Piano Extravaganza repertoire features old masters and modern

Experience the elegance of Piano Extravanganza which is being performed on Monday, this King’s Birthday Weekend. From left, MJ Chen, Bev Peach, Sue McVey, Trish Tattle, Coralie Hunter, Catherine Macdonald, Corey Lugtig. Picture by Paul Rickard

Be ready to be enthralled by the thirteenth Piano Extravaganza (PEXIII),  as  part of the St Andrew’s Lunchtime concert series  this King’s birthday next week.

The first of these piano concerts in 2011 was suggested by pianist and organist Sonja Schutte, who, as a school teacher, was not able to take part in a lunchtime concert on a regular weekday, so we chose Queen’s birthday Monday to accommodate her.

This proved to be such a fortuitous co-incidence of event and timing that, except for a hiccup in 2020, we have kept to the formula of that holiday Monday.

Four of the five performers in the first concert have appeared at every Extravaganza.  Locals Trish Tattle, Beverley Peach, Coralie Hunter, and Catherine Macdonald  are joined this year by Sue McVey, Corey Lugtig and M-J Chen.

The music for the first few concerts was taken from the collection left by the late Lucy Brook as well as from the libraries of the participants.  Both Coralie and Catherine have visited family in the States where they bought and brought back several new scores to bolster the range of pieces to play.

The repertoire for this concert ranges from the old masters to modern music. Handel’s Arrival of the Queen of Sheba (Sinfonia from the oratorio Solomon) dates back to 1748 and the mesmerising Turkish March by Beethoven to 1809.

The Romantic 19th century is represented by an arrangement of Gurlitt’s Rustic Pictures and Moszkowski ‘s Bolero from his evergreen Spanish Dances.

The 20th and 21st centuries are represented by a range of music from screen, stage and pop with Somewhere over the Rainbow, the partner songs We’re all working on the Railroad and Someone’s in the kitchen with Dinah; Billy Joel’s It’s still Rock ‘n’ Roll to me, and some Afro-Caribbean pieces arranged by Mike Cornick for 6 hands at one piano.

NZ composer Douglas K. Mews’ Pastorale and Polka were written for the same format.  When Mews’ son, also Douglas, was in Gisborne to accompany the Choral Society a couple of years back he heard about our piano concerts and immediately offered his father’s music.  We accepted with delight and played it first in 2019.  Mews senior’s music is generally approachable and these light-hearted pieces are no exception. We are pleased to present them again.

The group is pleased to present a student item with Willow Lawton, Caitlyn Murphy, Romie Roseman and Wairere Kutia performing The Enchanted Isle  by Beatrice Miller.

As usual, the concert will be rounded off with a concerted performance of Grainger’s Country Gardens.

The series is presented by the Gisborne Presbyterian Parish assisted by Marjorie Redstone Trust, JN Williams Memorial Trust and HB Williams Turanga Trust.

Piano Extravaganza XIII features an ensemble of:, M-J Chen, Coralie Hunter, Corey Lugtig, Catherine Macdonald, Sue McVey, Beverley Peach, and Trish Tattle, with students Wairere Kutia, Willow Lawton, Caitlyn Murphy and Romie Roseman playing two, three, four (and even more) at a time, on one or two (or more) pianos. Tea and coffee is available at the door. Bring your lunch. Admission is free.  Optional koha or donation to performers for expenses and piano maintenance fund.

■ St Andrew’s Lunchtime Concert Series, 176 Cobden Street Gisborne, King’s Birthday Monday, June 5, 12.30pm.