Musical family Lindsay, Caroline and Janice Morehouse.
The Spring Fling Festival includes a performance by Parkes Shire Concert Band on 23rd October in celebration of Lindsay Morehouse featuring local and regional musicians.
Lindsay Morehouse (1930-2022) was an accomplished musician playing in youth orchestras in his teens. He came to Parkes in 1973 as a radio engineer for 2PK and violin/ piano teacher. In 1974 he formed Sinfonia of the West and continued to conduct and play in community orchestras until he left Parkes in 2015. Lindsay established the music store and was a record label producer.
In Lindsay’s eulogy, his daughter Caroline Chapman, said: “Dad soon gathered a group of musicians and formed the Sinfonia of the West in 1974. He never wasted any time in getting orchestras going where ever he went in Australia. In the 1970s the orchestra accompanied the M & D productions. The Sinfonia continued for around five years.
“Dad was always on hand for providing PA systems for events and set up a new records label called ‘Strad Records’. The Strad came from a magazine name that they subscribed to and is of course short for Stradivarius. One of the records that dad recorded and produced was by a local band called Acid. I had a young man track me down around five years back wanting to know if I had any copies as they now sold for over $300 on eBay. Dad was amazed at this.
“When the 35th Jazz Convention came to Forbes in 1980 he undertook the sound recording for the event. In the late 1970s we spent many happy afternoons at the Lachlan Vintage Village while Dad was installing the push button audio system which told you a story about every building.
“With 2PK being sold and part of a network, Dad could see the writing on the wall, and as we had started our music shop in the old 2PK building the previous year, he decided to retire from 2PK and work full time in the shop.
“Selling musical instruments and sheet music in Parkes was always going to be a challenge. Luckily video movie rental became popular and Dad bought 60 movies; 30 for Strad Music Centre and 30 for our store in Forbes, Hawkes Music Centre which we had recently purchased. People had an insatiable appetite for watching movies at home and our library grew to 2,000 movies and we had 20 outlets around the Central West.
“Mum and Dad were not as active in the music world over this busy time, but Dad would soon gravitate back to what he loved after Mum’s untimely death starting up an orchestra once again in the Parkes Symphony. He travelled to Orange to rehearse and play in their orchestra and spent his time helping out with community pursuits such as the Lachlan Valley Community Radio station. He also started teaching violin again. His passion was to see music and the arts grow in the region.”
Lindsay encouraged everyone to enjoy music, learn or pick up the instrument again. He organised for many other orchestras and choirs to play in Parkes.
Lindsay was a trailblazer with great tenacity for promoting and sustaining music in our community. With respect, we honour him in a free community concert on Sunday, 23rd October at the Starlight Lounge at the Parkes Services Club.
Afternoon tea and coffee will be provided. Book online to RSVP at https://events.humanitix.com/spring-fling-festival-lindsay-morehouse-memorial-concert
By Ellen Tom