McCaffery Family Christmas concert

Kicking off the festive season, The McCaffery Family will present their annual Christmas concert at the Wesley of Warragul on Friday night.
Titled "With a Little Help From My Friends", this year's concert has deep heart and strong community roots.
After a year that brought personal challenges for members of the Renaissance Revival Orchestra, including the loss of loved ones and difficult battles with cancer, the concert has taken on special significance.
"This year reminded many of us how much we rely on the people around us," conductor Malcolm McCaffery said. "Music is where we gather and support each other. This concert honours the friends who helped us get through."
The program will include a wide range of styles including baroque concertos, traditional carols, Beatles favourites and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber.
A key highlight will be the world premiere of "Awake Christmas Morning", a new work by local composer Hannah Comrie-Weston, performed by the Renaissance Revival Orchestra.
The concert continues the McCaffery Family's tradition of combining top-tier professional performers with local musicians.
Australian-based Irish horn player Caity Erin will team up with exceptional Melbourne horn player Mitchel Casey to perform Telemann's Concerto for Two Horns in E-flat.
Saxophonist Niels Bijl will perform Marcello's Oboe Concerto in D minor on soprano saxophone.
UK harpist Vanessa McKeand who has performed for sultans, kings and prime ministers and now at Melbourne's Windsor Hotel afternoon teas - will present a program of harp music.
Melbourne cellist Ben Nicholson will perform Saint-Saëns' "The Swan". Geoff Urquhart, organist at Wesley Melbourne, will perform on both harpsichord and pipe organ.
International touring artist Samuel Thomas-Holland, known as The Dramatic Tenor or The Busking Opera Singer will perform selections from Les Misérables, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Puccini and more and soprano Emma Gardner will perform Webber's "Think of Me" with full orchestra.
The orchestra will be conducted by Malcolm McCaffery, with Jayne Neilson serving as concertmaster.
Two local choirs also will be featured. The West Gippsland Youth Choir, now 18 singers strong, will present several works. They will perform alongside the West Gippsland Community Choir, who will lead the audience in a traditional Christmas carol sing-along.
A charming highlight of the evening will see eight-year-old cello super-fan and choir member Ollie Pennycuik join the orchestra for "Joy to the World".
The "With a Little Help From My Friends" performance is designed to be more than a concert. It invites the Warragul community to gather, reflect and celebrate the friendships and creative partnerships that help people through difficult times.
The concert will be held at the Wesley of Warragul on Friday from 7:30pm to 9:30pm. Tickets are available to purchase online at https://www.trybooking.com/DHJBW