A concert for Mothers on Mother's Day
Featuring
Elizabeth Mandeno | soprano
Harrison Chau | harp
Philip Smith | organ
Chris Artley | piano
Tickets are available online from iTicket here: online ticket sales or at the door
Be sure to book your tickets so as not to miss out!
Soloist: Dilys Fong www.voicesnz.com/people/dilys-fong/
Review of the concert: William Dart Review, NZ Herald
The Graduate Choir NZ joined the Manukau Symphony Orchestra, Auckland Choral and soloists Amitai Pati (Tupaia), Paul Whelan (Cook) and Natasha Wilson (Purea) for this NZ Opera performance conducted by Uwe Grodd. The performances were well received, by three sellout audiences.
Hear a recording of the concert here.
Hear a recording of the concert here
KARANGA was a call, a welcome call to all – to share in a celebration of some significant New Zealand music, interspersed with folk-songs from around the world. We welcomed a new audience at Mount Albert Grammar School, whose well-known Jazz Band and the newly-formed Boys’ Choir also participated in the concert. The title of the concert took its name from the opening work – Karanga – written by David Hamilton for The Graduate Choir NZ in 2005; it received huge acclaim from British audiences when the choir toured to the UK the same year.
This was the first time that the choir gave a public recital in the resonant acoustic of the Mount Albert Grammar School Hall, with the aim to inspire the students and to bring choral music to the Mt Albert community.
The Graduate Choir NZ continued a developing biennial tradition on Mother's Day with a concert of high quality, featuring Vaughan Williams' Five Mystical Songs as the main item, at St Benedict's Church, Newton.
There was choral music celebrating mothers from Faure and Mendelssohn, to The Platter's Only You (And You Alone), to the latest music from world renowned composer and member of the choir, Chris Artley. One of the many highlights of the concert was the very moving Vasks' The Fruit of Silence, with the choir standing in a "salt and peppered" formation.
Featuring:
Laurence Kubiak | Baritone
Philip Smith | Organ
Chris Artley | Piano
Terence Maskell | Conductor
Kings College Great Hall, Otahuhu
To mark the very generous donation of the Rodgers ‘Infinity’ organ by Old Collegian Michael Flanagan (Peart, 1951-55), King’s College presented a Grand Opening Organ Concert in the school's Great Hall, and The Graduate Choir NZ was an integral part of it. There were performances by two of New Zealand's finest organists, Paul Chan (King's College Organist) and Michael Bell (King's School Organist), on their own as well as with the choirs of King's College and the Graduate Choir.
The programme included a wide range of organ and choral works from the last 300 years, including pieces by King’s College’s and The Graduate Choir's internationally-renowned composer, Chris Artley.
We had an amazing day on Waiheke Island on the 20th October 2018. This tour was great for the choir to spend time together, and build on the family feeling in the choir. After performing in Morra Hall, which provided a great acoustic for our sound, we toured the island, stopping at Onetangi Beach for an ice cream, and for some choristers a swim! Then the choir was treated to an excellent buffet dinner at the Waiheke Bowling Club, with lots of laughter and more chances for choristers to get to know one another. Overall a wonderful occasion for the choir.
This was a well-received sellout concert with music that got toes tapping and the audience smiling. We were joined by talented musicians Chris Artley - piano, Jonny White - drums and Jo Shum - bass. As well, the celebrated boys' choir from One Tree Hill College - The Chorale - were our featured guest artist, performing Only You alongside the grads to great effect. With the centerpiece of the concert being Bob Chilcott's wonderful Little Jazz Mass, other repertoire included music by Porter, Gershwin, Bernstein, Artley, Billy Joel and a host of fabulous arrangements by the likes of Mac Huff and Jay Althouse. This concert really demonstrated the wide variety of repertoire the Graduate Choir can perform.
In 2013 The Graduate Choir NZ presented a recital at St Benedict’s called “Ave Maria” celebrating music written in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This performance to a capacity audience received high commendation and, over the years, there were requests for another one. We were delighted, therefore, five years after the first one, to present a further “Ave Maria” recital in St Benedict’s on Thursday 31 May 2018 – which happens to be the Feast of the Visitation.
This concert was recorded for production of a fourth album in our discography. The programme featured some of the most popular music from the earlier recital, including works by Lauridsen, Artley, Parsons, Poulenc and Howells. It also expanded with new repertoire that included music by Palestrina, Tavener, Stanford, Górecki and Stopford – all covering a wide range of the repertory from the Renaissance through to very recent compositions.
Thank you to everyone who came along to enjoy our Ave Maria concert, it was wonderful to share that glorious music with so many of you.
POSTSCRIPT: A wonderful concert and a tribute to composer Chris Artley
Holy Trinity Cathedral resounded to the exciting sounds of organ, orchestral and choral music on Saturday 10th March when Chris Artley’s new composition – Missa Brevis – received its première. The 25-minute piece, performed by The Graduate Choir NZ (augmented by singers from Holy Trinity Cathedral Choir), Philip Smith (organ) and the Auckland Symphony Orchestra conducted by Peter Thomas, was a result of a commission from the ASO and demonstrated all the hallmarks of the fine, idiomatic, colourful and sensitive writing we have come to enjoy from Chris Artley – all sitting so very comfortably upon the ear of the listener. We were taken from reflective moments to energetic and exciting tutti – the feeling of jazz never being far from the senses. A rare standing ovation from the large and enthusiastic audience for the composer (and stunning new work) was entirely deserved and apposite.
The Graduate Choir NZ was privileged to take part in this event and presented four solo items in the first half of the concert: Grieg’s Ave Maris Stella, a new composition by David Hamilton written in memory of the late Peter Godfrey – God be in my head, a hypnotic-like Ave Regina Caelorum by young UK composer Philip Stopford and finally the Magnificat and Gloria (Collegium Regale) by Herbert Howells with Philip Smith at the new Nicholson organ.
The choir was especially proud on this occasion since Chris Artley has been a member of the choir, singing baritone and accompanying at the piano, since 2009. We have been privileged to premier and/or perform several compositions by Chris over the years – and the choir always enjoys the idiomatic accessibility of the writing for voices that Chris so expertly provides time after time. Be sure to catch more of Chris’s pieces performed by The Graduate Choir NZ: 31st May, St Benedict’s – AVE MARIA and CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS with the APO in Holy Trinity Cathedral 14th & 15th December.
Some of the tenors
In full-flight
Baritones, Sopranos, & Altos
Faiai Poching (baritone) in his solo role
Operanesia
The One Tree Hill College Chorale
A0totune - Aorere College
This special concert presented by The Graduate Choir NZ was held on 3rd September 2016 with guest artists; Operanesia, AOtotune (Aorere College Chorale), and the One Tree Hill College Chorale. The finale of the programme was the rich and beautiful sound of all voices with "We Are Samoa".
Mass Choir Finale - We are Samoa
The guest artists who were invited to take part in this concert have strong links with South Auckland and The Graduate Choir NZ. A wide range of choral music that was performed highlighted the young talent in South Auckland, and made for an unforgettable evening of magnificent choral music.
"Thanks for another wonderful concert last night at the Event Centre. My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed the evening. The Graduate Choir were absolutely stunning and what a magnificent repertoire. Looking forward to more of your concerts. Thank you," John
"A belated note of thanks for a wonderful concert out at Manukau Events Centre several weeks ago--- the singing was superb, your soloists were excellent, and we enjoyed the whole performance immensely." Jenny Hough