Sunshine Coasts Oriana Choir’s Piano Men wow coast audiences

By Erle Levey

In a display that Billy Joel and Elton John would have been proud of, the Sunshine Coast’s Oriana Choir showed resilience as well as professionalism with their opening performance of The Piano Men.

After the disappointment of a postponed presentation of the music from these two popular music icons at Matthew Flinders Performance Centre in Buderim due to wet weather, Oriana’s singers and musicians were determined that the concerts at The J in Noosa would be something special.

And they delivered in spades, with two performances of The Piano Men: The Music of Billy Joel and Elton John to sell-out houses.

The 60-strong choir, plus Oriana Band and voices of Sunshine Coast Youth Choir thrilled and delighted their audiences with two hours of polished and vibrant renditions of the greatest hits and favourites from these giants of piano-driven popular music.

The opening number, which could not have been anything but Billy Joel’s signature Piano Man, really set the scene, with an instantly recognisable rendition of the classic song that defined the program, and established an air of expectancy that did not disappoint. The audience was captive from the outset.

I’m Still Standing and It’s Still Rock’n’Roll to Me followed - both great, high-energy numbers that were superbly delivered.

From then on, the show was a continuous parade of universally loved songs, presented in a well-balanced mix of full choir and solo performances. 

The entire program, including all the choreography, was conceived and put together by the talented Elisabeth Wallis Gaedtke.

Not only did she choose the songs but decided which numbers would best suit a choral arrangement, and which would be more appropriate as solo performances. Then, with unerring accuracy, she matched soloist with song, and in every instance, the match was just right.

Every solo performer was utterly convincing in the delivery of their song. And Elisabeth’s sequencing of the songs gave the program its own internal logic which felt natural, and inherently satisfying.

The singers were more than ably supported by the Oriana Band, a hand-picked ensemble of excellent players, led by piano maestro Scott Gaedtke.

They consistently provided an excellent and faithful re-creation of each song’s original arrangement, while remaining uniquely themselves, supporting choristers and soloists alike with strength, subtlety and sensitivity. 

There were so many highlights in this wonderful show that it almost seems unfair to single any out at the expense of the others. Yet mention has to be made of Oriana’s incomparable a cappella singing, which shone in beautiful renditions of Billy Joel’s ballad And So It Goes and Lullaby.

The men of Oriana had a ball delivering For the Longest Time and an exhilarating Uptown Girl.

The quartet’s Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word was a marvel of harmonic blending and emotional connection, and the Sunshine Coast Youth Choir delighted with I Just Can’t Wait to be King from The Lion King.

They joined Oriana for the finale, a medley of Elton John classics, from Rocket Man to Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me.

A Noosa audience member summed it up: “How can Oriana top last year’s performance of Dancing Queen?

“Well, you did. It was a fabulous evening. We loved every minute.”

If the frequency and volume of the applause at the Noosa performances are any sort of guide, this sentiment was universal.

The Piano Men has surely been one of Oriana’s finest moments.

If you missed seeing this marvellous show, there are still seats available for the rescheduled performance at Matthew Flinders Performance Centre on Saturday, April 26, at 2pm.

However, early bookings are advised as, after the sold-out Noosa performances, this one is sure to go the same way.

For bookings and information, go to www.oriana.org.au