Hawke's Bay Regional Orchestra
Sunday, 20 May 2012

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Welcome

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

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.

Haydn's

Photo by Warren Buckland from Hawke's Bay Today

Haydn's

 Photo by Warren Buckland from Hawke's Bay Today

Haydn's

 Photo by Warren Buckland from Hawke's Bay Today

 

 
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