NZ Born Tenor, Keith Lewis Tours His Home Country

Media Release
For immediate release
Tuesday 3rd February 2015

New Zealand Born Tenor, Keith Lewis Tours His Home Country
"A Kiwi Singer’s Journey"

Following teaching at the New Zealand Singing School in early January, renowned New Zealand-born tenor Keith Lewis is touring Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch, Hastings and Auckland to give recitals with singing school colleague, pianist Susan Melville. The recital tour is being supported by the Wallace Foundation. Profits from the tour are kindly being donated to the New Zealand Singing School to enable the ongoing provision of training to New Zealand emerging singers.

“The School is a huge asset to the country – it’s the first point of development for these singers outside of their singing teacher. It’s a significant opportunity for them to attend a School with an intensive programme and such a talented faculty. It’s such a worthwhile cause for us to support” says Keith Lewis.

Keith was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM) in the Queen’s New Year Honours 2000 for services to opera. He won the Kathleen Ferrier prize in 1976, and the Royal Overseas League Prize the previous year.

During a long and illustrious career he has sung in many of the world’s leading opera houses and concert halls, collaborating with a number of the world’s greatest conductors, including Maestri Giulini, Solti, Marriner, Metha, Sinopoli, Dutoit, Slatkin, Gergiev, Gardiner and Boulez. He has recorded with Sony, EMI, Decca and Deutsche Grammophon, repertoire including the Mozart Requiem, Haydn Masses, Beethoven 9, Berlioz Requiem, Damnation of Faust, Mahler 8 and Das Lied von der Erde.

He has an extensive Lieder repertoire and in November 2014 premièred "Clara's Song", conceived by Keith Lewis and Gawn Grainger, depicting the world of Clara Schumann and performed at the Royal Academy, Piccadilly with actress Zoe Wannamaker and pianist Melvyn Tan.

Knowledge gained through his experience is the foundation of Keith's work with singers over the last 14 years. He teaches privately in London and has worked at the National Opera Studio as a vocal coach and was a visiting professor of voice at the Australian Opera Studio from 2000-2008. He adjudicated end of year opera performances at the Royal College of Music in 2013, the Royal Overseas League Prize in 2012 and 2014 and the Kathleen Ferrier Prize in 2014.

Susan Melville, a freelance musician based in Hawke’s Bay, has been a faculty member of the New Zealand Singing School since 1999. She has accompanied a number of NZ’s leading musicians in recital, including Jonathan Lemalu, Deborah Rawson, Roger Wilson and Patrick Power. She has recorded for Concert FM, appeared as guest artist with the internationally acclaimed saxophone ensemble Saxcess, and had original compositions performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and in Berlin. Susan delights in working with young musicians and is currently Director of the Choral Programme at Havelock North High School and Conductor of the Hawke’s Bay Youth Orchestra.

"A Kiwi Singer's Journey" takes listeners through repertoire that singers might progressively work at on their pathway to developing maturity and musicanship. The programme encompasses a wide variety of styles, from the fresh charm of early Italian songs and the elegance of classical songs, to the emotion and drama of operatic arias spanning several eras, as well as the distinctive colours of French, Spanish and Neapolitan melody.

“I’m delighted to be doing the tour”, says Keith Lewis. “I love coming back to New Zealand when my schedule permits, and to couple together teaching at the School with a recital tour is fantastic”.

A selection of churches and significant venues is being used for the tour, and Keith and Susan are particularly looking forward to performing in the Transitional Cathedral in Christchurch. At this recital, on the fourth anniversary of the February 22 quake, “The Earthquake Poem” will be premièred - a song commissioned from Christchurch composer Philip Norman, set to a text by Gary McCormick.

“It will be a privilege to contribute to the music scene in Christchurch as it rebuilds its venues and brings more performances back to Christchurch audiences”, says Susan Melville.
In each recital a past or present student from the New Zealand Singing School: Te Wānanga Toi Waiata, will contribute an aria to the programme and sing a duet with Keith. (Did you get this organised?! Wow – great – what are their names??

The NZ Singing School: Te Wānanga Toi Waiata is the only residential summer singing school in the southern hemisphere that caters for students with significant potential. The School is unique in that it covers both contemporary and classical musical genres, with a growing reputation for the excellent national and international faculty brought together for each school.

The School is held every two years at the Eastern Institute of Technology in Hawke’s Bay. Each School assists students to learn more about the art of singing, developing their own skills and helping them to continue their musical study and/or careers.

Ticketing Information
Wellington
Tue 10th Feb 2015, 7.30 pm
St Andrews on the Terrace
Tickets $25 - Door Sales, or book in advance by emailing Tania Dreaver: tdreaver@hotmail.com

Nelson
Mon 16th Feb 2015, 7.00pm
Old St John's
Tickets $30/$25 - Door Sales, or TicketDirect (service fees will apply). www.ticketdirect.co.nz, Tel: 0800 224 224

Christchurch
Sun 22nd Feb 2015, 2.00pm
Transitional Cathedral
Tickets $35/$28 - Door Sales, or TicketDirect (service fees will apply). www.ticketdirect.co.nz, Tel: 0800 224 224

Hastings
Friday 27th Feb 2015, 7.00pm
St Matthew's Church
Tickets $28 - Door Sales, or book in advance at Heards Jewellers

Auckland
Tue 3rd March 2015, 7:30pm
Rannoch
Tickets (suggested donation minimum $40) available from: www.bit.ly/wallaceartstrust

-ends-

For more information, please email: recitaltour2015@vodafone.co.nz

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