Mentone Public Subscription Library: An Author for All Seasons

Friend and fellow storyteller, Julia Reichstein is a great supporter of oral storytelling and the Storytelling Guild (Vic).

Julia has been the organiser behind the series of talks based at the Mentone Library: An Author for All Seasons. In a fine bit of planning, I was booked months ago, for November to coincide with the racing season.

Mentone has a strong history of racing and gambling; there was time when many properties housed thoroughbreds and horses could be seen working out on the the sandy tracks and swimming in the Bay not to mention the sly two-up games hidden in the tea-tree scrub. In 1947 Tom Woodcock moved into the area and kept a stable.

So ... thanks to Julia I had a chance to spruik my book Phar Lap the wonderhorse (available in all good bookshops, Museum Victoria and on line).

Pictured is Julia hosting An author for All Seasons. A more relaxed and welcoming mc you will not find anywhere.

Story mates, Beth Cregan and Matteo rocked up and as we are normally separated by water (Port Phillip Bay and the Yarra River) and freeways, it was wonderful to catch up face to face.

Buy a copy of Phar Lap the wonderhorse here

The Oral the Written and other Verbal Media. 12 to 14 December 2011

Hosted by Victoria University, the Oral, the Written and Other Verbal Media (OWOVM) Conference on Poetics and Discourse will be held in Melbourne, Australia from 12 to 14 December 2011.

With the theme of ‘Testimony, Witness, Authority: the politics and poetics of experience’, the conference brings together practitioners and researchers in a forum to explore the variety of ways experience is reproduced and cultures built through oral, written and other verbal media.

To be held at Victoria University’s city campus in Australia’s cultural capital, Melbourne, the 2011 conference will feature language, voice and text from scholars, composers and performers.

I'll be presenting at the conference alongside Michael Hyde and Christine-Martin McDonald in a sessional called Tellable Stories.

See the program here.

The Big West Festival Big Sing

Last night I was flying! It was the opening of the big West Festival.

With 200 other voices, I stomped and clapped my way through four hip hop numbers. We were the backing vocals for MASSIVE the only hip hop choir in Australia.

Behind us was the Maribyrnong River and on the other side, the grand stand at Flemington Racecourse rose up to the sky.

A storyteller is always on the scout for a good tale to tell. This is a story of folk coming together and celebrating life - full throated, full bodied, and full spirited. Looking at at the crowd it occurred to me that the word 'multiculture' may now be old hat. Somehow this word suggests a mosaic made up of difference. Last night was certainly multilingual and multicoloured but the overwhelming feel was simply of one community celebrating together. Time for a new word perhaps? Or maybe this is what the word the means ... hmm.. beautiful ...

This pic was taken from the stage. Standing squeezed up against my fellow sopranos, I held my camera up high and clicked.

Getting ready for the BIg West Festival 2011

How much fun have we had re - rehearsing Tango Tangents for the Big West!! We've been hard at it all day and this what it looked like in my sun room.

That's Faye Bendrups (keyboard), Alison Richards (vocals), Dave Evans (accordion) and Guillermo Anad (viola).

How lucky am I to have these wonderful people making music in my home!

Bookings: Tango Tangents: November 16 The Big West

The Village Festival Saturday 5. Edinburgh Gardens. Kamishibai

Under the elm trees in the Edinburgh Gardens, 30 degrees and blowing a light northerly.

I have told stories for several years now at this festival and this is the busiest I have ever been.

At midday, on the knocker, I had a full mat of children ready for stories. Apart from quick survival breaks I was talking and singing for over 4 hours. Lucky for the vocal chords of steel.

The Kamishibai was very popular - I over heard one adult fellow talking about the 'amazing wooden box'. The simplicity of the kamishibai seems to be invisible when the story casts its spell.

And here's a pic of the Famous Village Dog Show.

Only in inner suburban Melbourne could such a bizarre event have gained such popularity. It's hysterical and what's more the dogs seem to have a ball!

Keeping Books Alive. Conference. 26 November 2011

click to enlarge poster

Children's Charity Network and the Australian Children's Literary Board Seminar.

A professional development seminar designed to inform and inspire secondary and primary teachers, librarians and those interested in promoting literacy.

Speakers include Michael Salmon, Meredith Costain, Phil Kettle and Gabrielle Wang and many others.

I will be there telling stories. My mantra for those who don't already know: Before there were books, there were stories. Oral storytelling is connected to the book like blossom to fruit.

Features of the day include many prizes, gourmet catering, great ideas to implement at the work-place, latest news and availability of presenters, handouts, signings and lively discussion.

Registration fee: $110

Please direct all enquiries to:

Rob Leonard

Ph (03) 5282 8950

Fax: (03) 4206 7811

Email: rob@ozkids.com.au