Three choirs in the finale of Tamaiti ō te Ao Tukupū by Takerei Komene. Photo / Supplied
Three choirs in the finale of Tamaiti ō te Ao Tukupū by Takerei Komene. Photo / Supplied
Tonight, New Zealand Youth Choir and Australia’s Gondwana Chorale lent their fresh, youthful voices to a trans-Tasman choral spectacular.
It was also an opportunity to hear the cadet singers of Aotearoa New Zealand Academy Choir.
Conductors Elise Bradley and Rowan Johnston drew out that magical combination of talent and enthusiasm;sopranos soared for Brahms, everyone revelled in the 5/4 gusto of a David Hamilton Gloria.
The nuanced resonance of Marek Raczynski’s Gaudeamus Omnes confirmed New Zealand Youth Choir’s international reputation, as did Jonathan Dove’s The Passing of the Year, conductor David Squire leading them into more explorative terrain with Michael Stewart’s atmospheric piano. David Hamilton’s E Te Ariki received a warm, sonorous airing
Circling us, the singers went to the movies with a sentimental Michel Legrand ballad. Blake Scanlen and Alexandra Buchanan were sweet-voiced soloists while Sensurround thrills came when the choir relinquished vocalizing and joined in with the lyrics.
New Zealand Youth Choir in Igelese Ete's Ua Fetausunu'i Ao a le lagi. Photo / Supplied
After The Battle of Jericho, bristling with percussive consonants, we returned to the Pacific with Igelese Ete’s bracing arrangement of a traditional Samoan tune, featuring hands claps, lusty singing and infectious island drumming. Te Whanau Wehi’s waiata Kua rongo cemented the return home with an explosive haka.
The Gondwana Chorale, singing entirely from memory, showed its consummate polish in a cappella offerings.
Conductor Carl Crossin linked Byrd’s Gaudeamus Omnes to the 400th anniversary of the English composer’s death, and the singers responded with a joyously buoyant tribute; Frank Ticheli’s Earthsong inspired more relaxed sonorities for its environmental messaging.
Alice Chance’s Words about Wine, had the singers, imaginary glass in hand, bandying about the cliched adjectives of winespeak.
Soloist Alexandra Buchanan, singing Michel Legrand. Photo / Supplied
Yet, despite Sally Whitwell’s unfailingly elegant pianism, too much music came with rather conventional accompaniments.
The Grand Finale united the two main choirs in Whitwell’s atmospherically avian setting of Christina Rossetti, the Academy choristers joining in for a stirring He Tamaiti ō te Ao Tukupū by Takerei Komene. This celebration of creativity, composed in broad yet potent strokes, was delivered with heartfelt fervour.
