NZMCNotes–IssueNo34October2018Helloall,WelcometothiseditionofNZMCNotes2018:TheNorthernMenarepleasedtowelcomenewchoristersintothechoirfamily.AlbyWiniatafromMorrinsville,supportedbyAlison,hiswife,isawelcomerecruitfortheTenor1section,andKeithSpoonerfromHamiltonwilljointheTenor2s.WewerehappytowelcomeAlbyandAlisontotheaudienceattheGisborneConcert.Bothmenareworkingtogettheirheadsaroundthemusicrepertoire,perhapstoparticipateintheArtDecoconcerts.Meantime,anothernewchoristerwillauditionattheSouthernMenpracticeinRangiora,attheendofthismonth.2018hascontinuedtobeaverybusyyearwithgreatopportunitiestocombinerehearsalandconcertsinpartsofAotearoanotalwaysreached.LEESTONCONCERTSEPTEMBER201837bravemenandtruewithwonderfulleadershipasalwaysfromJoeandourAlisonfacedanappreciativeaudienceattheEllesmereCollegeHall.Thechoir(asSouthernmen)hadpreviouslyperformedinLeeston(nineyearsago)toacapacityaudienceattheCatholicChurchwhichiscurrentlyundergoingearthquakerepair.ThewonderfulacousticsoftheCatholicChurchcontributedtoaverysuccessfulconcertandtheenthusiasmoftheaudiencesuggestedarevisitbythefullchoirwouldbeawhile.OtherchurchvenuesinLeestonwereinvestigatedforthisconcertbutwerediscardedduetoaudiencecapacityandaccess.DespitemisgivingsabouttheacousticsoftheCollegeHalltheExecutive(orwasitJoe?)decidedtogivetheHallago.ThelocalmanagementteammanagedtodrumupsponsorshipsupportfromseverallocalbusinessesincludingSpecialtySeeds,EllesmereTransport,TheCrateandBarrell,andtheLeestonPharmacy.TheSelwynLionsClubandAbbeyfieldsundertooktodothecateringandTicketsales.TheSouthbridgePrimarySchoolpulledoutafewweeksbeforetheconcertafterfirmlycommittingearlierintheyearbutfortunatelyTheSelwynYouthchoirsteppedupandperformedadmirably.TheConcertopenedwithawelcomefromthesmallbutenthusiasticCollegeKapaHapagroup.Theyalsodidabracketlaterintheconcert.

ThereweresomelogisticsissuesmainlysurroundingtransportofchoristerstoandfromaccommodationinChristchurch.Askingchoirmemberstocommittotransportbeforetheweekendprovedtobeagoodpolicy.Thetransportwaspaidforbyafee($30)chargedtoallchoirmembersforparticipationintheweekend.Theall-inclusivefeecoveredtransport,lunchesandafternoonteaprovidedatthevenuebyTheLionsandAbbeyfields.GoodpublicitywasprovidedbytheEllesmereEcho;thefreelocalweeklydeliveredtoallRuralBoxholdersinthedistrict.PosterswereplacedinmanyshopwindowsinLeeston,LincolnandSouthbridge.PostersweresentelectronicallytoEmaillistsoffriendsandfoesalike.TheconcertwasconcludedbytheYouthChoirjoiningtheMaleChoirforOverintheGloryLandandPokarekareana.ThereweremanypositivereportsfromtheaudiencebutmostagreedthatthechoirmovingdownintotheauditoriumtosurroundtheaudiencewiththeYouthChoirupfrontforPokarekareanawasthecoupdegrace.Intheendtheacousticsofthevenuewerenotaproblem.Ngamihinuikiakoutoukatoawhomadethisconcertasuccess.BrianPatchett–ChairofSouthernmen

SelwynYouthChoir

KapahakaEllesmereCollege

GISBORNECONCERTTheNZMCgaveavariedandspiritedconcertinGisbornelastweekend.WewerehostedbyGisborneChoralSociety,andwesharedthestagewiththeminalternatesetsofmusic.TheGisborneChoirsangmostlyunaccompanied,whiletheMaleChoirenjoyedthemusicalityandvimofourregularpianist,AlexWiltshire.MypersonalfavouriteswereFuji,andEmilyDickinson’ssuperbpoemsettomusic,TheMoonisDistantfromtheSea.Alsonoteworthy,andinfact,drawingapplausefromastandingaudienceattheend,wasThePilgrims’Chorus.

Weweredelightedtohave3SouthernMenwithus,whoaddedtheirspecialflavourtotheoccasion.ThanksJohnKember,JohnMastersandNormanPhillips.Finally,though,ourheartfeltthankstoMDJoe,whocontinuestobuildonourstrengthsandchipawayatourweaknesses.ImustalsosayahugethankyoutooutgoingNorthernChair,RaySeymour,whodidsomuchworktosettheconcertup,andwaspreventedfromattending

owingtoafamilybereavement.Weofferoursincerecondolencestohim.AndrewBaber-Northernchair

NormCollie&OliverLaneGisborneChoralSociety&NZMCMDJoeChristensensumsup:IthasbeenabusycoupleofmonthswithverysuccessfulconcertsinLeestonandGisborneandtheloomingperformancewiththeNavyBandinAuckland.LeestonwasamuchbettervenuetosinginthanIexpectedandtheKapaHakagroupandYouthChoirweregreatadditionstotheconcert,welldonetotheguysonthegroundwhoorganisedallofthatandBrian’ssonwhomadethestageworkwithextrabitsofwood.ItwasgreattohaveAlisonplayforthewholechoir.

TheGisborneconcertwascompetingwiththeA&PshowbutstillmanagedtodrawalargeraudiencethanGisborneChoralusuallygetsandthevenueisadelighttosingin.GisborneChoralreallyenjoyedtheexperiencewhichgavethemachancetosingadifferentrepertoiretotheirusualstyle.ThankstotheguysfromthesouthwhomadetheodysseytoGisborneandthenwerewinedanddinedbytheGisborneMusicalelite.Bothconcertsweresuccessfulmusicallyandhadgoodsized,enthusiasticaudiences.WearefinallysortedonthemusicforAucklandandtheNavyBandwhichhasbeenabitofanightmaretoorganisebutifyouworkonthemp3’syouwillseeourinvolvementwiththebandisnotdifficult.Wewillneedtobeverysecurebeforearrivingastherewillbeverylittlerehearsaltimewiththeband.Atthisstagewestilldon’thaveaspecificrehearsaltimefortheThursdayafternoonexceptforacommentbyoneofthePettyOfficersthatitisusuallyaround5pm.Hopefullymoretocome.Joe

FromthePresident.Congratulationsallround.TotheMusicTeam,wives,partnersandchoristersmythanksforyourcommitmentinLeestonandGisborne;Iknowalargenumberdidboth!Joe,AlisonandAlex,yourmusicalguidanceandtuitioncontinuestochallengeusallandit'smyhopethatwillcontinue.OnwardandupwardnowtotheArmisticeConcertwiththeNZNavyBandinHolyTrinityCathedral,AucklandonNovember15th.AsJoehasalreadytoldus,ourchoircontributionwillneedtobeverysecureastherewillbeminimalrehearsaltimewiththeBand.TooutgoingPresidentMaurieSmithandSuemysincerethanksforyourconsiderablecontributiontotheChoir;it'sisingoodheart,membershipisontheincreaseagainandyourgeneroushospitalityhasbeenwonderful.MayyoubothcontinuetoenjoyyourtimeintheChoir.JohnBotting.October2018

Andre