Spring concert in Hastings brings musical verse and versatility

The Linden Singers’ spring concert will be held on Sunday, November 19 at 2pm at St Matthews Church, Hastings.

Musical verse and versatility will fill the programme in the Linden Singers’ spring concert on Sunday, November 19 at 2pm at St Matthew’s Church, Hastings.

The concert will be conducted by well-known Hawke’s Bay musician Jane Pierard.

Pierard’s contribution to the region’s musical and theatre arts has spanned an enormous range of artistic disciplines, from directing school choirs, directing and acting in theatre productions, to composing.

Since retiring at the end of 2021, she has supported several schools with choral direction for musical theatre productions and has channelled her passion for music into working with the Linden Singers over the past year.

A highlight of this concert will be the premier performance of a beautiful choral setting of Shakespeare’s famous Sonnet 116, which begins “Let me not to the marriage of true minds ... ” This arrangement has been made by Pierard and the choir feel very privileged to bring the music to the public for the first time.

The programme also includes Hone Tuwhare’s poem Rain, for which the composer uses vocal lines and piano accompaniment to create the atmospheric sound of falling rain.

Other items feature swinging jazz, popular show tunes, devotional music spanning from the 16th to the 20th century, contemporary songs and some Christmas music.

The Linden Singers choir was established 51 years ago by the late Basil Brooker. The choir grew in stature and strength, giving regular concerts in Hastings and elsewhere, and recording choral programmes for Radio New Zealand.

Currently the choir comprises 25 singers from all walks of life, who love to sing concerts of music that our local community enjoys.

Concert entry is $25, concession $20; cash only.