Teapot Summer School presents its 17th concert ' Singing for Joy' at Old St. John's Nelson on Sunday 22 January at 2pm. Ben Parry, director of The National Youth Choirs of Great Britain, is the conductor.

The program includes Requiem by Faure, the mood being one of peacefulness and serenity. Rejoice in the Lamb by Benjamin Britten, who movingly encapsulates the poem's half-mad and delightfully religious spirit. Seven Goodly Reasons to Sing by Ben Parry, " and if, at last, your voice take wing, this noisy world may hear the song you sing".

Teapot Summer School has over its 17 years attracted singers from all over NZ  who come together for a week of an intensive singing course directed by highly respected overseas conductors, including Sir David Willcocks, Brian Kay and Ebbe Munk.

The Nelson Civic Choir, directed by Chris Lukies, offers you Navidad Nuestra - a catchy pre-Christmas programme of music with a Hispanic American flavour.

Two pieces by Ariel Ramirez - Navidad Nuestra and Misa Criola - use Hispanic rhythms and traditions to present the Nativity and the Mass in joyful mood. John Leavitt's Missa Festiva matches the festive atmosphere, from a North American perspective.

Piano, guitar, double bass and percussion accompaniment.
Solos are sung by Manase Latu (tenor) and Matt Landreth (bass).
The Duo Jackson complete the programme with guitar solos and duets.

This is the choir's last performance before they head off to New York to sing at Carnegie Hall: come along and wish them bon voyage!

Grands Pas de Deux - Romance - Drama

Artistic Director Louise Hawke presents "Love Tchaikovsky"
An original ballet production.

Previous shows have been reviewed in the Nelson Mail as "prestigious annual ballet events" and as "a magical and rare event".

The intimate story of a fantastic friendship. All our favourite classical ballet Tchaikovsky moments!

Tchaikovsky as you have never seen him! This original ballet production reveals his anguish and his artistry told in the composer's own words. The haunting themes for Swan Lake were composed for his nieces at play. His marriage provided a comical disaster. A mysterious Baroness was his devoted sponsor. They never met. Their personal letters reveal a story.

Fabulous music and bravura Grads Pas de Deux.

Another magical experience for all your family to enjoy, presented by The Up-Close and Classical Company and Academy of Ballet Arts.

Guest stars from the Royal NZ Ballet will perform all our favourite Pas de Deux.

Swan Lake, Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Marinksy Pas de Deux.

Joseph Skelton, Katie Hurst-Saxton, Leonora Voigtlander, Katherine Grange, Adrian Harper.

Sold out performances in 2014-2015! Two shows only on sale this year.
Performances at the newly re-opened Suter Theatre.

Join the Royal Over-Seas League and Save the Children for an evening of exceptional chamber music featuring the international Dolmen Ensemble*. These exciting young musicians, all prize winners of the Royal Over-Seas League music competitions, will perform some of the world's finest chamber works. Thanks to generous local sponsors and volunteers all proceeds from this concert will go to support the work of Save the Children.

Programme:
Johannes Brahms - Clarinet trio Op.14
Lewis Coenen-Rowe - More or Less from Clarinet Trio
Max Bruch - Movements 2 and 7 from Eight Pieces Op.83
Vincent D'Indy - Clarinet Trio in Bflat Op.29

* Dolmen Ensemble: Carson Becke, piano (Canada), Som Howie, clarinet (Australia), Edward King, cello (New Zealand).

Argentinian Golijov’s poignant marimba/cello duo, written as a requiem for a friend, and young American composer Andy Akiho's thrilling LigNEous surround Brahms' masterful clarinet quintet, which James Campbell has played with illustrious groups such as the Guaneri, Vermeer, Allegri and Amadeus Quartets. And what better way to celebrate the end of the 2017 festival than with our 3 string quartets taking the stage together for Dvorak's cheerful, melody-filled Serenade for Strings.

