The Magic of Movies

Saturday 17th May 2025 at 2pm

Church of Christ Kenmore Community Centre
41, Brookfield Rd. Kenmore
Adults $30, Concessions $26, Students $12 and under 5 free
Book on line: trybooking.com/COGSX, or Call Maree 3378 2384, and tickets also available at the door if not previously sold out. 

Saturday 31st May 2025 at 2pm

Redcliffe Entertainment Centre, Downs St, Redcliffe
Tickets $38, Concessions $35, Student $25, Group bookings available
For Bookings, please phone 3283 0407 or visit redcliffeentertainmentcentre.com.au or at the door

The Brisbane City Pops Orchestra is thrilled to be performing again at Kenmore on the 17^th and the Redcliffe Entertainment Centre on 31^st May. It promises to be a fantastic program as we present The Magic of Movies! You will be treated to some of the most magnificent and memorable movie music ever composed and we have chosen a wide variety of pieces to showcase.

The orchestra will be presenting a wonderful arrangement of favorites from South Pacific, a Classic American musical by Rodgers and Hammerstein, which was released as a movie in 1958. Some of the pieces will include the beautiful love song Some Enchanted Evening, the lively There is Nothin’ Like a Dame, the mystical and romantic Bali Ha’i and the very passionate song I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair!

As a contrast, we will feature the amazing music of Pirates of the Caribbean (by Klaus Badett), which contributed significantly to the film’s swashbuckling and adventurous atmosphere, using percussion and brass to capture the energy of pirate life.

The BCPO will also perform a medley of music from the film Apollo 13 (by James Horner). This music played an important role in helping to build the tension in this dramatic film and was nominated for an Academy Award.

We will also be paying tribute to two famous composers who have each contributed many amazing works for films. A Tribute to Henry Mancini will showcase some of his most popular pieces, such as the cheerful and quirky Baby Elephant Walk (from Hatari), the haunting theme from Charade (which starred Cary Grant and Kathryn Hepburn), the iconic Pink Panther music and the high energy theme of Peter Gunn, a television series. What an incredible list!

In addition, we will play A Tribute to John Williams, the absolute master of movie music, renowned for his lush orchestral scores and unforgettable melodies. The medley will include the dramatic music of Star Wars, the menacing Jaws theme, the heroic Superman anthem, the mystical tones of Harry Potter, and who can forget the iconic ET Theme?

We are also excited to be presenting the very beautiful Overture from Beauty and the Beast (music by Alan Menken). You will also be treated to the acclaimed theme of Dances With Wolves (music by John Barry) and the unforgettable Swan Lake by Tchaikovsky, which featured in the movie Black Swan.

As well as all the amazing orchestral works in this program, we are thrilled to welcome two extremely talented guest artists to perform- Ashleigh Denning and Prisca Widjaja.

Ashleigh is a dynamic and captivating performer, with more than 20 years’ experience in performing. She graduated as a recipient of the Award for Excellence for her Bachelor of Musical Theatre (2016) at the Qld Conservatorium of Music, where she continued to complete a Master of Music Studies: Voice Pedagogy in 2021.

Ashleigh has been very involved in the Brisbane Musical Theatre scene for a number of years, creating some new and exciting works. She has also worked with the Qld Symphony Orchestra and last year hosted the QSO’s Music on Sundays Concerts. Her many appearances include the Lord Mayor’s Christmas Carols, Opera in the Gardens, alongside the 7 Sopranos, as well as the Underground Opera Company’s West End to Broadway Seasons, to name but a few!

Andrew Robinson (Conductor)

Former resident conductor of the St Lucia Orchestra (now BCPO), Andrew Robinson has conducted many of the leading orchestras in Australia and the US. Winner of the ABC- Westfield Young Conductor of the Year award in 1997, he was Assistant Conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra from 1998-2001, performing with the orchestra at the Hollywood Bowl and Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. He has also conducted performances at the New York City Ballet and with numerous other American orchestras, as well as working with the Los Angeles Master Chorale. In Australia, he has appeared with the Queensland Symphony, the Tasmanian Symphony, the Melbourne Symphony, the Canberra Symphony, the State Orchestra of Victoria, and the Pacific Chamber Orchestra, among numerous others. From 2007-2012 he led the Queensland Philanthropic Orchestra, a charitable music project that raised nearly $40,000 for Queensland medical research.  

