Valentines Day 2020 saw ninety plus singers from the Eastern Region barbershop community, abandon their Valentines in favour of a weekend away with their singing mates at the Catalina Conference Centre. This historic facility started its life as a hospital attached to the wartime Catalina Flying Boat Base at Rathmines on the shores of the beautiful Lake Macquarie about 90 minutes drive north of Sydney.

The centre was bursting at the seams with the sell-out crowd of our ninety or so delegates and faculty utilising the facility to its fullest.
 

Jono pondering a heavy question during the wrap-up session. L to R Keiran O'Dea, Jono Albertini, Vicki Dwyer, Gareth Hearne & Rob Sequeira.
(Russell Bailey was already wending his way home to Wollongong)

The faculty was made up of four noteworthy trainers from within our region plus two highly respected "imported" trainers.

The full faculty was made up of :
Rob Sequeira (Vox Canvas)
Vicki Dwyer (Sydney Harmony & Circular Keys)
Jono Albertini (The Blenders)
Kieran O'Dea (Adelaide Vocal Union)
Gareth Hearne (Sydney Harmony)
Russell Bailey (Wollongong Mens Barbershop Chorus)   



 

Jono has our undivided attention!!

The action packed program, which was deftly arranged by Vicki Dwyer,  started immediately after dinner on the Friday night and did not let up until we said our farewells after lunch on the following Sunday. The only thing lacking for the entire weekend was sleep!!









The highlight of this annual ER event was the Showcase Concert held at the Wangi Wangi Workers Club on the Saturday night. Around twelve quartets and six choruses performed to a highly enthusiastic audience of one hundred and fifty or so paying guests plus our delegates. The finale brought the house down when all the ninety+ delegates crowded onto the risers to perform to two selected songs for the weekend, I still call Australia Home, conducted by Vicki Dwyer and Put your arms around me, Conducted by Keiran O'Dea.   A memorable night indeed!.

No write-up of this event would be complete without acknowledging the huge personal effort put into it by our new Eastern Region President, Stuart Adey and his wife Beth. Stuart was the go-to man for virtually everything from arranging the venue, making sure everyone had a bed and providing all the catering for the weekend. Stuart was ably backed up by his mates from Soundwaves, but without Stuart's involvement, the event would, at very least, cost significantly more than the modest registration fee charged.     

Well done and thanks Stuart, SoundWaves and all those who worked thanklessly behind the scenes to make this such a great weekend. 

Dick Bushell