The musical talent of (from left) Justin Kent, Beverley Peach, Lynne Cotton, Bronwen Holdsworth, Corey Lugtig and MJ Chen will be enjoyed at the 15th Piano Extravaganza at St Andrew's Church on King's Birthday Monday.
The musical talent of (from left) Justin Kent, Beverley Peach, Lynne Cotton, Bronwen Holdsworth, Corey Lugtig and MJ Chen will be enjoyed at the 15th Piano Extravaganza at St Andrew's Church on King's Birthday Monday.
The 15th Piano Extravaganza (PEXV) is being held on King’s Birthday Monday as part of the St Andrew’s Lunchtime Concert Series.
“The first of these piano concerts in 2011 was suggested by local pianist and organist Sonja Schutte, who, as a school teacher, was not able to take part ina lunchtime concert on a regular weekday, so we chose Queen’s Birthday Monday to accommodate her,” Gisborne Presbyterian Parish director of music Catherine Macdonald said
“This proved to be such a fortuitous coincidence of event and timing that, except for a hiccup in 2020 (when Covid-19 forced a postponement to Labour Day), we have kept to the formula of that holiday Monday.”
Four of the five performers at that first concert have appeared at every Extravaganza since then.
Trish Tattle, Coralie Hunter, Beverley Peach and Catherine Macdonald are being joined in 2025 by frequent performers Brownen Holdsworth, Sean Scanlen, Corey Lugtig and MJ Chen.
Rehearsing for the 15th Piano Extravaganza are (from left) Coralie Hunter, Lynne Cotton, Beverley Peach, Catherine Macdonald and Trish Tattle. Hunter, Peach, Macdonald and Tattle were in the first Piano Extravaganza in 2011 and have taken part in every one since. Extravaganza first-timer Cotton was a prominent name on the Gisborne music scene in the 60s and 70s before moving away. She returned last year.
Macdonald said they were also pleased to welcome Lynne Cotton and Justin Kent back to the Gisborne music scene.
The music for the first few concerts was taken from the collection left by the late Lucy Brook, as well as from the libraries of the participants.
Hunter and Macdonald have visited family in the United States, where they bought and brought back several new scores to bolster the range of pieces to play, including Workin’ On The Railroad and Somewhere Over The Rainbow. Thesehave been enjoyed by several different combinations of pianists over the years and will appear again in 2025.
“It has become a bit of tradition to include music by local musician and teacher Sean Scanlan, and this year we are enjoying a repeat performance of his Cullerlie Blues, which we debuted in 2022," Macdonald said.
“We are privileged to play this delightful and interesting music composed specifically for our forces.”
The programme includes several duets: the easy-listening arrangement of Tea for Two from Youmans’ No, No Nanette, played by Holdsworth and Peach; an Andantino by Charles Koechlin, played by Holdsworth and Lugtig; and the brilliant Libertango by Piazzolla under “the flying fingers” of Chen and Scanlen.
The programme also features music by classical composers such as Meyerbeer, Beethoven and Boccherini (the famous Menuet) as well as a menuet by Boellmann originally written for organ and arranged for eight hands at two pianos.
“We have You’ll Be Back from the modern hit show Hamilton, and Great Balls of Fire to get you dancing in your seats," Macdonald said.
Also on the programme will be several student groups performing pieces all written for piano ensemble, which they prepared for this year’s Chamber Music NZ Secondary School Contest, of which the Gisborne district round was held this week.
“It’s always a delight to hear what our youth are playing,” Macdonald said.
The concert will once again be rounded off with a concerted performance of Grainger’s Country Gardens.
St Andrew’s Lunchtime Concert Series - 15th Piano Extravaganza
