Havelock North real estate agent Caleb Robinson is set to perform in a one-off concert in Greece. Photo / Warren Buckland
Havelock North real estate agent Caleb Robinson is set to perform in a one-off concert in Greece. Photo / Warren Buckland
From selling houses to playing the strings, a Havelock North real estate agent has been plucked from one world to another to perform in a one-off concert in Greece.
Caleb Robinson, along with six other international musical artists and Kiwi composer John Psathas, will perform live to thousands of spectatorsas part of The No Man's Land Project in Athens on March 14.
The 37-year-old, who previously collaborated with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, said he was "genuinely honoured" to have been asked to play both double and electric bass at the event.
"Psathas called me about four years ago and told me he had written this piece, with recordings of over 150 musicians, over three years," he said.
"He wanted to bring together a whole collection of musicians to record the piece, with a vision to one day perform it live in Greece, with some of the musicians there in person - and I am one of them."
Robinson added: "I first told him that I'm in real estate now and not playing eight hours a day like the other musicians are but he insisted."
The 37-year-old is among seven international artists that will perform in Athens as part of The No Man's Land Project. Photo / Warren Buckland
The performance, which is set to be held at the Megaron Concert Hall, is an 80-minute live cinematic concert that will attempt to reflect the devastating impact of World War I.
The former jazz school teacher turned Bayleys real estate agent, who was voted the No 1 salesperson in Hawke's Bay in 2018, said he played in up to 10 bands at any one time before his career change.
"Before real estate, I was living in Wellington. I did fulltime music playing in bands," he said. "I was about to do my masters, but I injured my hand and had to stop my career and do something different.
"When I made the transition and moved to Hawke's Bay, John phoned me and now we are approaching the one-off concert. Fast forward three years and John's vision is about to happen with us performing it in Greece."
Psathas, an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, achieved the largest audience for New Zealand-composed music when billions heard his music at the opening and closing ceremonies of the Athens Olympics in 2004.
Robinson, a father of three, added: "The people that I will be performing with, along with the composer, are absolutely incredible musicians."
Composer John Psathas achieved the largest audience for New Zealand-composed music at the opening and closing ceremonies of Athens Olympics in 2004. Photo / Warren Buckland
Over 150 musicians recorded the piece, with the live performance set to feature a live ensemble, as well as virtual performances in a unique musical experience.
Robinson, who has played with the ensemble at WOMAD Festival in Taranaki and at the Michael Fowler Centre in Wellington as preparation, said he still finds time to play, despite music taking a back seat.
"I play in a covers band at the moment," he said. "I do weddings and that sort of thing with some of the guys that I used to be at university with.
"I also play at the Common Room in Hastings and at a festival here and there too, when I can fit things in around the busy real estate world."
