By Taylah Eastwell
A series of charity concerts set to benefit a number of Hills community organisations will take place over coming months.
The Dandenong Ranges Music Council’s 2021 Recession Charity Concerts aims to showcase home-grown talent over a number of performances, with entry being by any comfortable donation.
The concerts will feature 50 minutes of chamber music and around 10 minutes of singing, both solo and with the piano, at the Dandenong Ranges Music Council headquarters at Upwey High School.
The first concert is scheduled for Sunday 6 June, where composer and singer, Jacqui Rutten, will be performing.
“The first concert features quintet and songs about nature which I am singing,” Ms Rutten said.
“One of the fun things for me in terms of the performances is I am performing my own compositions on the spot in real time composition,” she said.
Another of Ms Rutten’s compositions, titled Sherbrooke and Emerald Nature Sketches, comprises of “little snippets of composed notes based on sitting down in nature in the edge of Sherbrooke Forest”.
Ms Rutten said all donations will be going to different Dandenong Ranges organisations, with funds raised from the first concert going to a shelter for women and children experiencing homelessness.
Other recipients include Foothills Community Care and Dandenong Ranges Emergency Relief Service
“I think the concert is helping a great cause, and the cause is also music itself because it is affordable high quality, low cost entertainment,” Ms Rutten said.
Other concert dates are 1 August, 5 September, and 5 December.
The concerts are sponsored by Yarra Ranges Council. All donations are welcome.
