Media Release
Catch the Song Snatchers in Wellington.
The St Andrew’s Trust for the Study of Religion and Society November lunchtime event is a chance to hear the Song
Snatchers
Anyone who’s sung in a choir, at a ceremony or service, or even in an informal group at a party will know there is a
power in people singing together, whether for pleasure, performance or some other purpose. Street demonstrations,
pickets and marches often use singing - as well as the more pervasive chanting - to convey a message, buoy the
demonstrators and build solidarity.
This session is a kind of musical essay, using talk, singing and composition to explore a few well-known songs for
marches, but also introducing less-familiar numbers from New Zealand history, and the stories behind them. You will have
the option of joining in on some of the songs, and with your help, the Song Snatchers will also create one or two new
songs suitable for rallies and marches, on the spot. A guest singer will perform one of his own compositions.
The Song Snatchers are Anne Russell, David Johnstone, Jane Shallcrass, Marie Russell and Robin Brew. This group of old
friends has been performing together in different combinations (mostly as ‘The Magpies’) over the past two decades,
singing acapella folk songs, madrigals and anything else that took their fancy. More recently we have researched and
presented performances of ‘musical essays’, such as “Songs of work and workers”, “Parodies and borrowed tunes” and
“Singing from the same song sheet: ‘Music to schools’ broadcasts in New Zealand 1931–1979”.
When and where:
The Song Snatchers: Songs for rallies and marches.
St Andrew’s on the Terrace
Tuesday 8 November 2016, 12.15pm - 1.15pm