Adam Chamber Music Festival Jan 26- Feb 10 Media Release
Discovering the Adam Chamber Music Festival, set in Nelson's acoustically perfect School of Music, the lofty Nelson
Cathedral and in charming churches and vineyards around Nelson and Marlborough, is like stumbling on a fabulous little
restaurant that you are almost reluctant to talk about for fear it will be overrun and lose its character. But with this
year's programme (January 26th - February 10th) causing gasps among the chamber music cognoscenti (and bookings to all
19 concerts from some major fans) we feel it is only fair to put the word out about this gem of a festival.
Festival manager Ro Cambridge says, now in its ninth season, there are several factors that come together to make the
Adam festival special. "The setting in Nelson with its sunshine and wine attracts people and the overseas musicians love
this festival as a break from the northern winter - they stay in an enclave of heritage cottages and the festival now
has a reputation that draws top international talent."
This year includes one of the world's best viola players, Nobuko Imai; Canadian clarinet player James Campbell - a
classical musician who's also a jazz player; the New Zealand String Quartet, the New Zealand String Trio, the
Michelangelo String Quartet, pianists Dierdre Irons and Peter Nagy from Hungary. The six international musicians join 21
New Zealand musicians and play together in a variety of ensembles.
Ms Cambridge said there are some other treats that are not strictly Œchamber' music. "Deborah Wai Kapohe is singing her
own compositions for voice and guitar, there is a bit of fun with the Musical Island Boys - the Wellington group that
won the collegiate section of the International Barbershop Convention last year in the US and Saxcess a four piece
jazz-classical crossover ensemble." Ms Cambridge said the Adam Chamber Music Festival drew over half of its concert
goers from out of town and helped to put Nelson on the map as a cultural centre.
"The festival has an accessible style that makes it a great way to discover both the classic and the contemporary on the
chamber music spectrum," she said. "The programme offers 19 concerts and 4 master classes. One concert is already sold
out and others are nearing capacity." Programmes available at usual outlets or at www.music.org.nz Bookings at Ticketek or Everyman Records in Nelson. More info Ro Cambridge
ENDS