Centennial Concert -
ANZAC Revue on ANZAC day, Sunday 25th April 2021 - Town Hall - 6.30pm
Ticket sale opens Monday 22nd March, Tickets $ 30.00, at Regent Theater ($2.00 booking fee per ticket applies) or on www.ticketmaster.co.nz ($8.00 fee per transaction applies). - Door sales 1 hour before the concert.
Musical Director: Karen Knudson - Accompanist:
- Compere: Rhiannon Cooper
Guests: Mosgiel Brass Band - Bennett School of Dance - Organist David Burchell - Soloists Scott Bezett, Lillian Gibbs, Emma McClean, Alexander McAdam - Trumpet Ralph Miller - Drums Robbie Craigie - Bagpipes Murray Tannock - Bass Drums Sam Coutts
The ANZAC Revue will also be our Centenary Concert. We were going to have our Centenary Concert at last years ANZAC day Revue, however due to the Covert - 19 virus close down, this was not possible.
This Revue is a real celebration. We are going to enjoy ourselves and we know you and your friends (do bring some) will enjoy it immensely. There will be some old favourites to stir us and some new songs to inspire us. There will be songs that reflect our origins: we began as the Dunedin Returned Soldiers Choir; first concert in 1920. Now, as the Dunedin Returned Services Choir (RSA Choir) we face the future in hope and anticipation. To demonstrate this, we are presenting a wide range of songs; songs that are poignant, topical, funny (we hope!) and climactic. There will be beautiful harmony and powerful sound. Some of the songs are original, written and composed just for our Choir. We will CELEBRATE! Join us and share with us as we do so. Our Choir is unique in the heritage we reflect. We are not copying others, as good as they might be. Over the years we have developed our own style and particularly so under our Director, Karen.
It is a delight to have a very recent Choir Scholar leading the proceedings as our compere. She didn’t really have a fair go singing with us because of the Covid-19 lockdown, but now this very talented young lady, Rhiannon Cooper, will front our Centennial programme. Each year the Choir offers a three-year Scholarship to a classical voice student from the Music Department of the University of Otago. We find this a wonderful association, with the expectation that they will have performance experience before a large audience and showcase their talents. Our three current scholars will all be performing at stages throughout the programme. They are Lillian Gibbs, Emma McClean and Alexander McAdam. We are privileged to have them contribute.
A highlight of our Revue will be the participation of the extremely popular and community active Mosgiel Brass Band. They will have their own bracket immediately after the interval and will accompany us in several of our songs.
Another WOW factor will be our wonderful pipe organ, Norma, played by maestro and City Organist, David Burchell. When you have Norma, the Brass Band, our pianist, and a male choir in full voice there will be a sound that will thrill you and which you will carry home with you, the memory maybe lasting for years. Ralph Miller will also add his trumpet to this combination, and also in our Ceremony of Remembrance. Drums and bagpipes will be played at times by Robbie Craigie, Sam Coutts, and Murray Tannock.
A young baritone from Lee Stream, who has trained in the Music Department, University of Otago, will be performing with the choir in several items and will also have a solo bracket. He is Scott Bezett, a singer with a very promising future.
We will also be entertained by the Bennett School of Dance. This highly respected School teaches a variety of dance forms and we wait in anticipation for what we shall see.
A new song has been composed by Karen to words written by her mother, Dorothy Knudson. The song is a cry for protection in battle from a daughter for her father, who fought on and won a medal for bravery. Our other new song is in a different category altogether and trumps our efforts at comedy. The wording here gives a clue to the connection. Our scholars assist with this.
Our other songs are ones we have enjoyed singing previously and we know you will enjoy listening to them again. In addition, we will sing a wonderful arrangement of a popular Maori song.
We hope you feel inspired by the prospects and we thank our wonderful conductor, Karen Knudson, for the inspiration she gives us to sing to you.
An attractive Centennial souvenir programme with much additional detail will be handed out on the night of the concert.