Tauranga Civic Choir: Songs of Earth, Sea and Sky

• Date: 12/04/2025 16:00 - 17:00
• Location: St Peter's in the City, 130 Spring Street, Tauranga
• Tickets: $20

The programme is varied, and includes Songs of the Fleet, by Charles Villiers Stanford, plus a number of short pieces, ranging from folk songs and spirituals to classical and contemporary pieces. Songs of the Fleet is a cycle of five songs, in which Stanford has used poems by Henry Newbolt and set them to music for baritone soloist and choir, and we welcome Samuel McKeever as our soloist. The Hastings-born baritone completed his Bachelor's Degree in Classical Performance with First Class Honours at Te Kōkī New Zealand School of Music in 2021. In 2023 he was the winner of the Wellington Aria Competition, and in 2022 he was awarded third prize in the finals of the Lockwood New Zealand Aria. He has sung various operatic roles, and has performed as soloist with a number of New Zealand choirs.

We will be accompanied by a chamber orchestra, and Matthew Howes on organ. Matthew is a conductor, countertenor, pianist and organist, and is currently Director of Music and organist at St Marks Anglican Church in Remuera. Matthew completed his music degree at Durham University, England, before moving to New Zealand in 2013. He spent four years singing with the choir of Holy Trinity Cathedral and has conducted Camerata Chamber Choir since 2020.