It must be about a year since I heard Cantoris, which was one of Wellington’s leading choirs under he direction of Robert Oliver; like most musical bodies it has had its ups and downs since then. Under Robert Oliver the choir gained distinction by presenting complete performances of Handel oratorios; it is no longer possible to excite large audiences with such things, and concerts of late have been more... read more

also: SOUNZ Contemporary Award 2010  (preview): Chris Gendall: "Rudiments"; Ross Harris:  "Violin Concerto No. 1"; Chris Cree Brown: "Inner Bellow". New Zealand Music Month 2010 began with a highlight - the "Sequences" concert from leading contemporary music group Stroma, which  featured NZ premieres of two recent offerings from Ross Harris and Chris Gendall. These large-ensemble, almost orchestrally weighty scores, bookended a series of  mainly solo pieces showcasing the virtuoso talents of individual Stroma members. Luciano Berio's 1958 monodic... read more