Review: Chamber Music New Zealand in Concert

Napier Municipal Theatre.

Following the highly successful Hawke's Bay District Contest the previous weekend, this regional final featured the best groups selected from district contests held throughout the lower half of the North Island.

Three groups from Hawke's Bay - the winning group, the Moskowski Trio of violinists Rachael Mannering and Ellen Murfitt and pianist Tobias Tedjamukti, and the Herman Trio and the quartet Birds of a Feather - plus six groups from Wellington and one each from Gisborne, Palmerston North and Whanganui, played for visiting adjudicators, pianist Emma Sayers from Wellington and violinist Graham McPhail from Auckland, in the two sessions at 11.30am and 4.30pm.

These were both excellent concerts with some high-class performances.

At the end of each concert, the adjudicators made helpful comments, praising the performers for their commitment and for the many hours they had spent practising for the competition.

Of particular note was the quality of the presentation and stage deportment of all the groups who played.

Compere for both concerts, Sue Jane from Chamber Music NZ, complimented Hawke's Bay district organiser Sarah Delany and all the many other helpers who had supported the groups in their efforts.

At the end of the second concert, a celebratory cake was cut, marking the Golden Jubilee of the contest.

Former HOD Music at NGHS, June Clifford, a long-time supporter of the contest, presented each group with a Bronze Award, marking their achievement in reaching the regional final, and each contestant with a Golden Jubilee Pin.

The winning group was the trio Glivenko from Wellington - violinist Shweta Iyer, cellist Bethany Angus and pianist Claudia Tarrant-Matthews - for their splendid performance of Piano Trio No 1 by Dimitri Shostakovich.

"This was a superbly controlled performance that went right to the heart of the music," adjudicator Graham McPhail said.

"You matched the tone of your instruments very skilfully and gave a very expressive performance."

This group, and possibly others, may be among the 12 chosen from the three regional finals in Napier, Auckland and Christchurch at the weekend, for a place in the national semifinal in Wellington on August 1.

-Chamber Music New Zealand in Concert

NZ Community Trust Chamber Music Contest Regional Final

Napier Municipal Theatre

Sunday, June 21