Carols On
The Riverbank
Our Slovenian Choir was delighted to be asked for a return performance at the SA Brewing / Clipsal Riverbank choral night. The performance was held on December 23, 1998, between 7.30pm-8.30pm.

Prior to commencing our one hour program we joined in with the acclaimed Australian Youth Choir for a song near the end of their set. I had visited the office of the Australian Youth Choir that afternoon to tie up the joint choir performance and found out that the Youth Choir’s new South Australian Manager has a Slovenian background. Her name is Natalie Plajbes. Perhaps some of our readers may know the Plajbes family.

The evening of December 23 was quite warm, but in the valley by the water where the stage for the singers was mounted it was pleasant indeed. The Slovenian Choir put in a splendid performance of Slovenian songs and, given the language versatility of the members, Silent Night was sung in five languages - English (all), French (Emil Borlak), German (Ivan Benc, Emil Borlak, Veronika Ferfolja), Italian (all) and Slovenian (all). Veronica Ferfolja gave her all and sung marvellously in her powerful soprano voice a new song which Rosemary Poklar (words) and I (music) had written called Child Of Peace. The lyrics to this song follow.

Thank you to the many people of the Slovenian community who came to this memorable night and thank you to all the members of our Slovenian Choir for performing and taking our songs to the wider community. The appreciation was highly evident on the night. 
Adrian Vatovec 

CHILD OF PEACE
words by Rosemary Poklar

The birth of Christ draws ever nigh, God's promise to fulfill. 
It speaks of hope and faithfulness, of peace and of goodwill.
Fulfilment of the promise rests not only with the Lord.
It's up to us to do our part, else it's all for naught.
The Child of Peace will come, the Christ Child will come, 
Open wide your hearts and he will surely come.

We look around our world today, at our reality. 
And wonder where are hope and peace, goodwill, humanity.
Seems dark o'ershadows all that's good, but goodness can be found.
It's all around us, wake and see, an experience so profound.
The Child of Peace will come, the Child of Hope will come,
Open wide your hearts and he will surely come.

As Christ's birth draws closer still, remember with your hearts.
It's not just now but all year round that we can do our part.
If we but keep Him in our hearts, the whole year all around, 
Imagine what we all would find, the world turned upside down!
The Child of Peace will come, the Christ Child will come,
Open wide your hearts and he will surely come.
The Child of Peace will come, the Child of Hope will come,
Open wide your hearts and he will surely come.
(Inaugural performance at SA Brewing / Clipsal Riverbank Christmas Display Choir Night, December 23, 1998.)

NEW YEAR’S EVE 
 
Dolls made and donated for a special New Year’s Eve Raffle by Jana Mezek.

By all reports, this year’s New Year’s Eve Celebration was surprisingly and wonderfully successful. The tables with their floating candles, the entrance lobby filled with red, silver, gold and white helium balloons, and the main hall netting masses of coloured balloons released at the stroke of midnight.

The guests dined on a selection of foods at the smorgasbord, painstakingly prepared by committee and friends. The presentation of the food was unsurpassed; the aim of the committee to ensure an evening with a difference included baked snapper, veal tonnato, rack-of-lamb, roast pork, turkey rolls, marinated chicken schnitzel, spiced leg ham, delicious goulash as well as other traditional dishes and a selection of fabulous salads. A scrumptious array of cakes was served to each table with bottomless tea and coffee. Reduced prices of bottled alcohol ensured a merry evening.

Many families with young children celebrated the coming of the New Year with friends and relatives. Children as young as one year were delightful to see (a sight not seen for many years). Perhaps something is changing!  The music got livelier as the night progressed, until 3.00pm in-fact, when weary members decided they could dance no more. SREČNO NOVO LETO!
Sonja Zabolocki

AUSTRALIA DAY GRAND PARADE 1999
This year, the South Australian Slovenian community was represented at the Australia Day Parade by the Slovenian Choir. One of 70 groups, the Slovenian Choir and our children in costumes made their way from Torrens Parade Ground
(following a flag-raising ceremony) along King William Street to Victoria Square where a cake-cutting ceremony marked the end of the parade...yet another choir appearance at a significant event celebrating the Slovenian cultural identity in South Australia organised by Adrian and Irene Vatovec. (photos and write-up to be featured in the next issue of Slovenia South Australia.)
Patricia Leš