Golden Memories

Friday 18th August 2023 at 7pm

St Paschal’s Catholic Church
30 Warraba Ave, Wavell Heights 
$35 (including light supper)
Bookings:- 3359 0239  or  493 636 632  or tickets at the door if not previously sold out

Saturday 9th Septermber 2023, 2pm

Church of Christ Kenmore Community Centre
41, Brookfield Rd. Kenmore
Adults $30, Concessions $26, Students $12, Children < 5 yrs free.
Bookings:- Try Bookings: trybooking.com/CKIYL or ring Maree 3378 2384 or Tickets at the door if not sold out previously
Free parking and program - café open for lunch/tea/coffee/cake

As part of the Brisbane City Pops Orchestra’s 50th Anniversary celebrations, we are excited to present our September concert entitled “Golden Memories.” This program is full of some of our favourite and most memorable pieces, so prepare to be thoroughly entertained!
The orchestra will perform the very beautiful Fantasia on Greensleeves by Vaughan Williams, the well-known Intermezzo by Mascagni and the unforgettable and sublime Nimrod from the Enigma Variations by Elgar.
As well, the strings will delight you with their performance of the wonderful melody and harmonies of Palladio by Karl Jenkins, while our brass will wow you with the very regal Prince of Denmark March (Trumpet Voluntary) by Clarke and the fabulous and versatile clarinet will feature in Golden Wedding by Gabriel Marie.
The BCPO is delighted to present a very talented Brisbane soprano, Gabrielle Diaz as our guest artist for this concert. Gabrielle has completed a Bachelor of Music in Performance as well as a Master of Music (Vocal Pedagogy) from the Qld Conservatorium of Music and has had extensive performance experience in productions at the Conservatorium, as well as for Opera Qld and has appeared with the well-known group, Seven Sopranos.

Gabrielle will perform two of the most-loved soprano solos- Vilia by Lehar and O My Beloved Father by Puccini, and will have your feet tapping to the lively When I Hear That Gypsy Music!
As if all that is not enough, the orchestra will also be performing one of Ron Hanmer’s fantastic medleys, Mancini Magic, full of pieces you know and love, as well as a medley of the both dramatic and heartfelt music from the film, Titanic. We will also have you dancing in the aisles as we present a truly memorable Salute to the Big Bands!
So please come along and join the Brisbane City Pops Orchestra in sharing a truly unforgettable and totally entertaining afternoon of Golden Memories!

Neill Flottmann (Conductor)

After studies in flute and piano at the University of Sydney, Neil Flottmann went on to a varied career as a flautist, music educator and conductor. A former member of several major Australian orchestras, including the QLD Symphony Orchestra, he has also worked as Chorus Master for the Lyric Opera of Queensland, The Australian Opera and The Canadian Opera Company. He has been at various times a member of the professional staff at the NSW State Conservatorium of Music, the QLD Conservatorium of Music and QUT lecturing in flute, musicianship, opera studies and conducting. 

In 1984 Neil was awarded the prestigious Willem van Otterloo Memorial Conducting Scholarship, leading to studies in Sydney and London with Myer Fredman and Sir Charles Mackerras. Since then he has appeared as guest conductor with the Sydney, Queensland, Melbourne and Tasmanian Symphony Orchestras, the ABC Sinfonia, the Queensland Philharmonic Orchestra and the Australian Ballet. Neil has conducted thirteen seasons for the Queensland Ballet including the widely acclaimed Australian premiere of Peter Maxwell- Davies; Salome in 1986 and Francois Klaus’s 1998 production of Peer Gynt. In 2010 he was a member of the creative team for the Brisbane performance of Havergal Brian’s “Gothic Symphony”. He is currently Director of Curriculum at West Moreton Anglican College.  

Gabriell Diaz (Soprano) - 9th September @ Church of Christ Kenmore Community Centre

Brisbane soprano, Gabrielle Diaz, completed her Masters of Music (Vocal Pedagogy) 2022 and a Bachelor of Music in Performance (Classical Voice) 2020 at the Queensland Conservatorium, Griffith University, under the guidance of esteemed Lecturer in Voice and former ANATS President, Shelli Hulcombe and pedagogues Dr Ron Morris and Dr Irene Bartlett.

Gabrielle is a two time recipient of the QCGU Donald Penman Prize for Voices in Combination Award. During her time at the Conservatorium, Gabrielle performed the role of Musetta in scenes from Puccini’s La Bohème and has also had the pleasure of performing the roles of The Spirit (Dido and Aeneas) and Javotte (Manon). In 2018, she premiered the role of The Ghost of Veronica’s Innocence in Paul Dean’s opera Dry River Run. 

Gabrielle had her performance debut with Opera Queensland in 2021, performing in the chorus of Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro, directed by Patrick Nolan, and is engaged as a member of the Seven Soprano’s, with performance highlights including Brisbane Festival Street Serenades and UQ Bloom Festival, Opera by the Lakes. More recently, Gabrielle had her principal debut in Opera Queensland’s 2022 school’s tour in collaboration with Shake & Stir Theatre Co., performing the roles of Mimi (La Bohème) & Juniper (The Frog Prince) and performing in the chorus of La Traviata (Opera Queensland, dir Sarah Giles). Combining her love for performance and music education, Gabrielle has also worked with Opera Queensland singing the role of Princess Pamina in their children’s show, The Enchanted Forest.

In 2023, Gabrielle looks forward to rejoining the cast of La Boheme and F!ZZ for the Opera Queensland School’s tour, further engagements with the Seven Sopranos and Voxalis, in collaboration with Queensland Art Song Festival, and joining the Brisbane City Pops Orchestra for the first time for their Golden Memories concert.