Saturday 30 May
Chichester Psalms
With Orchestra Wellington
Leonard Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms were composed at the invitation of Dean Walter Hussey for the 1965 Southern Choirs Festival, adding to the music-loving priest’s impressive list of commissioned works, alongside Britten’s Rejoice in the Lamb and Finzi’s Lo the Full Final Sacrifice. We are thrilled to collaborate once again with our friends at Orchestra Wellington, following on from our previous performances of Berg’s Wozzeck and Victoria Kelly’s Requiem.
The Tudor Consort
Equally at home with ethereal renaissance polyphony and challenging works of the present day, The Tudor Consort is one of New Zealand’s premier chamber choirs.
Since its inception forty years ago with founding Music Director Simon Ravens, The Tudor Consort has been dedicated to artistic excellence, authentic performance practice, and above all moving its audience through the art form of a cappella choral music.
Prizewinners at two editions of the Tolosa International Choral Competition, the choir is regularly recorded and broadcast on Radio New Zealand Concert. Highlights of its history have included critically-acclaimed performances of Handel’s Messiah and JS Bach’s Christmas Oratorio and St Matthew Passion, as well as frequent collaborations with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and Orchestra Wellington.
Artistic Director
Michael Stewart is one of the foremost choral conductors in New Zealand, as well as one of the country’s leading concert organists. Michael was appointed Music Director of The Tudor Consort in 2007, making him the longest serving conductor of the choir. He is also Organist and Director of Music at the Wellington Cathedral of St Paul, and Deputy Music Director of the New Zealand Youth Choir.
Under his tenure, The Tudor Consort has further explored the music of the twentieth century, and is proud to have given premiere performances of works by New Zealand’s own Ross Harris, Jack Body, Gemma Peacocke and David Griffiths.