If you’re of a certain age, you can probably sing or at least hum the tune of the old German folk song, the “Happy Wanderer” …
When I was in Year 12, for a brief time I joined a youth choir in Brisbane known as the Happy Wanderers. The choir had been going for about 20 years by that stage, and many members went on to sing in the Queensland Youth Choir when the conductor from my time, Robert Clark, started that.
My journey to being a happy wanderer began when I saw a notice in the local paper advertising for new members, and decided to audition.
To my surprise, another girl from my school had the same idea! We’d been best friends in Year 9 and had shared a love of singing … so not surprising really that we both turned up.
Cathy was an alto, while I was placed in the second or mezzo soprano section (there was some debate about putting me in the soprano area but I was more comfortable in the mezzo range). We did lots of harmony work which I loved.
We performed at retirement villages and community events, including on the balcony of Brisbane City Hall for Anzac Day, and also at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music.
I was disappointed that I could only perform the first half of the concert at the Con – I’d torn all my ligaments in my left leg not long before, and was on crutches. I could manage okay in the first half – but in the second half we had a bit of choreography which meant I couldn’t join in.
I was probably only in the choir for a maximum of 6 months due to my family circumstances (ie a mother who was a bit of a nut case).
Upon joining, I was excited to learn the choir was set to go on a concert tour over the Easter break, in New South Wales – mostly in the Blue Mountains (near Sydney) and Nambucca Heads on the Central Coast. I loved performing, plus I’d never been that far south before and it was a bonus to get away from home for a couple of weeks!
Grandma was put to work sewing one of my new uniforms – a white blouse and blue shiny skirt. This was my favourite, we also had two other uniforms which were quite dated – a ghastly yellow long tunic with no sleeves, and a cord around the waist; and a turquoise top with white crocheted edges, worn with white trousers. (Well, that was the girls anyway. I don’t really remember what the male versions were!)
Not surprisingly, the girls far outnumbered the boys in the choir – most of us were between the ages of 11 and 25 with the bulk in their mid teens.
Rehearsals were held a couple of times a week – at least one weeknight, and a Saturday morning. Yes, I actually gave up the luxury of a weekend sleep in for the privilege of being in the choir!
My mum was her usual supportive self (huge snort of sarcasm here) and I was on my own when it came to getting to practice, which was held at a hall in Bonney Avenue in Clayfield, several suburbs away. I managed to get a lift for the evening practices, and got the train on a Saturday.
I was billeted with a lovely family in Springwood in the Blue Mountains, though when I first met them I was overwhelmed and feeling very teary. I’d been quite bus sick on the way down (travelled all through the night, don’t think anybody got much sleep), and it was all strange and new. They gave me cheese sandwiches for lunch and I loathe that sort of cheese – “slimy” cheese as I called it – but I ate them without complaint. Some of the other kids were billeted in pairs and I wished that I could have been one of them.
But the family with their young son and daughter were so kind to me, and when they learned I’d never been to Sydney insisted on taking me to see the Opera House, Harbour Bridge, and historic Rocks area.
I don’t remember where we performed there, but after a few days we got back on the bus and headed to Nambucca Heads. This time I was billeted with another girl and we were with an older lady. I remember being on the waterfront on the rocks, and going to somewhere like the RSL to do our concert … and that’s about it.
It was pretty much my first real adventure away from home and I relished every moment of it.
As for the songs?! I had to learn the whole repertoire and be word-perfect in a matter of weeks to be eligible to go on the tour.
Here are just a few of the songs I remember singing with the choir:
- “Michelle” by the Beatles
- “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen
- “Tea for Two”
- “Ma! (He’s Making Eyes at Me)”
- “Lulu’s Back in Town”
- “You’ll Never Walk Alone”
- “Abide with Me”
- “Amazing Grace”
- “Hello Dolly”
- “Everything’s Coming up Roses”
- “The Rhythm of Life”
- Oh, and of course the “Happy Wanderer” – val-da-ri, val-da-ra, val-da-ri, val-da-ra-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha …
I remember auditioning for a solo and failing miserably because we were given the sheet music a week before, so we could prepare – but they might as well have given me Egyptian hieroglyphics for all that it meant to me. This was long before the days of the internet so I had NO idea of how it should have been sung and could only try based on hearing a couple of other girls try out!
So what got me reminiscing about my time in the Happy Wanderers? I recently got a phone call from another former member – she’d found me via one little mention of the choir on this very blog. There are plans afoot to organise a bit of a history of the choir, possibly even a reunion!
Sharing my memories here is my little contribution to the project 🙂 .
If you remember the Happy Wanderers or were even a member, feel free to comment with your memories below!
