News

Songs at the Silos echoes throughout Rochester

By Lua Ikenasio

Mar 10, 2026

Following its successful launch last year, Songs at the Silos made its return with more than 600 people gathering to enjoy an evening of music on Saturday, March 7.

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While the show kicked off at 6pm, guests began arriving from as early as 4pm to find the perfect spot to set up their seats.

This year, Opera Australia singers Adam Miller, Eleanor Blythman and Michael Lapiña returned to sing alongside Stephen Coutts, Vanessa Heidi, Julia Allsop, Sasha Pokryshevsky and Alex Lapiña from the Rotary Club of Music Makers.

Rochester's own Evie Scoble also took to the stage on the night, impressing guests with her professionalism and vocal range.

Alex Lapina serenades one of the guests. Photo by Lua Ikenasio

Organiser Heather Watson said the event was well received by attendees.

“The feedback has been amazing, everyone had such a good time ... and loved the singers,” she said.

“It was amazing the number of people who came up to me after ... and said, while different songs were on, how it related back to them and how they had tears in their eyes.”

Adam Miller returned this year for the Songs at the Silos second event. Photo by Lua Ikenasio

The evening received strong support from Rotary, with representatives from 18 clubs across the region in attendance.

Rotary District 9800 Governor Peter Shepheard also served as the evening’s master of ceremonies.

Attendees enjoyed a wide range of songs from popular musicals, films and operas, including At Last I See The Light from Tangled, All I Ask of You from The Phantom of the Opera, If I Were a Rich Man from Fiddler On The Roof and Let It Go from Frozen.

The performers also came together to sing classics such as Amigos Para Siempre, which was the theme song of the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, Libiamo from La Traviata and Time to Say Goodbye by Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman.

Evie Scoble bridged the two acts, performing Dive by Olivia Dean, Paramore’s The Only Exception, Fields of Gold by Eva Cassidy and All I Want by Olivia Rodrigo.

The Rochester Lions Club, Rotary Club, Mum and Me Coffee and Rochester 1st Scouts Group were on site to provide food and drinks on the night.

Evie Scoble had the crowd enthralled. Photo by Lua Ikenasio

Mrs Watson said it was wonderful to see the community come together for the evening.

“It was just good to have so many people there,” she said.

“That's the idea of the night — for people to come together, enjoy themselves and just catch up with people they haven't seen for a while.

“It was just amazing, everybody coming out, and it wasn’t just the ones who were there, there were wee people all over town who could hear it.”

Michael Lapina and Julia Allsop perform ‘The Prayer’ by Andrea Bocelli and Celine Dion. Photo by Lua Ikenasio

More than $2500 was also raised by the Rotary Club during the event and will be donated to the Longwood and Harcourt communities to support recovery efforts following bushfires earlier this year.