J.S Bach - The Greatest Composer Of Them All

23 August 2004
Media release

J.S Bach - THE GREATEST COMPOSER OF THEM ALL

JS Bach is the greatest composer of them all - a master of supreme craftsmanship, yet leaving a legacy of music of the deepest humanity. Bach's genius shines out of every form of music he touched, as relevant today as in his own century. It can inspire the mind with its mathematical precision and touch the heart with the wonder of a simple tune.

The NZSO Chamber Orchestra celebrates a programme of JS Bach, "the most stupendous miracle in all music" during August in Wellington, Auckland and Nelson, featuring Soprano Pepe Becker and Harpsichordist, Douglas Mews, lead by NZSO Associate Concertmaster - Donald Armstrong.

Celebrated soprano, Pepe Becker, will return to her hometown of Nelson where she began her musical training as a child as one of four girls in the otherwise all-male Nelson Cathedral Choir. She went onto found the Wellington-based vocal consort Baroque Voices in 1994. She has appeared as a soloist in Baroque and Classical works with many recognised ensembles in New Zealand including The Tudor Consort, Cantoris, the Auckland Bach Cantata Society, The Orpheus Choir of Wellington, the NZSO and the Wellington Sinfonia.

Douglas Mews is well known around New Zealand for his specialist Keyboard skills. He has travelled as far afield Germany and Austria to play historic organs and early pianos, giving organ recitals in Luebeck, Braunschweig and Chemnitz (KarlMarxstadt). He is currently a lecturer at Victoria University and Choir Director at St.Teresa's in Karori.

The NZSO Chamber Orchestra was founded in 1987 from leading players of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. It generally performs without a conductor and is directed from the first violin chair by Music Director Donald Armstrong. The Chamber Orchestra performs regularly with distinguished international soloists, who have included the great German tenor Peter Schreier, leading Mozart interpreter, the fortepianist Malcolm Bilson, cellist David Geringas, and the English pianist Richard Rodney Bennett.

Programme
NZSO CHAMBER ORCHESTRA
Friday 27 August, 8 pm CATHOLIC CATHEDRAL, HILL ST WELLINGTON
Saturday 28 August at 8pm TOWN HALL CONCERT CHAMBER
AUCKLAND
Wednesday 1 September, 8pm SCHOOL OF MUSIC NELSON

NZSO Chamber Orchestra Tour - Music by Bach
Donald Armstrong Director/Soloist
Douglas Mews harpsichord
Pepe Becker soprano
BACH Concerto for Keyboard in D Minor
JS BACH Cantata No 199 'Meine Herze Schwimmt im Blut'
BACH Concerto for Violin in E Major
JS BACH Cantata No 202 'Weichet Nur, Betrübte Schatten' - "Wedding
Cantata"

Tickets
$35 + concessions
For further Ticket information please contact the NZSO 0800 479 674.

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