Renaissance Singers and Schola Sacra to perform Mozart's Requiem in Palmerston North

Hamilton mezzo soprano Cecily Shaw will sing in Palmerston North on Saturday. She hopes to soon to travel to the UK for more opportunities. Photo / Supplied

The Renaissance Singers are to be joined by Whanganui's Schola Sacra to perform Mozart's Requiem on Saturday.

Jonathan Berkahn will accompany the choir and soloists, and will also get to play Chris Artley's Organ Toccata. Assisting in the Requiem will be Tim Jones of Manawatū Sinfonia who will add lift and depth to the concert with his two timpani.

Manawatū soprano Jennifer Little will be joined by mezzo soprano Cecily Shaw from Hamilton, Whanganui tenor Iain Tetley, and Palmerston North baritone Lindsay Yeo.

Yeo will be the soloist when the joint choir sings Vaughan Williams' Five Mystical Songs, intriguingly composed by an atheist who saw much integrity in George Herbert's well-written religious verses.

The joint choir will also sing Chris Artley's beautiful Make a Joyful Noise. Born in England but now a Kiwi, Artley won a competition for composing the Organ Toccata which was premiered by internationally noted organist David Briggs on one of America's largest organs in Washington, DC.

The key piece, Mozart's Requiem, will take up the first half of the programme. Mozart's Requiem is full of intrigue because Mozart had been commissioned to compose it by a young count in the knowledge the count was likely to claim it as his own. Then 35-year-old Mozart tragically died of food poisoning, leaving the end to finish. Mozart's wife, Constance, wanted the money and eventually went to a student of Mozart who wisely tweaked the score of previous sections to finish the piece, as Mozart himself would have done.

Mozart highlights the deep love inherent in people at the time of death, for each other, for the object of their beliefs, and in someone who would die for others. Mozart was especially adept at having his music represent feelings, especially joy and wonderment.

The two choirs have been concentrating on producing intensity, and it is this depth of feeling the performers will be looking to express in the performance of this popular and often performed piece.

The Details
What: Mozart's Requiem
When: Saturday, May 7, 2.30pm
Where: St Peter's Church, Ruahine St
Tickets: At the door $25/$20, children free.