The Nelson School of Music continues its fundraising programme with a variety concert at the Theatre Royal with a spectacular all-star Nelson line up.
Closed in December 2013 because of earthquake risk the School is about to commence construction as part of its restrengthening and redevelopment plan which will not only include making safe the 115 year old heritage auditorium but will also include the development of a state of the art music school on the current Rainey House site.
Performers will include five piece women’s folk group Cairde who are reforming especially for the concert. Coincidentally Cairde’s final concert was the last to be staged in the School before it was closed. They have released three CDs and already excitement is building about them taking to the stage again.
String quartet La Vida are well known around the region for their concert presentations and performances at wedding and high-class functions. They recently played to a full house at the release of their first CD.
Nelson’s leading world music choir Mosaic sang to a full house in the Nelson Arts Festival when they performed there in 2014 and will be singing a variety of songs from around the world including favourites from Africa.
Nathan Torvik and Siobhan Sweeney, otherwise known as Polly and the Minstrel are sought after artists in the Nelson region and it’s a rare treat to hear them on stage. Their style consists of wonderfully spacious interpretations of songs from folk to reggae which defy genre expectations.
Kicking off the evening will a be music from the Celtic nations performed by Gael Force. First formed in the mid-1980’s Gael Force has undergone various iterations and currently features Bob Bickerton, Brendyn Montgomery and Davy Stuart playing foot-tapping dance tunes and soulful airs.
The evening will finish with a gypsy jazz extravaganza featuring Django Schmango, a potpourri of guitarists and violin played in the style of Django Reinhardt.