An experienced music educator, Andrew served from 2000-2002 on the conducting faculty at the University of Southern California, one of the premier music schools in the US. He was Music Director of the inaugural Auckland Philharmonia Summer School in 2000, and from 2003-2008 held the same position with the Young Conservatorium Symphony at Griffith University. 

Andrew first studied flute at the Canberra School of Music before turning to conducting. In 1998 he was selected as one of three young conductors from around the world to perform in Carnegie Hall at the inaugural Carnegie Hall Conductor’s Workshop, and subsequently was a Conducting Fellow at the Tanglewood Music Festival in Massachusetts. An accomplished flautist, Andrew won the 7 th Australian Flute Competition in 1995, and continues to perform occasionally around Brisbane. He qualified as an optometrist in 2006 and is now a partner in private practice in Bardon.

 

Ashleigh Denning (Guest artist)

Ashleigh Denning is a dynamic and captivating performer, boasting more than 20 years experience in live performance. She graduated as a recipient of the Award for Excellence for her Bachelor of Musical Theatre (2016) at the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University; where she continued on to complete a Master of Music Studies: Vocal Pedagogy (2021). Her involvement in the Brisbane Musical Theatre scene has afforded her the opportunity to create new and exciting Australian works; including A Very Theatre Company’s Genesis (Metro Arts, 2019) and the sell-out premier of Don’t Call Me Ishmael: The Musical (2018). In the same year, Ashleigh’s engagement with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra began, in their 2018 production of The Magic Watering Can. Since then, she has returned annually as the effervescent “Izzy the Elf” in Symphonic Santa performances (2019, 2021, 2022) and (with only slightly less ‘Izzy’ energy) brought to life the vocal arrangements of Paul Rissman’s orchestral adaptation of Leon and the Space Between (2023, 2024) and delighted audiences in the prestigious Musical Theatre Gala (2023). This year, she steps into the sought-after role of hosting the QSO’s Music on Sundays performances, as well as numerous regional tours. 

Ashleigh is a regular guest entertainer on P&O Cruises with her band, CopperTop — whose funk & jazz- inspired renditions of popular songs, combined with Ashleigh’s unrivalled passion for story-telling, make them crowd favourites both at sea and on land. Although, not limited by genre, the young diva has entertained crowds at the Lord Mayor’s Christmas Carols (2019, 2020), Bleach Festival (2020), Opera in the Gardens (2019, 2020) and Outback Queensland Masters (2019, 2020), alongside the fabulous ladies of the 7 Sopranos and entertained countless audiences during her many years as resident Soprano for the Underground Opera Company’s West End to Broadway Seasons. She is sought after event singer for weddings, private functions and gala events in Queensland and interstate — performing regularly for The IndOz Festival, The Lord Mayor’s Multicultural Awards & Business Awards, Royal Queensland Arts Society, QCWA and the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show, to name a few. 

As a teacher, Ashleigh utilises her extensive training in voice to help others find theirs. She has travelled across Australia with Theatre in Education companies such as Gibber Australia and Perform! Education; spent countless hours with finger puppets as an early childcare music teacher; and continues to work alongside budding performers as a vocal teacher in schools and privately. 

Prisca Widjaja (Violin)

Prisca Widjaja, a pianist and violinist, began her musical journey at three. She earned LMus and AMus distinctions in 2013 and has performed at various events, including weddings and conferences. With a Bachelor's in Medical Imaging (2016), a Bachelor of Music (2018), and a Graduate Diploma in Medical Sonography (2021), she currently works as a Radiographer/Sonographer at Wesley Hospital. As a part-time music teacher, she remains dedicated to sharing her passion for music. Prisca's performances have been featured at notable events such as the Lord Mayor's Multicultural Awards, Westpac, and Singapore Airlines. She also founded Designs by Prisca, a non-profit supporting education for underprivileged children in Indonesia's remote areas. Prisca remains devoted to sharing her love for music, ensuring no moment in her life gets wasted.