Goldner Quartet, New Zealand String Quartet, the Troubadours, Ian Rosenbaum (marimba), James Campbell (clarinet), Matthew Barley (cello), Joan Perarnau Garriga (double Bass)

Akiho - LigNEous
Brahms - Clarinet quintet
Golijov - Duo for marimba and cello
Dvorak - Serenade in E for Strings op. 22

An exciting programme featuring a brand new marimba quintet (marimba and string quartet - not 5 marimbas!) by New York-based NZ composer, Ed Ware, along with Beethoven's "Eyeglass" Duo, performed by the same musicians (Gillian Ansell and James Tennant) who played it in the first Festival in 1992. And don't miss the final Beethoven cello sonata played by the brilliant musicians Andrew Joyce, NZSO principal cellist, and Denes Varjon.

New Zealand String Quartet, Ian Rosenbaum (marimba), James Tennant (cello), Andrew Joyce (cello), Dénes Varjon (piano)

Beethoven - Duo for Viola and Cello with Eyeglasses Obbligato
Edward Ware - Cavernous Ruins (World Premiere)
Beethoven - Sonata for Cello and Piano in D Major op. 102/2

Bringing to a climax this Festival day on 'Planet Cello' is a glorious feast of repertoire for up to 12 cellos. NZ's top cellists, along with Julian Smiles and Matthew Barley will create a night to remember with their favourite pieces from Pachelbel, Bach, and Rossini to Villa-Lobos and Piazzola. Special guest, soprano Jenny Wollerman, will join the ensemble for the mesmerising Bachianas Brasilieras #5.

Matthew Barley, Julian Smiles, Rolf Gjelsten, Ashley Brown, Inbal Megiddo, Ken Ichinose, Andrew Joyce, Eliah Sakakushev-von Bismarck, James Tennant, Helen du Plessis, Edith Salzmann, Frances Yoon (cellists), Jenny Wollerman (soprano)

Pachelbel - Canon
Rossini - William Tell
Villa Lobos - Bachianas Brasilieras #1
Casals - Song of the Birds
Casals - Sardana
Villa Lobos - Bachianas Brasilieras
Da Falla - Suite Populaire Espagnol
Klengel - Consecration Hymn
Piazzola - Oblivion and Tango

Prepared to be transported to 'Planet Cello' by the burnished sounds of an ensemble of 4-6 cellos, indulging in music from the heavenly Bach Air to the romantic Rachmaninov Vocalise.

Matthew Barley, Julian Smiles, Rolf Gjelsten, Ashley Brown, Inbal Megiddo, Andrew Joyce, Eliah Sakakushev-von Bismarck, James Tennant, Helen du Plessis, Edith Salzmann, Frances Yoon (cellists)

Bach - Air from Orchestral Suite #3
Bach - Organ Toccata
Bach - Gamba Sonata #1 in G major (arr. William Cowdery)
Dvorak - Silent Woods
Bartok - Rumanian Dances
Rachmaninov - Vocalise (arr. Rolf Gjelsten)

This unique collaboration of Festival artists who combine invention with interpretation in their performing careers gives us a once-off opportunity to share in their new perspectives on some of the great repertoire we have heard elsewhere in the Festival. Don't miss hearing their playful communication as they stretch the form and improvise on music by Bach, Beethoven, Schumann and others. Sure to be a memorable event!

Ian Rosenbaum (marimba), Edward Ware (drums), Jeoff Henderson (saxophone), Matthew Barley (cello), Helene Pohl (violin)

Clara Schumann described the young Brahms' music as "so masterly that one cannot but think that the good God sent him into the world ready-made." And Robert Schumann was equally enthusiastic, citing Brahms as "springing forth like Minerva fully armed from the head of Jove". Clara's 3 whimsical Romances begin this extraordinary concert, followed by Robert's compelling settings of Heine's poems of "Poet's Love" and ending with Brahms' powerful piano quintet, originally for string quintet but revised upon his beloved Clara's recommendation.

Helene Pohl (violin), Dénes Varjon (piano), Andrew Goodwin (tenor), Isabella Simon (piano), New Zealand String Quartet

Clara Schumann - 3 Romances opus 22
Robert Schumann - Dichterliebe
Johannes Brahms - Piano Quintet in f minor opus 35