We are fortunate to have the wonderful Helene Pohl from the New Zealand String Quartet as our soloist performing the Prokofiev Violin Concerto No. 2 in G minor.
Also featuring on the programme :
Our end of season concert comes from under the northern lights, with much loved music from the following:
Neilson: Helios Overture
Sibelius: Karelia Suite
Sibelius: Valse Triste
Grieg: Piano Concerto in A min, Op 16
Returning to play with us is Louis Lucas–Perry from Nelson, who is currently studying at the New Zealand School of Music.
Cathedral choirs and their choir schools are among some of the oldest European musical traditions.
Denmark's Copenhagen Royal Chapel Choir brings their glorious voices to New Zealand in April and May for a five-centre tour 'Ascension - Nielsen, Lauridsen & Palestrina'.
The 46-strong choir including 30 boys aged 13-16 years, is rated as one of the finest in Europe with Le Figaro placing them alongside the Vienna Boys Choir and Kings College Choir.
In Denmark the choir performs at major state and royal occasions and featured at the wedding of Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary in 2004, and at the christening of their children.
Directed and conducted by Ebbe Munk, the choir's repertoire consists of classical, contemporary and modern music. The award-winning choir tours to concert halls, cathedrals and festivals around the world.
"Magic across many seas…" - Sydney Morning Herald
The "Songbook and Six String" tour will feature the two well-traveled performers Paul Ubana Jones and Bryce Wastney collaborating on each other’s songs and sharing tales from their combined 50 years as professional musicians.
"We are really looking forward to performing for audiences in this exciting new format, "says Paul Ubana Jones. "People often ask me about the stories behind the songs and enjoy tales from the road. Sometimes when it’s your own journey you forget how unusual the life of a touring musician is for most people. I’m also looking forward to performing with Bryce. It really opens up different aspects to your songs when you have someone of his calibre playing them with you and I know the audience will really love his music."
Ubana Jones is well known to New Zealand audiences, having chosen to live in New Zealand in the late 1980s. His illustrious international career has seen him touring with Taj Mahal, Keb Mo’, Crowded House and Norah Jones and opening for Bob Dylan and Patti Smith.
Wastney returned to New Zealand last year after establishing his reputation on the indie music scene in Melbourne, Australia. He recently signed with major US label Musik and Film and his first single with the label, "Dead Man Walking" reached number 2 on New Zealand’s country music chart on iTunes in May 2014.
"I am honoured to be sharing a stage with Paul," says Wastney. "He is a genuine New Zealand icon and I think the "Songbook and Six String" format will offer a unique insight into his career and a great concert experience for our audiences."
The voice of Ultravox, Midge Ure will perform four New Zealand shows in April 2015 - remarkably his first concerts here since electro-pop legends Ultravox visited our shores for the Sweetwaters festival in 1982.
Fans can look forward to intimate solo acoustic performances from Midge Ure (UK), with a concert at the Theatre Royal.
Special guest on the tour is Boh Runga performing songs from her solo and stellar* albums.
Scottish-born Midge Ure has been fearlessly innovative over the years - through creative production and songs like Fade to Grey (Visage) Vienna and Dancing With Tears in My Eyes (Ultravox) and solo gems like If I Was, and No Regrets.
Indeed Ultravox was a major influence on the new romantic and electro-pop movements of the early '80s, and continue to be so today. Their successful trademark was combining Midge's powerful guitar riffs with sweeping synthesiser motifs and state-of-the-art visuals.
Ure's 1984 songwriting collaboration with Bob Geldof, 'Do They Know It's Christmas' was a heartfelt contribution to Ethiopian famine relief. Through Band Aid it sold more than three million copies world-wide, returned to the of the charts in 1989, 2004 and again this Christmas (2014). The song has raised a remarkable $230m for aid to Africa, and the 2014 version with its revised lyrics is helping fund the fight against the Ebola virus.
Starring Giles Taylor
QUEEN - IT'S A KINDA MAGIC recreates Queen's 1986 World Tour concert, featuring over 20 of the band's greatest hits such as 'We Will Rock You', 'Bohemian Rhapsody', 'We Are the Champions', 'Under Pressure' and 'Fat-Bottomed Girls'. Painstaking attention has been paid to all the music - the iconic voice of Mercury, the amazing guitar solos of May and the groundbreaking Rock harmonies. And with state-of-the-art sound and lighting and authentic costumes, this is as close as you'll ever get to the real thing!
This is a Fundraising Concert to launch Natalie on her path to a career in Musical Theatre.
Special Guests:
Jane Winter
Trudi Wilson
Keryn Kelso
Burnin' swing numbers, sexy salsa groves, beautiful ballads and authentic Las Vegas humour...
Sons of Sinatra is a high-energy musical tribute to the young lions of jazz singing, who today uphold the marvellous vocal tradition set down by the one-and-only Frank Sinatra. You'll hear the best of jazz vocal superstars Michael Buble, Harry Connick Jr, and Jamie Cullum performed by vocalist James Tait-Jamieson and an incredible seven-piece band. All your favourite songs - New York New York, My Way, It Had To Be You, Whisper Your Name, Fever, Sway and Moondance...and even a few duets with beautiful guest vocalist Tessa Quayle. This show has it all!
James Tait-Jamieson - vocal, sax, Rodger Fox - trombone & band leader, Lex French - trumpet, Jake Baxendale - sax, Dan Hayles - piano, Jacqui Nyman - guitar, Lauren Ellis - drums.
DIVAS ROUND MIDNIGHT 8pm Friday January 2
An exciting showcase of sultry, sassy and superb tunes fit for a cool summer’s event.
Expect a delicious evening of surprises as these stunning Divas perform separately, and together with their swinging band. Our Divas will sing classic tunes including Moonlight in Vermont, Stolen Moments, Why Don’t You Do Right, Corner Pocket and, of course, ‘Round Midnight. Divas – Susan de Jong, Jennine Bailey and Tessa Quayle with Dan Hayles – piano, Rowan Clarke – bass, Lauren Ellis – drums
Breabach return to New Zealand for a four date visit to celebrate St Andrews Day. Having received many accolades from the British press New Zealand saw and heard what they were all about at Womad March 2014. Now Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch and Dunedin have their chance to take in this dynamic five piece, fiddle, pipers, vocals, guitar and double bass with some traditional dancing thrown in for good measure.
Best Group (nominee) - BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards
Live Act of the Year - MG Alba Scots Trad Music Awards 2013
Folk Band of the Year - MG Alba Scots Trad Music Awards 2012
Ever since launching their career as winners of an Open Stage Award at Celtic Connections 2005, Breabach's star has been steeply on the rise, an ascent that continues with the release of their fourth album, Ùrlar.
