Newsletter/blog - Cantoris Choir, Wellington

Light - Celebrating Matariki 2013

28/5/2013

Cantoris celebrated Matariki 2013 with a programme of ethereal and moving works inspired by the heavens.

Contemporary choral greats such as Whitacre, Lauridsen and Gjeilo took us on a journey to the stars and back. Open performances were held in 3 different settings.

Featuring:

Morten Lauridsen: Sure on this shining night
Ola Gjeilo: Northern Lights
Eric Whitacre: Lux Aurumque
Eric Whitacre: Sleep
Olaf Christiansen: Light Everlasting
Eriks Esenvalds: Stars

Musical Director:
Brian O'Regan

Performance:
22 June, Tapu Te Ranga Marae Matariki Celebrations, 7pm
12 July, Futuna Chapel, Karori, 7.30pm
14 July, Wellington Museum of City and Sea, 2pm

The Armed Man - A Mass for Peace

1/5/2013

Generously supported by:

The Choir and guest ensembled commemorated our Anzac heroes with Karl Jenkins' moving and meaningful work, The Armed Man, A Mass for Peace, to a sell-out crowd.

A karakia was included, acknowledging the call to peace and fellowship.

Directed by newly appointed director, Brian O'Regan, who brought first hand knowledge of performing this piece under the direction of the composer, Karl Jenkins.

Featuring:
The Armed Man - A Mass for Peace, by Karl Jenkins

Musical Director:
Brian O'Regan
Performance:
26 April, St Andrews on the Terrace, 7.30pm

Media
Listen to some of this performance here.
Listen to Brian presenting 'The Armed Man' on Upbeat, RadioNZ

Reviews
By Middle C

Blood Red Roses, Coming Down

14/11/2012

For this concert, the Choir showcased the best of New Zealand choral music, performing ‘Blood Red Roses Coming Down’ - a haunting refrain of a folk song by Douglas Mews. The song is about whaling. It was written in the 1980s, long before Greenpeace raised people’s awareness of whaling.

Featuring:
Blood Red Roses Coming Down, by Douglas Mews

Musical Director:
Richard Apperley

Performances:
2 November, St Anne's Church, Northland 7.30pm
3 November, St James' Church, Lower Hutt 7.30pm

Like as the hart - a lunchtime concert

14/7/2012

A lunchtime concert at St Paul's Cathedral. Anthems based on Psalm texts, by Mendelssohn, Stanford, Howells, Franck and Elgar.

Featuring:

Hear My Prayer, Psalm 55 - Mendelssohn
Psalm 100, Jubilate Deo, O be joyful in the Lord - Stanford
Like as the Hart, Psalm 42 - Howells
Psalm 23 - Stanford
Lift thine eyes, Elijah, Psalm 121 - Mendelssohn
Psalm 150, Laudate Dominum (Alleluia! Praise the Lord) - Franck
Give unto the Lord, Psalm 29 - Elgar

Musical Director:
Richard Apperley with Janet Gibbs at the organ

Performance:
13 July 2012, 12.45pm, St Paul's Cathedral.

Review:
By Middle C

Fauré - Requiem

19/2/2012

As part of the Christchurch Earthquake Commemoration Feb 2011, Cantoris gave a concert performing Gabriel Fauré 's Requiem.

Featuring:
Gabriel Fauré - Requiem

Musical Director:
Richard Apperley

Performance:
19 February 2011, Museum of Wellington City and Sea, 2.00pm

Tchaikovsky's Liturgy of St John

23/11/2011

Tchaikovsky was commissioned to create a setting for the Russian Orthodox Church, via through his publisher, Juergenson. Tchaikovsky completed The Liturgy of St John in 1880.

Cantoris performed 3 concerts of this work.

Featuring:
Tchaikovsky - The Liturgy of St John

Musical Director:
Richard Apperley

Performances:
18 Nov 2011, Wellington Cathedral of St Paul, 12.45 - 1.45pm
19 Nov 2011, Futuna Chapel Karori, 7:30pm–8:15pm
23 Nov 2011, Wellington Railway Station, 5:30pm–6:15pm

Arvo Pärt

9/8/2011

The Choir performed 6 short works by Arvo Pärt, the 'sacred magician' of contemporary choral music.

Featuring:

Bogoridtse Djevo
Nunc Dimittis
The Woman with the Alabaster Box
Kanon Pokajanen, Odes 1, 7 & 9

Musical Director:
Rachel Hyde

Performances:
17 August, St Andrews on the Terrace 12.45pm
19 August, City Gallery, Wellington 6.00pm
21 August, Pataka Gallery, Porirua 2.00pm

Review:
By Middle C

Random Acts of Culture

6/6/2011

As part of the choir's 2011 theme of 'Random Acts of Culture' - taking small gems from the choral repertoire to a variety of public venues around Wellington - Cantoris performed works by Tallis and Purcell at Te Papa museum.

Feature:
Thomas Tallis

Lamentation of Jeremia
With all hearts
I call and cry to thee, oh Lord
When Jesus went into Simon the Pharisee's house

Henry Purcell

Remember not, Lord, our offences
Man, that is born of woman
Thou knowest Lord, the secrets of our hearts

Musical Director:
Rachel Hyde

Performances:
4 June 2011, Te Papa
12:30pm - 1:00pm and 2:00pm - 2:30pm

Funding thanks to:

Anton Bruckner - Sacred Works

11/4/2011

Cantoris performed 3 concerts with sacred works by Anton Bruckner, an Austrian composer known for his symphonies, masses, and motets.

The concert on 10 April was part of commemoration day for sinking of Wahine.

Featuring:

Tantum ergo
Locus iste
Os justi
Christus factus est
Pange lingua
Vexilla regis
Virga jesse

Musical Director:
Rachel Hyde

Performances:
18 March 2011, Wellington Railway Station, 5.30pm
19 March 2011, National War Memorial, Buckle St, 2.00pm
10 April 2011, Museum of City and Sea, 12.45pm

Shakespeare in Song

21/11/2010

For the final concert of 2010, Cantoris performed Shakespeare in Song - an inspirational range of musical presentation of great Shakespearean texts.

Settings ranged from 20th century melodic gems to a version that some people believe may have actually been performed in Shakespeare’s time.

Featuring:
Rutter - It Was A Lover And His Lass
Lindberg - Shall I Compare Thee
Kommulainen - Four Ballads Of Shakespeare
Gibbons - What Is Our Life?
Vaughan Williams - 3 Shakespeare Songs
Harris - Tell me where is fancy bred
INTERVAL
Morley - It Was A Lover And His Lass
Appelbaum - Shall I Compare Thee
Ramsey - Sleep Fleshly Birth
Schuman - Orpheus And His Lute
Mantyjarvi - Four Shakespeare Songs
Harris - It Was A Lover And His Lass

Musical Director:
Rachel Hyde

Performances:
20 November 2010, St Andrews on the Terrace, 2:30pm