Large Ensemble Showcase
Large Ensemble Showcase
August 05, 2016 at 3:02 PM
This is the term that all our music groups step into high gear in anticipation of their various competitions, notably the KBB Music Festival for our instrumental ensembles and Big Sing for our choirs.
As a final rehearsal performance before their upcoming competitions, the Big Band, Sinfonia, Chamber Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra, Concert Band and Kentoris, our premier choir, delivered a Showcase Concert last night bringing the skills of well over 100 of our best musicians to the stage.
The Large Ensemble and Choral programmes at the College are extensive. Each year the groups perform in a variety of College settings but with much of the focus is on the build up to the annual KBB Music Festival (15-19 August) and the NZCF Big Sing Finale (25-27 August – Dunedin).
Last night, each of the ensembles performed a selection of their repertoire to a delighted audience at the newly rebranded BNZ Theatre at the Vodafone Events Centre, Manukau. This is not only a fantastic venue acoustically for our big performance groups but the large professional performance space allows for the stage to be reconfigured quickly as the different groups move on and off.
The Big Band opened the concert under the direction of Mr Paul Norman, Head of Performance Jazz. After a successful KBB Music Festival in 2015, where they received a Gold award and a place in the KBB Gala, the band were once again outstanding as they presented five pieces including two featuring fantastic Year 12 singer, Sophie Maehl.
The Sinfonia, now significantly larger than in previous years, continues to be a fantastic development group for our mostly younger musicians. Led by Head of Middle School Music, Mr Oliver Gilmour, they presented a diverse and entertaining set. The Chamber Orchestra were excellent and showed that their function is certainly more than just being a subsection of the Symphony. Their performance, especially of the Elgar Serenade for Strings, was well received and showed a high degree of musical maturity. The end of the first half was a choral presentation by Kentoris. Their three pieces will form part of the two programmes that they will present at the NZCF Big Sing Finale in Dunedin at the end of this month, under Director of Choirs, Mr Lachlan Craig.
The second half featured our two largest ensembles, the Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Mr Timothy Carpenter and the Concert Band, conducted by Head of Music, Mr Ross Gerritsen, who boht delivered entertaining and well balanced programmes to finish of a night of excellent music. Both groups head to Matamata this weekend for a camp to work on continuing to improve their performances in preparation for competition.
Last night’s concert was a superb mix of instrumental and choral talent that we hope will please the judges in two weeks’ time! Our musicians hope you will come along and support them. The KBB Festival is taking place at the Holy Trinity Cathedral and St Mary’s Church in Parnell .
Our ensembles are playing in the festival at the following times:
- Sinfonia,, Monday 15 at 10am, Holy Trinity
- Symphony Orchestra, Tuesday 16 at 3.00pm, Holy Trinity
- Chamber Orchestra, Tuesday 16 at 6.30pm, St Mary’s
- Big Band, Thursday 18 at 9.30am, St Mary’s
- Concert Band, Thursday 18 at 9.00pm, Holy Trinity
Entry is free to all events. We wish everyone involved the best of luck and hope to see you there!
