Under the theme of Lullaby of Broadway, the Rotorua District choir celebrated the joy of living with a heart-warming spring programme.
Their conductor Evelyn Falconer had chosen appealing Broadway and Hollywood hits, mostly from the 1930s, an era when the emphasis was on catchy or buoyant tunes.
All were cheerful,tasteful and melodious, ranging from the easy sentiments of Over the Rainbow to the gusto of Fats Waller's The Joint is Jumpin'.
Rather than adopting Broadway pizzazz, the choir had its expected disciplined style and the ensemble's lyrical and expressive singing added a welcome degree of sensitivity to the performance.
Their new venue had some distinct advantages, like good visibility for the audience and an atmosphere which fitted the sophistication of the programme.
Kathryn Lauder's keyboard accompaniment gave the choir splendid support and the instrument's tones, which ranged from the smooth to brassy, suited well the musical style of each number.
A toe-tapping injection of optimism and melody came from the dynamic Western Heights High School Big Band.
Under their inspiring director Paul Sanders, the players put energy and jauntiness into swing numbers, spiced up by the sparkling talents of brass and drum soloists and a vocalist.
