Vocal Favourites

The next in the Globe Sunday Matinee series will be a vocal concert featuring two of the Manawatu’s leading concert singers - soprano Jennifer Little and baritone Lindsay Yeo in a wide-ranging programme entitled Vocal Favourites. In addition to songs from Italian opera and arias from Handel’s Messiah it includes familiar numbers from the Sound of Music, My Fair Lady, Porgy and Bess, Les Miserables and Phantom of the Opera. The singers will be accompanied by pianist Guy Donaldson, who will also support the flow of the programme with piano solo items.

Jennifer Little is a past semi-finalist in the Lexus Song Quest, and has an extensive performance repertoire. She was recently the soprano soloist for Karl Jenkin’s The Armed Man and Mozart Requiem in Whanganui. She has performed as the soloist for numerous Last Night of the Proms concerts and military services with the Royal New Zealand Air Force Band, toured Australia as guest soloist with acclaimed tenor Mark Vincent, performed the Seraphim Duet in the world premiere of Samuel Arnold’s Hymn of Adam and Eve, performed Das himmlische Leben in Mahler’s Symphony No. 4, and was the soloist for the opening of the Australian Memorial at Pukeahu Park in Wellington before the New Zealand Cabinet and the New Zealand and Australian Prime Ministers. She has performed as soprano soloist for numerous oratorios. Her principal stage roles include Maria in The Sound of Music, Antonia in The Tales of Hoffmann, Casilda in The Gondoliers, Yum-Yum in The Mikado, and Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance. Other career highlights include recitals at the Bowral Autumn Music Festival in Australia, touring as soprano soloist with the late Rob Guest, solo performances in concert with Dame Malvina Major. Jennifer was a performer and co-founder of New Zealand pop-opera trio Tre-Belle for six years.

Lindsay Yeo became involved in singingwhile at Palmerston North Boys High School through school productions and various choirs - especially with the nationally-acclaimed OK Chorale. He has competed successfully in various vocal competitions, and was awarded the Musica Viva Scholarship in 2014. He was also selected for the PACANZ Young Performer of the Year 2014. He appeared with the Renaissance Singers as the baritone soloist in the debut performance of Graham Parson's 40th Anniversary Mass, and reprised the role with the Whanganui Schola Sacra Choir. In 2018, he was invited to originate the role of Adam in the historic world premiere of Samuel Arnold's recently-discovered 200-year-old work, “Adam and Eve”. Other credits as soloist include the Palmerston North Choral Society (Hamilton's Call to Arms and Goodall's A Requiem), and the Wairarapa Singers (Stainer's Crucifixion). Lindsay also enjoys musical theatre, and played his first lead role this year as Billy Flynn in Act Three's production of Chicago. Lindsay lives in Palmerston North with his wife Michaela and three daughters, and he works as an educational psychologist.

Guy Donaldson received his formative piano instruction from Maurice Collier, and then at Canterbury University with Maurice Till. In 1984 he studied in London with Paul Hamburger and Roger Vignoles. Guy is active in the Manawatu as a teacher, adjudicator, piano soloist, accompanist, chamber music player and music coach, and was from 1989 to 2018 music director of the Renaissance Singers.

Admission is by donation recommended from $5.