*Performance Back in the pioneering days of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), it was so exciting for a fourteen-year-old boy (me!) to listen to the lead-up to an imminent launch from Cape Canaveral. The jargon they used was fascinating – “Roger, Mercury 3”; “Copy that, Control”; “T minus 20 and Counting”; and, most exciting of all, “We are Go for Launch”. Then the countdown, and “We have lift-off” (never “Blast-off – that was strictly science fiction m

I wonder if dear old Will Shakespeare had any idea, when he penned that famous, immortal question in Romeo and Juliet, just how useful and universal it would become. “What’s in a name?”, indeed! Well, it's the name of Oriana’s next concert outing, for one thing. But why a song book, and why an Oriana songbook? And what exactly is a songbook? Of course, the generally accepted definition of the word is a collection of song lyrics, with or without the sheet music, in some so

It’s been a long time coming – in fact no-one knew it was coming at all, until a very short time ago. But here we are. Oriana is delighted to announce that our second season for 2026, titled An Oriana Songbook, has been compiled, and will be conducted by, our founder, Daniel Calder, as guest Seasonal Music Director. Ten years ago, after having established Oriana, and over a period of ten years developed it into an award-winning choral ensemble of international standard, Dan

If you weren’t at Matthew Flinders Performance Centre on Sunday, March 22; or at The J in Noosa on Saturday, March 28; then you missed out on something that was really, well … Something! For, on those dates, the Coast’s own acclaimed, accomplished and excellent Oriana Choir presented Pop Royalty . Following the runaway success of the past 2 years’ Dancing Queen , showcasing the music of ABBA and Queen; and The Piano Men , celebrating the glories of Elton John and Billy Joel

Sunday afternoon at Matthew Flinders Performance Centre saw a fabulous show put on by Oriana Choir. Pop Royalty , featuring pop music classics by some of Pop Music’s greatest performers, was a triumph. It was a joyous feast for the ears, the eyes, and the souls of the near capacity audience, who clapped, cheered and sang along with gusto. The much acclaimed and highly accomplished Oriana Choir – the Sunshine Coast’s very own world-class vocal ensemble – together with the ma