional community orchestra aims to cultivate music appreciation, and music playing in our region.

Our orchestra of the mid north coast, draws its players from all ages (currently 13-93 years) from the wider communities of Gloucester, Great Lakes, Taree & Port Macquarie.

Sinfonia's regular repertoire extends across many genres including classical, jazz and popular. This variety, plus Sinfonia's performance standards make our concerts a most enjoyable and entertaining experience for our audiences. Local choirs, including high school choirs, soloists, and other community musical groups are often featured with the orchestra at its concerts, highlighting the talents in our own communities.

New Rehearsal Venue
Valley Industries - Skills For Life
5-9 Elizabeth St, Taree
12.30 - 4.00pm

Read about our musicians.
Introducing
Bob Clunas