A concerted effort

THE CONDUCTOR: Along with joining rehearsals for the Gisborne Choral Society’s production of Mozart’s Requiem, acting as musical director for Musical Theatre Gisborne’s upcoming production of Nunsense, Lytton High’s head of music, Sean Scanlen, will conduct the Gisborne Concert Band in a performance this month. Picture by Stephen Jones

No sooner had pianist Sean Scanlen arrived in Gisborne to take up the role of head of music at Lytton High than he was performing with the Piano Extravaganza team, singing in Gisborne Choral Society productions, and took on the role of musical director for Musical Theatre Gisborne’s 2020 production of The Addams Family.

Having immersed himself in the Gisborne music scene over the past eight months, Scanlen is now about to conduct the Gisborne Concert Band as part of St Andrew’s Lunchtime Concert Series.

The concert will be held the same weekend MTG’s production of Nunsense opens — and for which Scanlen is musical director.

Scanlen sought a balance of classical, modern and musical theatre pieces for the concert’s eclectic programme.

English Renaissance composer Thomas Tallis’s counterpoint will be presented alongside Leonard Cohen’s melodic genius, and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s show tunes alongside New Orleans-style jazz and “a fun, gospel arrangement of the song Nearer My God to Thee”. The Dambusters movie theme tune is also on the programme.

“This is where we get to flex our muscles a bit by trying different things,” says Scanlen.

“A lot of people in our band are young and might be thinking about it as a career path, which could lead to a place in the Royal New Zealand Navy Band and that is why I picked it up for the concert.”

Just as stirring as The Dambusters theme tune, is American composer, conductor, and music educator Brian Balmages’ Whale Warriors. The music is described as telling the true story of Captain Paul Watson and his crew as they set sail in the Antarctic in an attempt to prevent whaling ships from plundering the ocean.

“The energy rises as they engage other ships and risk their lives to save these beautiful defenceless creatures,” says the pitch on JW Pepper’s sheet music website.

“Awe inspiring!”