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Otago Daily Times
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
Review: Show draws ‘amazing crowd'
The colours of Africa worn by City Choir Dunedin members set the mood for, Saturday's vibrant presentation of music from the continent. As choir director/conductor David Burchell said, the event drew "an amazing crowd", packing Knox Church upstairs and down. The Dunedin Jazz Quintet of Bill Martin (piano), Carl Woodward (drums), Nick Cornish (saxophone), Andy Lynch (bass) and Alex Burchell (percussion) provided splendid accompaniment and a reminder of the interlinking of jazz and Africa. The 60-strong choir opened with an unaccompanied rendition of the opening of the Gospel of St John, The Word was God, by Afro-American Rosephanye Powell. Then came three well-harmonised spirituals by Auckland-based David Hamilton, the best-known of which was In the Garden. The Dunedin Children's Choir then took the stage with Eru Timoko Ihaka's waiata Ehara I te mea and Dunedinite Sue Mepham's 1914, the latter a moving reminder of the fact that of 10,000 horses sent to World War 1, only four returned. The children's choir, formed two years ago, is led by Natasha Manowitz, Susan Frame and Helen Rutherford, who are to be congratulated on their work. The youngsters, some of whom are as young as nine, are to be commended for the aplomb with which they performed. Uplifting Congolese folk song Banaha introduced African music before the main event, Zimbe! Come Sing the Songs of Africa, utilising both choirs. The work is an arrangement of songs from all over Africa and encompasses a wide variety, including the humorous drinking song Vamudara, two wedding songs and the slow-moving funeral hymn, Thuma mina. The opening Njooni! Zimbe! is reprised halfway through and then used again as the finale. Catherine Schroder added to the experience with her dances in the centre aisle. Africa's troubled history was reflected in a lullaby for imprisoned sons and We Shall Not Give Up the Fight, of which the bouncy rhythm had the audience clapping along. The young voices impressed in Siyahamba, a Zulu song of worship, before Freedom is Coming, a rip-roaring song of hope in the spiritual and political senses, in which saxophonist Nick Cornish excelled. The standing ovation was an appropriate tribute to all involved in a blood-stirring concert that was a midwinter gift. CITY CHOIR DUNEDIN PRESENTS Zimbe! Come Sing the Songs of Africa Saturday, July 12 Knox Church
Otago Daily Times
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
Impressive and vibrant experience
Knox Church. PHOTO: PETER MCINTOSH Billed as African folk music with a jazz twist, "Zimbe!" certainly filled Knox Church to capacity for unique ethnic music as David Burchell conducted City Choir's midwinter concert on Saturday evening. They began with The Word was God, by Rosephanye Powell — a strictly paced, declamatory, canon-styled piece (unaccompanied). The followingwere generally brisk, full-harmony pieces composed in 1993 by David Hamilton, althoughwas a softer rendition of well-known text. Dunedin Children's Choir contributed three items and joined for the main work. This choir, founded and conducted by Natasha Manowitz, performs with excellence and discipline, maintaining clear diction and well-intoned balanced harmony. Their waiata, Ehara i te mea, by Eru Timoko Ihaka, was accompanied by guitar (Helen Rutherford). 1914, written by Sue Mepham, told the story of horses who were used in World War 1 — "10,000 left our shore but only four returned". Banaha, a Congolese folk song with djembe accompaniment (Andre Harry), completed their performance. Their pianist was Susan Frame. Zimbe! Come, Sing the Songs of Africa, a vibrant celebration of African music and culture composed by Alexander L'Estrange, brings together soulful melodies, energetic rhythms and infectious harmonies showcasing rich musical African traditions, rooted in the American "Gospel" tradition. An outstanding jazz ensemble of Bill Martin (piano), Nick Cornish (saxophone), Andy Lynch (bass), Carl Woodward (drums) and Alex Burchell (percussion) provided exceptional accompaniment which carried the singers' performance. Catherine Schroder showcased African dance routines in the centre aisle. Many of the 15 songs had the colourfully clad choir moving and clapping, and so were the audience. The drummers were sensational, especially in the triumphant final repeat of Freedom is Coming — Hamba Vangeli. Thula Mama, thula, a lullaby for mothers of imprisoned sons, was softer with emotional sax obligato. Altogether, this was an outstanding musical experience for choir and patrons alike.
