Current News and Reviews

Monday 28 June 2010 - Concert Review: "Enjoyable evening"

The Royal Dunedin Male Choir's midwinter concert was enjoyed by a large audience in the town hall last evening.

Interspersed with guest performers, the choir's contribution (conductor Richard Madden, accompanist Linda Folland) of 12 items in a variety of genres was good entertainment. Well-balanced harmony with strong tenor resonance is a pleasing strength of the 2010 choir, and clarity of diction has upgraded.

Numbers such as When the Saints Go Marching In, Gonna Rise Up Singing, and Oklahoma! received hearty rollicking treatment, with support from David Burchell at the Organ, contrasting with other numbers like the very moving performance in full harmony of The Lord's Prayer and the traditional Welsh melody Watching the Wheat.

Supporting guest Paddy Ou (13), took the Steinway with confidence, for the biggest musical 15 minutes of his life, delivering some well-shaped Chopin favourites, and finishing with a virtuosic delight - The Cat and the Mouse by Copeland.

Dunedin Musician Rachel Swindell's organ solo by Bach and particularly the showy Tocata by Boellmann were highlights.

The Otago Boys High School Choir, conducted by Karen Knudson and accompanied by Sandra Crawshaw, has gone from strength to strength in the past couple of years. Its bracket of songs was impressive.

(Review in the Otago Daily Times, 29 June 2010, by Elizabeth Bouman.)

Membership

The Choir was pleased to welcome Tom Swire to the 1st Tenor ranks and we trust that his stay will be long and enjoyable. We were sorry to loose 1st Bass Allan Woodhead who retired at the beginning of the year after 17 years valued service which included 3 years on committee.

The Choir is always looking for new members, so if you enjoy singing and male camaraderie, join us at our weekly Monday rehearsals at the Wesley Street Methodist Church Hall, Hillside Road, at 7:15pm.

Service Recognition

Nothing to report at this time.

Choir Activities

Over the past 8 years the Choir has entered two teams in the annual golf tournament hosted by our principal sponsor N.Z. Mortgage Income Trust. We were highly delighted earlier this year when one of our teams containing 2nd Basses; Norman Ellis and Lindsay Neilson won this prestigious trophy!!

Ahead of the Christmas Concert in December, the Choir will be performing as special guests at the East Taieri Presbyterian on Sunday afternoon 31st October 2010 at 2:00pm. This has become an annual event and is very well received by the Mosgiel and East Taieri communities.

Obituaries

Nothing to report at this time.