Taupō Strings performs Palladio by Karl Jenkins at The Storehouse on July 14, 2022. Video by Rachel Canning, Taupō & Tūrangi Herald.
It's not every day you see musical instruments normally seen in an orchestra being played in a cafe setting.
At least not in Taupō, and the other night at The Storehouse there was a real Greenwich Village vibe going on when Taupō Strings played as part of the Malcolm Flowers Insurances Taupō Winter Festival 2022.
Taupō Strings was formed late last year by violinists Jolie Hurdley and Fleur Wolstenholme. During the summer they played at Market Central Taupō on Sundays and now have nine core players: four on the violins, two playing the viola, and three cellists.
It all started late last year when Fleur put up a post on Facebook to connect with other string musicians, and Jolie jumped on board.
Jolie moved to Taupō last year to take up a position as marketing manager for Wairakei Resort and Chateau Tongariro Hotel. Before moving here, she checked online to see if there were any violin groups to join and found plenty of references to the Great Lakes Symphony Orchestra. But when she arrived she found they are in abeyance.
"I've moved around quite a bit overseas, and everywhere I go there's been a local orchestra to join.
"I was gutted, my research was faulty, when I got here [to Taupō] there was nothing," Jolie says.
Taupō School of Music tutors Jo Paull and Richard Paull have joined, and then some adult players they know also signed on. For some it's the first group they have ever played in, another has since moved to Auckland but still comes down to play.
Taupō Strings at The Storehouse performing at the Malcolm Flowers Insurances Taupō Winter Festival 2022. Photo / Supplied
Jolie says they are always looking for more players, and feels there will be people living in perhaps Tūrangi or Mangakino who have not yet heard about the newly formed strings group. She says they practise every other Thursday and have so far built up a repertoire of about 30 pieces with a good variety of modern, classical, jazz, and folk music.
"We want to make it fun for new players, we play a range of music, and are there to support all members."
She says Taupō Strings was well received at the summer market and is hoping the Taupō community will book them for outdoor venues, and says they could also quickly form an ensemble for an indoor setting. They would love to do a regular gig once a month on a Thursday or Friday night.
"The feedback we have had so far is that we are really adding to the cultural scene in Taupō."
She says playing at The Storehouse attracted a crowd different from the usual, with Taupō School of Music students taking the opportunity to come along and see their tutors play, and couples in their 20s coming along for date night.
"We had young people come up to us and say they wanted more. Growing up in Taranaki we had lots more opportunities to go to orchestral performances."
Taupō Strings performed to an appreciative audience at The Storehouse as part of the Malcolm Flowers Insurances Taupō Winter Festival 2022. Photo / Supplied
Taupō Strings is playing tomorrow, in the second half of the Midday Concert held at St Andrew's Church in Titiraupenga St, Taupō. The concert goes from noon to 1pm and it costs $5 at the door. For more information see Facebook @MiddayConcert.
To inquire about joining Taupō Strings, contact Jolie Hurdley 021 111 4500, and see their Facebook page @TaupōStrings.
