Highlights shine

 

Alleluia! Music for Eastertide

Saturday 22 April 2023, Knox Church

A full house turned out for the Easter celebration staged by City Choir Dunedin with members of the Dunedin Symphony Orchestra and guest soloists led by David Burchell at Knox Church on Saturday night.

Despite their numbers being depleted somewhat by a fourth wave of Covid-19, the choir put in a sturdy performance of a technically very challenging programme. The twists, turns and vocal agility demanded by baroque music was designed to be challenging even for professional voices.

Part of the excitement of antiphonal music is the inherent risk of becoming a confused and turgid noise. This risk was sadly realised on several occasions. However, there were enough highlights to win the performers and the performance enthusiastic applause.

Soloist soprano Caroline Burchell has a growing creditable repertoire and shows great agility particularly in the solo parts of Mozart’s Regina Coeli. While minced words were all too frequently the cost of this agility, Burchell’s voice and her ease of presentation should take her far.

Mezzo-soprano Erin Connelly-Whyte has a beautiful, warm voice. Her duet with Burchell in Bach’s Christ lag in Todes Banden showed her power in harmonising. Connelly-Whyte’s solo in Telemann’s Zwei Junger highlighted her lyric strength.

Tenor Brendan Shanks showed some uncertainty but a capacity for a powerful presentation particularly in his aria from Bach’s Christ lag.

Bass Edward Smith also showed the weaknesses of a new performer facing a difficult work but overall put up a powerful performance.

David Burchell’s composition O Sons and Daughters proved to be one of those moments in which the choir was severely stretched. The work displays some allegiance to Finzi’s rhythmic contrivances and is, overall, a very accessible work. Vocal articulation and momentum suffered but both were reprieved by a strong finish.

Review by Marian Poole, Otago Daily Times, 24 April 2023

2023 Concert Season

Photo: Ian Thomson, August 2020.

Alleluia! Music for Eastertide

Saturday 22 April, 7:30 pm

Knox Church

Conductor: David Burchell

Soloists: Caroline Burchell, Erin Connelly-Whyte, Brendon Shanks, Edward Smith

Dunedin Symphony Orchestra

Presented by City Choir Dunedin

Choral performances at Easter tend to focus on the repertoire inspired by the crucifixion story, but there is a wealth of beautiful music which celebrates Christ’s resurrection, and this was the focus of our April concert. We presented music from across the centuries, including the the première of David Burchell's latest work.

Samuel Scheidt: Surrexit Christus hodie

J.S. Bach: Christ lag in Todesbanden, BWV 4

Josef Rheinberger: Osterhymne, Op. 134

David Burchell: O Sons and Daughters

Telemann: Zwei Jünger gehn nach Emmaus, TVWV 1:1738a

Mozart: Regina Coeli, K. 127

Brahms's Deutsches Requiem, Christchurch

Saturday 19 August

Christchurch Town Hall

Presented by Christchurch City Choir

City Choir Dunedin traveled to Christchurch to join the Christchurch City Choir and the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra in a performance of Brahms's Deutsches Requiem and Schicksalslied.

Dunedin Youth Orchestra: Force of Destiny

Friday 15 September

Knox Church

City Choir Dunedin joined the DYO on stage in their concert, performing the second movement from the Brahms Deutsches Requiem, 'Den Alles Fleisch'

Ravel's Daphnis et Chloe, Suite No. 2

Friday 3 November

Dunedin Town Hall

Presented by New Zealand Symphony Orchestra

City Choir Dunedin joined the NZSO in a performance of the Ravel suite, staged in the Dunedin Town Hall. 

Handel's Messiah 

Saturday 25 November, 7:30 pm

Dunedin Town Hall

Conductor: David Burchell

Soloists: Elizabeth Mandeno, Maaike Christie-Beekman, Lachlan Craig, Wade Kernot

Dunedin Symphony Orchestra

Presented by City Choir Dunedin

Handel’s Messiah is heard around the world during the Christmas season, being greatly appreciated, admired and enjoyed. 

Christmas Carols @ Otago Museum

Saturday 23 December, 2:00 pm

Tūhura Otago Museum

David Burchell, conductor

Soloists: Caroline Burchell, Sarah Baird, Ben France-Hudson, Alex McAdam

Mark Anderson, assistant conductor

Roland Storm, pianist

Presented by City Choir Dunedin

Celebrate Christmas with the ringing chords and melodious voices of one of Ōtepoti’s favourite choirs. City Choir Dunedin filled Tūhura Otago Museum's Atrium with their uplifting harmonies. With holiday favourites on the grand piano, and classical choral pieces, this is a festive walk down memory lane and a chance to celebrate the joy and connection of Christmas with your community.