"New World - Music from the Americas" - Hamilton Civic Choir
24 May 2014 7:30 PM
When most of us think about American music it’s the classic show tunes or music of the jazz age which first spring to mind. Some of these great songs from the USA will be included in the Hamilton Civic Choir’s concert on May 24th, but a much broader approach to the theme Music of the New World: the Americas means that compositions of many different origins, eras and styles, some of which are rarely heard in this country, will also be performed.
The concert will begin with the first piece of music ever published in Peru: a 17th Century chant with the wonderful name Hanacpachap cussicuinin! A glorious Mass for two choirs by Padilla, a Spanish composer who lived in Mexico in the 1600s, will add another exotic element, contrasting with the sublimely beautiful vocal setting of the Agnus Dei from Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings. This is the music which was played in memorial services for Presidents Roosevelt and Kennedy, and more recently for the victims of the 9/11 attacks. On a livelier note, songs such as Begin the Beguine, Somewhere Over the Rainbow, and a new setting of If Music be the Food of Love by award-winning contemporary composer Libby Larsen will lift shift the mood to more modern times.
This concert will also feature award-winning and multi-talented soloist Andrew Leathwick, who has studied both composition and piano performance at UOW. In 2012 Andrew won the Civic Choir’s Associate Artist Award, the University of Waikato Concerto Competition and the Lilburn Trust Composition Award; but in 2013 topped that by winning the National Concerto Competition, playing Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto no. 3. In the Civic Choir concert Andrew will play some favourite piano compositions by Beethoven and Messiaen.
Tickets: General Admission $10 - $25