Wellington Shines

Wellington Shines is a concert devised by The Festival Singers of Wellington in the spirit of promoting and celebrating locally birthed works. Most of the pieces have been written since 2000 and include the premiere of The Third Day, a cantata by Jonathan Berkahn commissioned by the Festival Singers for this concert. This follows the success of his Te Deum for choir and Irish Folk Band recorded by the choir on their "Spirited People":http://sounz.org.nz/manifestations/show/8229 CD.

Other works in the programme Nowell by Jack Body, Gareth Farr's Tangi te Kawekawea, Chanticleer by Stuart Douglas, and Pied Beauty by Felicia Edgecombe. A bracket of solo items features works with accompaniment by Pepe Becker and Maurice Faulknor and three quirky songs about Wellington by Jonathan Crehan sung by Frances Moore (soprano) and accompanied by the composer. The choir returns to sing Ave Maria by Andrew Baldwin, Psalm by Carol Shortis and the well known Light of Lights by Jenny McLeod.

Concert organiser Rosemary Russell comments:
"This concert will appeal to a wide range of choral music lovers. Styles represented range from avant-garde classical through declamatory and chant-like to gentle and folk-like. It is hard not to feel particularly privileged to live in a city where the creative spirit is so obviously alive and well."