Otago Daily Times
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
Well-attended show special end to Anzac Day
RSA Choir Anzac Revue St Paul's Cathedral Friday, April 25 The Dunedin RSA Choir's concert in St Paul's Cathedral on Friday made a special ending to Dunedin's Anzac Day, including their traditional "Ceremony of Remembrance". Against a backdrop of soft red lighting, military ensigns and a large red poppy, the opening number was a commanding organ performance (David Burchell) with trumpet (Ralph Miller) of La Majeste, by Telemann. The choir (directed by Karen Knudson with accompanist Sandra Crawshaw) followed, with Anthem from Chess. Choir items were all enhanced by adding a guest soloist (with microphone) and choir scholar tenor Teddy Finney-Waters lifted and consolidated this popular number and also in Alwyn Humphreys' arrangement of The Wonder of You. He also sang three contrasting solos — Der Neugierige by Schubert, Mozart aria Vedrommi Intorno and Life Laughs Onward, by Finzi. A fine young tenor voice which resonated with excellence in the cathedral. Tessa Romano (mezzo-soprano) also complemented the 40-member choir in I Dreamed a Dream. Her solo items were Oracion de Las Madres, by de Falla, Weeping Angel, and E Whiti e te Ra, a contemporary Māori number by Thomas Aerepo-Morgan. Dunedin Harmony Choir (director Robyn Abernethy) guest contribution included a harmonised arrangement of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah and also joined the choir in Let There Be Peace on Earth and Take Me Home. A highlight was Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White, arranged by Diego Marani, for trumpet and piano. Miller's virtuosic glissandi were incredible and Crawshaw was in overdrive. The "Ceremony of Remembrance" segment began with a strong delivery of Charge from The Armed Man (Jenkins), with organ, trumpet and soprano. Finney-Waters contributed Prayer of the Children and the choir sang Midnight. Anzac sentiment was reinforced with The Ode, Last Post and Reveille. The well-attended concert (compered by Kevin Tansley) ended with a strong rendition by all in a choral arrangement (Knudson) of If I Had Words by Saint-Saens. Review by Elizabeth Bouman
Otago Daily Times
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
Well-paced, exciting final drew large audience
DSO and DYO Concerto Competition Rising Stars Finalists Dunedin Town Hall Friday May 16 The 2025 Dunedin Concerto Competition final, in which three young musicians performed with a full orchestra, attracted a large audience to the Dunedin Town Hall on Friday night. The first half of the programme featured the Dunedin Youth Orchestra, a strong 60-member orchestra with big sound and enthusiasm. DYO (conductor David Burchell) began with Offenbach's overture La Belle Helene, featuring contrasting flowing waltz passages and robust sections. They continued with varied movements from three substantial suites — L'arlesienne Suite No.2 by Bizet, Little Suite No.2 by Malcolm Arnold and Montagues and Capulets from Romeo and Juliet Suite No.2 by Prokofiev. The well-known Eric Coates' Knightsbridge March completed their contribution. All were well-paced and exciting and the conductor for the second half, James Judd, commented he was "knocked out by the quality of the first half". He conducted the DSO which included a number of DYO instrumentalists gaining experience with a professional orchestra. The Concerto Competition attracted 25 applicants, three aged under 14. I attended preliminary performances and can vouch for the high standard of performance and the difficulty the judges (Monique Lapins, Jian Liu and Samuel Jacobs) faced in naming just three for the final. First place ($7000) went to pianist Ozan Biner-McGrath (year 12 Logan Park High School), who chose the allegro movement of Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 20 in D Minor for a strong, confident, stylistic delivery with impressive scalic cadenza. Second place ($5000) went to first-year University of Otago student Portia Bell (cello) for the allegro movement of Dvorak's Cello Concerto Op. 104. Taking third place ($3000) was Otago University first-year student Roy Zhang (piano), who played with two movements of Ravel's Piano Concerto in G Major. A rather "showy" allegramente displayed the movement's jazz elements, followed by adagio, which developed stunningly with woodwind lyricism and obligato. Review by Elizabeth Bouman
Otago Daily Times
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
City Choir takes on contemporary fare
Knox Church. PHOTO: ODT FILES City Choir Dunedin, at present with about 80 singers directed by David Burchell, gave a concert at Knox Church on Saturday evening. The choir's repertoire is usually sacred, chosen from oratorios or traditional choral favourites, but on this occasion items in the programme entitled "Darkness and Light" were composed in the past 30 years and possibly not all to everyone's taste. However, a mixed diet is good for all, and contemporary classical music can be challenging for both choir and audience alike. A short early Renaissance hymn by Thomas Tallis preceded O Radiant Dawn, by Scottish composer James MacMillan (1959), which impressed with good balance, dynamic contrast and a nicely tailored final Amen. Guest accompanist Christchurch organist Sea-am Thompson's contribution was Clair de Lune, by Louis Vierne, a rather long meandering piece, well-played by this exceptionally talented young musician and certainly titled to fit the theme. A 30-minute work with Latin text composed in 1997 by Lauridsen (1943) followed. This was a difficult and challenging five-movement sacred work, based mainly on traditional mass form and text. The organ opened with a low growling intro then O Nata Lux achieved well-balanced a capella harmony, before the more animated accompanied Veni, Sancte Spiritus and Agnus Dei-Lux Aeterna, which rambled somewhat until achieving an excellently controlled Alleluia, Amen soft choral fade-out. After the interval, Chris Artley's Matariki preceded a more animated Dark Night of the Soul (Gjeilo 1978) with pulsating 7/8 rhythm, soprano and string obligato (Tessa Petersen and Ngaruaroha Martin, violins, Katrina Sharples, viola, and Heleen du Plessis, cello). A short contemplative organ solo by Briggs (1991) followed, then finally came a real highlight, Luminous Night of the Soul (Gjeilo). A sonorous cello opening from du Plessis welcomed an exquisite soundscape section from female voices. Pleasing lyricism with excellent piano prominence (Sandra Crawshaw) continued throughout, and choral harmony with instrumental obligato gilding was indeed exceptional.
