Five talented Bathurst musicians are set to lead a bumper evening of entertainment to raise funds for an award recognising the finest youth artists in the community.
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The Rhapsody in Blue concert, scheduled for Saturday, September 21 at the Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre [BMEC], will serve as a major fundraiser for the Bathurst Youth Arts Award, presented on Australia Day each year.
The concert will be presented by the Bathurst City and RSL Concert Band in conjunction with the Bathurst Arts Council.
2018 Youth Arts Award recipient Anna McPhail will serve as one of the featured solo performers at the event, alongside Hamish McIntyre, Mitchell James, George Sargent and Emma Warburton.
McPhail said she's looking forward to lending her piano expertise to the event.
"It's always fun to perform with a band and it never fails to bring a smile to my face," she said.
"I wouldn't feel complete without the piano, and the instrument has certainly shaped my personality."
For her solo piece, McPhail will perform 'The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba,' a baroque composition by George Frideric Handel.
Meanwhile, McIntyre will perform a solo clarinet part on 'Rhapsody in Blue,' the George Gershwin jazz piece of which the event is named after.
"It's a great jazz piece and I'm looking forward to starting it off," he said.
"I liken clarinet to video games in the sense that it's a great escape from boredom and performing live is such a thrilling experience."
In addition to performing vocal duties on a classic Frank Sinatra number, Sargent will assume the role of master of ceremonies [MC] for the event.
Sargent said the event will be a fantastic showcase of Bathurst's burgeoning local musicians.
"It's important for a regional city such as Bathurst to have an avenue providing assistance for young artists to further their creative careers," he said.
"Bathurst's music scene is in a very strong position, and there's so many young artists who are eager to put themselves out there."
Tickets for the Rhapsody in Blue concert cost $75 and are available online from bmec.com.au.
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Sam Bolt
"I'm not in the business of telling people what to do. I'm much more in the business of describing things, situations and stuff like that and leaving them out there, and you can make up your minds about them." -Nick Cave
"I'm not in the business of telling people what to do. I'm much more in the business of describing things, situations and stuff like that and leaving them out there, and you can make up your minds about them." -Nick Cave
