Hitting the high notes in New Plymouth

AFTER months of preparation, the Stratford Mountain Singers, in combination with the Taranaki Male Choir, wowed audiences at the New Plymouth Club and in the Eltham Town Hall over the weekend.
The two choirs presented two performances of a special programme entitled 'Songs of Time and Love,' which featured a selection of romantic ballads, folk songs, traditional anthems, show music and classical pieces and, judging by the delighted looks on the faces of both audiences, it seems the choirs got things just right.
From the vibrant opening number, 'Comedy Tonight,' through to the closing showstopper, 'Love Changes Everything,' the choirs who had only spent two short rehearsals together performed with the spirit and confidence one usually expects from a single group that has been practising for months on end.
"The Taranaki Male Choir is a very busy choir," said concert conductor, Leon Gray-Lockhart, "and finding time to practice the combined numbers as well as our own numbers, in between preparing for other concerts, did present a few challenges."
"But the Stratford Mountain Singers really came to the party, showing the highest levels of patience and discipline throughout combined rehearsals and making final preparations a real breeze."
As well as six combined numbers, each choir presented six of their own numbers with Stratford opting to perform 'Home is a Special Kind of Feeling', 'Shenandoah', 'Yesterday Once More' and 'You Needed Me', as well as its 'signature' tune 'Perhaps Love' and the exhilarating, 'Rhythm of Life' the latter two proving a special favourite of both audiences.
Taranaki Male Choir contrasted sublimely lyrical performances of 'Carrickfergus', 'Some Enchanted Evening,' 'The Impossible Dream' and 'Portrait of My Love' with the rousing machismo of 'Stout-Hearted Men' and 'The Battle Hymn of the Republic' the last piece moving audiences to clap, cheer and sing along at both concerts.
The ladies of the Stratford Mountain Singers presented a wonderfully gentle arrangement of Offenbach's 'Barcarolle' from 'The Tales of Hoffman', marking the beginning of what Leon believes will be a new feature group in the choir.
"The Stratford ladies haven't really sung as a separate feature chorus before, but I believe they made a brilliant start at it, and I'm looking forward to using them more in future concert programmes."
Both concerts were well attended and both choirs expressed a great deal of interest in working together again in future.
"For both choirs it really was win-win. The male choir added so much depth to the mixed choir sound of Stratford Mountain Singers, while the Mountain Singers really provided a beautiful bright quality that the male choir doesn't hear very often," said Leon.