Join us for a performance of Shaky Places. Shaky Places is a collection of 14 quintessential New Zealand poems set to choral music by musician and choir director Felicia Edgecombe. The poems range from a celebration of New Zealand’s flora and fauna as well as its majestic landscape to remembrance of some of our darkest events such as the Christchurch earthquake and the Erebus tragedy. The celebration ends in hope that we and the world can be transformed through love.

Shaky Places is a collection of 14 quintessential New Zealand poems set to choral music by musician and choir director Felicia Edgecombe. The poems range from a celebration of New Zealand’s flora and fauna as well as its majestic landscape to remembrance of some of our darkest events such as the Christchurch earthquake and the Erebus tragedy. The celebration ends in hope that we and the world can be transformed through love.

Singing the Seasons moves through the year in four movements, each one drawing together choral voices, piano, and solo song to paint a season in sound. Songs include traditional works by Schubert and Christina Rosetti, to modern choral works by John Rutter and Morgen Lauridson. Solo items included musical by Tchaikovsky, Vivaldi and Grieg. The choir is supported by guest musicians and soloists Guy Donaldson, Nigel Tongs, Elizbeth Reynolds, Diana Neild and Charlotte Cotton.

PNCS with cellist Annie Hunt, harpsichordist Roy Tankersley, trumpet Neville Lauridsen and musicians from the Manawatu Sinfonia presented an essential selection of choruses with linking recitative and arias from Handel’s Messiah. Guest soloists were Jennifer Little – soprano –  Sinead Keane – mezzo soprano –  Lindsay Yeo – baritone –  and Nigel Tongs – tenor.

Alexander L’Estranges’s Song Cycle, commissioned to mark the Leeds Yorkshire stage of the 2014 Tour de France, comprises a modern choral work of 10 songs. The songs traverse a wide variety of musical styles including funk, folk, jazz, barbershop, pastiche Victorian Music Hall and theatre. The choir was supported by David Selfe on piano and a local jazz quintet led by Neville Lauridsen.

PNCS performed a concert of famous Opera and musical choruses accompanied by Guy Donaldson. Selected Opera arias were performed by guest soloists Jennifer Little, Sinead Keane and Lindsay Yeo.