Welcome to Spring - a Concert By the Waiapu Cathedral Choir

On Sunday, September 24th the choir of Waiapu Cathedral in Napier will welcome Spring with “the songs we love to sing” - a concert programme created from suggestions made by choir members.
The selection, literally a hit-parade of the choir’s favourite music, includes motets from the Elizabethan era, mid-century American songs by Lauredsen and Whitacre and a vocal adaptation of Samuel Barber’s beautiful “Adagio for Strings.” Two lively Spirituals - “When the Saints…” and “I got a Robe” will get the feet tapping! Then there are beautiful French and German compositions and from England the familiar hymn “Abide with Me” and majestic anthems “They that go Down to the Sea in Ships” and “I Saw the Lord”.
This concert is a fund-raiser for a special purpose. The red robes (cassocks) which the choir wears are now over 40 years old and well-worn. To replace them, fabric has been purchased and a local dressmaker contracted to make 35 new robes.
Musical Director Anthony Tattersall says that the new robes will be much more comfortable for his choristers to wear during the hot Hawke’s Bay summers, as the fabric chosen is much lighter than the heavy polyester twill used for the current robes. Anthony has been Director of Music at Waiapu Cathedral for the past seven years. His previous experience as a chorister and choir director in Britian has given him invaluable knowledge which has been instrumental in reviving the musical traditions and skills in Waiapu Cathedral. Both the adult and young peoples’ choirs have been revitalised under his leadership.
Two of the adult choir members began singing choral services here as children, wearing miniature versions of the red cassocks. Other choir members are very new, having joined the group in the past year or two. They all agree that the pleasure of singing beautiful music, plus regular social activities and “debriefs” after practices and services make the work and commitment required to sing cathedral music both satisfying and worthwhile, and they look forward to sharing their favourite music with you.