Fundraising Cello Recital

Tomas Hurnik on Baroque Cello

Ticket sale also at the door – cash only.

The Baroque Community and Educational Trust of New Zealand is on a mission to build a collection of period instruments for students. Tomas Hurnik will be performing a Solo Baroque Cello Concert Tour featuring Bach and other Baroque gems on a tour of the South Island. The profits from the concerts will go directly to raise funds for 14 string instruments to create a small string chamber ensemble.

The Baroque Community and Educational Trust of New Zealand has cooperated with the University of Canterbury for five years, educating, training and providing performance opportunities for young talented musicians from the North and South Island. The aim of this project is to deepen this educational experience by giving students an opportunity to rehearse and perform on period instruments so that they can more authentically explore the roots of western music.

This is incredibly soulful music that resonates beautifully in the the venues we have chosen that meet the specific acoustic needs of baroque music. So come to rediscover the beauty of baroque music with a program that includes Bach Solo Cello Suite No.3 and other gems for solo cello!

Tomas Hurnik

Tomas Hurnik was born in Ostrava, Czech Republic. In Europe, Tomas was an active performer, playing and recording as a soloist with various orchestras and as a member of chamber groups for Czech radio and concerts both in Czech and abroad (Germany, Austria, Japan and France). He also performed with an array of period instrument groups such as Musica Florea, Capella Regia Prague and Solamente Naturali with which he toured around Europe. He now actively organizes and performs in concerts, recordings, workshops and master classes across New Zealand. His biggest passion is to support young talented musicians in New Zealand by giving them opportunities to rehearse and perform in concerts and concert tours alongside professional musicians.

Period Instruments

Period instruments are musical instruments which have been made in the same way that they were hundreds of years ago so that classical music, such as Baroque music, will sound how it did when it was first composed.

Period string instruments are similar to classical string instruments but with three main differences. First, the strings are made of pure gut instead of steel, giving the instrument a softer, but more direct sound which allows for a clearer less muddled sound. Second, the tuning is lower which puts less stress on the instruments, and thus less tension is transferred in the vibrations of the sound. This can be very soothing for the human nervous system and has been found to have positive effects on children with special needs when the trust cooperated with the Champion Centre in the past. Finally, because the sound from the period instrument is more direct and “dry”, the acoustics in which it is played is of vital importance. Overall, period instruments sound best in traditional venues such as cathedrals, basilicas and acoustically suitable music halls such as The Piano in Christchurch.

Fundraising Concert Tour 2023:

Thurs 2nd March 7pm St Andrews Presbyterian Church, Blenheim
Fri 3rd March 7pm Nelson Cathedral, Nelson
Sat 4th March 4pm St. Patrick’s Church, Greymouth
Mon 6th March 7pm Rippon Vineyard, Wanaka
Tues 7th March 7pm St Peter's Church , Queenstown
Wed 8rd March 7pm St. Mary’s Basilica, Invercargill
Thur 9th March 6pm St Andrew’s Church, Gore
Fri 10th March 7pm St Paul’s Cathedral, Dunedin
Sat 11th March 7pm St Luke’s Church, Oamaru
Sun 12th March 2pm Sacred Heart Basilica, Timaru
Mon 13th March 7pm The Piano, Christchurch