Christchurch City Choir programme for 2009

Christchurch City Choir programme for 2009

CHRISTCHURCH: Christchurch City Choir offers a rainbow selection of musical events in its 2009 programme of five concerts.

Their year starts with 300 musicians onstage for the monumental intensity that is The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace by Karl Jenkins, at the Christchurch Town Hall on 21 March.

“This is a stunning new work that has drawn massive audiences worldwide. It’s a deeply emotional plea for peace that topped the UK Classical CD charts in 2005,” Music Director Brian Law said.

“The work sets words of Hindu texts, the Koran and poems of Tennyson and Kipling within the framework of the Christian Mass to create a powerful and telling account of the terrible consequences of war, and yet kindles the hopes of mankind for peace.”

The choir will be joined by 100 singers from Christchurch secondary schools, and accompanied by Christchurch Symphony Orchestra. The soloists will be soprano Morag Atchison, mezzo Helen Medlyn, tenor Andrew Grenon, bass Ben Caukwell, treble Max McGillivrary (aged 13), and a Muezzin.

Tickets are $10 – 49 from Ticketek.

Marvellous Dame Malvina sings for Mother’s Day

The second concert is an afternoon special at ChristChurch Cathedral on Sunday 10 May, A Concert for Mother’s Day, and features Dame Malvina Major singing arias and songs by Elgar, Brahms, Hamilton and Shearing. The Cathedral’s Organ Scholar Jeremy Woodside will accompany the choir and Dame Malvina. The Cathedral seats 650 people so tickets will be in demand early for this event.

Tickets are $25.

Marching into Spring

The Choir celebrates Spring Fever with Woolston Brass on 17 October at the Christchurch Town Hall. Brian Law predicts it will be an uplifting concert of spring music that should dispel any lingering winter blues! The world class Woolston Brass always makes a huge impact in sight and sound. Choral works will be by Halley and Holman and the young 2009 Scholars will join the choir.

Tickets are $21-49.

Robust, riotous and sometimes rowdy!

The Choir is participating in The Last Night of the Proms on 7 November. This is a Christchurch Symphony Orchestra concert with a Gilbert and Sullivan themed extravaganza of dress-up, streamers, sing along and enjoyment. The topsy-turvy world of The Gondoliers, HMS Pinafore and Iolanthe will be mixed with Rule Britannia, Land of Hope and Glory and Jerusalem – and the Town Hall truly comes alive! Sir William Southgate will conduct the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra.

Tickets are $21-49.

Innovation in Christmas concert I have changed the wording here slightly

This year there’s a break with tradition for the final concert of the year called Hallelujah! on 5 December.

Every year since the Choir was formed in 1990 it has performed the full Messiah and provided many young singers with the opportunity to sing as soloist in a series of concerts that have heralded the start of Christchurch’s Christmas season for many of the loyal audience.

“This year we will sing excerpts from Messiah and intertwine those with Christmas carols and music to create a joyful concert for the whole family,, with accompaniment from Christchurch Symphony Orchestra” Brian Law said.

“After 19 years we’re taking a fresh new approach and we want to encourage families to come along and join with carols such as “The Holly and the Ivy” and enjoy music for Christmas. “

The soloists will be soprano Lois Johnston, mezzo Wendy Dawn Thompson, tenor Oliver Sewell and baritone Christopher Bruerton. Tickets are $21-49.

ENDS

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