Cantando Choir: A Winter Reflection

Cantando Choir and soloists from the University’s Conservatorium of Music present A Winter Reflection.

Followers of Cantando Choir will be pleased to see the choir embracing its founding principles in recent concerts and providing performance opportunities for young local singers. In this concert, the choir is delighted to welcome talented soloists from Waikato University’s Conservatorium of Music: soprano Felicity Tomkins, mezzo soprano Cecily Shaw and baritone Aidan Phillips.

Well-known Hamilton pianist, Francis Cowan, will accompany our guest singers as they perform solo items and duets by Handel, Mozart and Puccini. Felicity and Aidan will also feature as soloists in the concert’s main work, Requiem, by English composer Malcolm Archer.

Cantando’s Musical Director, Rupert D’Cruze has chosen works which reflect the great English choral tradition for the choir to perform in this programme. The concert opens with a setting of Psalm 150 by Benjamin Britten, well-known for works such as The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra and his War Requiem. Britten had a particular interest and skill in writing music for children and Psalm 150 was originally composed for a two-part children’s choir to celebrate the centenary of his own prep school, Old Buckingham Hall School.

English organist, conductor and composer, Malcolm Archer was born in 1952. He is described as being a “master of the choral idiom, writing marvellous melodies which lodge in the memory”. “Archer’s Requiem has links to those of Fauré and Duruflé” says Rupert, “and we look forward to presenting this fine example of his beautiful melodic work to our audience, ably supported by David Woodcock at the piano."