| |
|
|
The Hawke’s Bay Orchestra is a cultural jewel for our community, each year performing a series of concerts featuring leading soloists and challenging, imaginative repertoire.
Formed in 1975, the orchestra has evolved and developed into a dynamic ensemble and leading regional orchestra in New Zealand. During this time the Hawke’s Bay Orchestra has developed and hosted a number of outstanding musicians and showcased some incredible talent, allowing the community to enjoy and participate in a nationally recognized musical setting. Our development of a teaching programme has expanded our role in the preparation and launch of young emerging artists to regional and national opportunities including chamber music, advanced orchestral settings, university admission, and composition.
The 2011 season continues to raise the bar with each of its concerts. Each concert incorporates a unique venue, with pieces spotlighting individual soloists and the Orchestra performing a different genre of music on each occasion. This variety enables there to be something that will appeal to everyone!
|
|
|
Workshop for Singers (students and young adults) - with Jose Aparicio |
|
Jose is a fabulous asset to Hawkes Bay !! - so if you are keen on singing, make the most of this opportunity to gain from his expertise
Participants will be taught posture, breathing, vocal techniques, ensemble work and musicianship,
Friday 18th May: 5 - 7pm
Saturday 19th May: 2 - 5pm
Friday June 1st: 5 - 7pm
Saturday: 2nd: 2 – 5pm
COST: $40.00
Venue TBC : (possibly Hastings Equippers Church, Frimley )
To register, please email:
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Registrations close Wednesday 16th May.
|
|
|
Napier Civic Choir Concert 28 and 29 April 2012, Peter Williams Review |
Napier
Civic Choir and soloists with the Hawke's Bay Orchestra, Leader
Gretchen Anderson - Coronation Concert
Directed
by Jose Aparicio.
Music
by Mendelssohn, Brahms and Mozart.
St
John's Cathedral, Napier Saturday April 28 2012
Reviewed
by Peter Williams
This
was certainly a programme with wide variety of music to suit a range
of preferences. It seemed on paper an unusual combination but in the
event provided continued interest for the very enthusiastic audience.
The
Hawke's Bay Orchestra, augmented by many visiting professional
players, made an impressive start to the concert in its assured
performance of the famous Hebrides
Overture by Mendelssohn.
This was very expressive playing with many beautifully played solo
lines, such as that by clarinetist Anton Wuts.
The
first of the two Brahms works on the programme, the Alto
Rhapsody, featured
mezzo-soprano Anna Pierard singing the elaborate and wide ranging
solo line, completely in control of every expressive nuance, while
the men of the choir provided a strong contrast with their confident
and stylish singing of the chorus in the final section. The
whole choir also sang well in the second work, the Song
of Destiny, with the
balance between the sections of the choir, and the contrasts in
tempi, well maintained.
|
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Haydn's "Creation" - Napier Civic Choir Concert accompanied by the HBO - May 2011 |
|
Reviewed by Peter Williams
|
Creation is much admired by choristers and audiences alike, and there
was no doubt about the success of this performance. At the end, the
capacity audience was on its feet in a prolonged standing ovation.
This
was the first outing for new music director Jose Aparicio and the
future certainly looks rosy for the choir under his ebullient, precisely
musical, detailed and charismatic direction. All the performers
obviously loved working with him and gave him their all.
A product
of Haydn's mature years, Creation brings together a wealth of forward
looking instrumental and vocal expertise gathered after a lifetime of
music-making and composing for the noble Esterhazy family in Vienna.
There are some wonderful moments for the choir with many exciting
choruses providing splendid highlights - The Marvelous Work, Awake the
Harp, The Heavens are Telling, The Lord is Great, Achieved is the
Glorious Work, Sing the Lord, Ye Voices All - some with the extra
glitter of added solo voices.
The diction was excellent, pitch
secure, dynamic contrasts precise, chordal passages well balanced and
contrapuntal passages clearly defined; all the result of enthusiastic
careful rehearsal. Speeds were certainly up to tempo, perhaps
occasionally a little too fast for the lively acoustic of the building,
but never out of control.
First rate performances from the three
soloists complemented the choir perfectly, in stylish singing of real
sensitivity, dynamic awareness, artistic shaping in recitatives and
airs, with balance clearly maintained in the several ensemble numbers.
Ileana
Otto-Johansen shaped the melodies beautifully in the well-known With
Verdure Clad and On Mighty Pens and combined perfectly with Joseph
Christensen in the duo By Thee Will Bliss.
Oliver Sewell set the
scene perfectly in his expressive singing of the opening Now vanish
Before the Holy Beams and gave a finely crafted presentation later of In
Native Worth, while Joseph Christensen impressed with his dramatic
singing of Now Heaven in Fullest Glory Shone.
The 45-piece Hawke's
Bay Orchestra and Friends gave a fine account of the dramatic overture
and several other passages later, while providing strong support to the
choir and soloists, even if occasionally a little too loud, while
pianist Susan Melville impressed with her sensitive interpretation of
the recitative accompaniments. |
Photo by Warren Buckland from Hawke's Bay Today
Photo by Warren Buckland from Hawke's Bay Today
Photo by Warren Buckland from Hawke's Bay Today
|
|
|
|
Advance Notice Opportunity |
|
Would you like to receive advance notices of concerts and events via e-mail? Just
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
to join the HBO E-List and we will keep you up to date with our coming concerts and events.
|
|
|
Would you like to sponsor a concert, a musician, underwrite music, or make a tax deductable donation to the HBO? Do you have a few hours to share your time and talents with our orchestra? If so please visit our Sponsor Page.
|
|
|
Try as we might, there are times when things don't go as planned and something may be amiss on our site. Don't hesitate to
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
with any errors or discrepancies you may find. Thanks!
|
|
|
|
