The Gloria by red-headed Italian priest Antonio Vivaldi, and Dido and Aeneas, the famous early opera by 17th century English composer Henry Purcell, will feature in the choral concert in the weekend June 26 and 28 in St Paul's Church, Napier, with the Hawke's Bay Orchestra concert on June 27 in the same venue.
The programme for this concert will be centred around the Bach Brandenberg Concerto No 2 in F, together with the exuberant music of two original string sextets by Richard Strauss and Tchaikovsky, arranged for orchestra.
St John's Cathedral, Napier, will be the venue for the concerts in the weekend of Septembe r18 to 20. The companion oratorio to Haydn's Creation, The Seasons, with its wonderful pictures in sound of the ever-changing seasons, is full of word painting musical devices that will delight young and old.
This will be sung each side of the Hawke's Bay Orchestra concert on September 19 featuring the Brahms Symphony No 3 in F, together with a selection of the famous Canteloube Songs of the Avergne and the El Amor Brujo Suite by Falla.
Performances of Handel's Messiah will return to the Civic Choir's programme this year, in St Paul's Church, Napier on December 11 and 13, either side the Hawke's Bay Orchestra's tribute to Beethoven on December 12, celebrating the 250th anniversary of the great composer's birth in 1770.
The performance of The Creatures of Prometheus Overture, Piano Concerto No 3 in C minor and the incomparable Symphony No 7 in A which George Bernard Shaw once described as the "apotheosis of the dance", will be a glowing tribute to the great composer.
Certainly a spectacular year's music making for both performers and audiences.
Tickets available through Ticketek or door sales. Concert weekends - one concert $40., both concerts $75. Gold Card - one concert $37, both concerts $68. Tertiary students - each concert $10. Children 17 years and under – free.
Enquiries - President Robin Heath - rheathnapier@gmail.com or visit www.napierchoir.org.nz
MUSIC AT THE MUNI
The first Music at the Muni concert for this year, in the Pan Pac Foyer of the Napier Municipal Theatre, at 12 noon on Thursday, January 30, will include music by Bach, Schumann, Mozart, Joplin, Lai, Herman, German, Gossec and Chopin, from performers including sopranos Caroline Hickman and Nina Cameron, with pianist Sally Rutgers, flautist Kathy Fletcher with pianist Linda Gilchrist, classical guitarists David Boston and Naomi Fenwick and solo pianists Mariko Shimma, and Peter Williams.
Bring your lunch, tea and coffee supplied. Free admission but donations welcome.
AROUND THE PIANO
Enjoy a relaxed hour at the first Around the Piano concert of the year in the Havelock North Function Centre at 12 noon on Wednesday, February 5. Included on the programme will be items from soprano Giselle Clement with pianist Margaret Cooper, flautist Kathy Kain, jazz singer John Redmond with pianist Warren Sang and violinist Miru Shimaoka.
Free admission. Light buffet luncheon served following the concert - $10.
