Open air concert a celebration of Beethoven
Whangarei-based pianist, Art Zegelaar, will perform some of Beethoven’s finest and best known sonatas in a special concert at Pompallier Mission – the NZ Historic Places Trust property in Russell, Bay of Islands – on January 16 2011.
The well known composer, teacher and performer will once again set up his grand piano in Pompallier Mission’s garden for a special one-off summer evening concert entitled Picnic with Beethoven.
“Last year Art performed a similar concert which was packed out. Everybody was keen to see a repeat performance,” says the Manager of Pompallier Mission, Kate Martin.
Whangarei-based pianist, Art Zegelaar, will perform some of Beethoven’s finest and best known sonatas in a special concert at Pompallier Mission – the NZ Historic Places Trust property in Russell, Bay of Islands – on January 16 2011.
The well known composer, teacher and performer will once again set up his grand piano in Pompallier Mission’s garden for a special one-off summer evening concert entitled Picnic with Beethoven.
“Last year Art performed a similar concert which was packed out. Everybody was keen to see a repeat performance,” says the Manager of Pompallier Mission, Kate Martin.
“People sat mesmerised and relaxed as Art performed a programme of sublimely beautiful music against a wonderful backdrop – and we’re sure this year will be every bit as good.” The Netherlands-born musician studied composition and performance at Liverpool University, and has an impressive recording history. Proceeds from the Picnic will go towards his Northland students’ studies.
Art is looking forward to playing at Pompallier Mission once again, and although the programme has yet to be finalised, is keen for the open-air performance to be a celebration of some of Beethoven’s finest works.
Ninja a Nono at Garden concert. It was a gamble this year, with Ninja the unpredictable guest to throw a Garden Concert into disarray. But No No, the weather was fantastic. And with even more people than last year who had made themselves on the way to a different evening in a historic ambience with food and wine and wonderful Music.
And they had come from Kaitaia, Waiheke Island, tourists enjoying their stay in New Zealand, locals and even people from Kerikeri were able to break free from their own cultural bonds to spend a sunday evening, bringing many youth and small children to Pompallier Historic Gardens in Russell, Bay of Islands.
There an impressive number of people from Whangarei had followed Whangarei based pianist and teacher Art Zegelaar to listen to almost three hours of a wide selection from Beethoven Sonatas. For the occasion Art had brought in his Boesendorfer Grand Piano, which offered a fabulous dynamic layer of sound, which was picked up and answered to gratefully by birds and waves as well as audience.
Technical perfection was not always offered. 'Passion is all that matters!', commented one concertgoer. And if a pianist manages even young children to listen in wonder for almost three hours, then lots of that was there. 'You have given us a wide range', commented another guest on the programme that started with Beethoven's Tempest and ended with Appassionata, more a Piano Concerto then a Sonata according to Art.
We’re encouraging people to make an evening of it and – literally – picnic with Beethoven at Pompallier Mission,” says Kate.
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NEW HORIZONS
The Veteran could never be described as a 'Culture Vulture' ... more a meat and beer man (as I am sure The Realist will testify). And so it was a certain amount of 'discussion' greeted the statement from Memshab that today WE were going to 'Picnic with Beethoven'.
At 3.30 pm 'she' pulled the plug on the TV crickets and we climbed in the car where the temperature was a bracing 34 degrees and motored down to the Paihia Wharf to catch the ferry to Russell and thence to Pompallier House on the waterfront.
It was my first time there and it was a magic location in a beautiful setting with the sound of the ocean breaking on the beach just three meters away and for the next two hours I sat mesmerised by a selection of Beethoven played by Art Zegelaar on his grand piano. Art hales from Whangarei and is internationally recognised as a composer, teacher and performer.
The programme included an Introduction in A Opus 101 (with Haka) which was certainly different along with the Sonata in C@ minor Opus 27 no. 2 'Moonlight' which my fellow history buffs will know featured in the final concert by the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra just hours before the Russians overran that City.
And all the while we ate seafood canapes and quaffed Allan Scott Savignon Blanc until the 'gentleman' next to us (complete with dog named Charlie) took pity on me and offered to share his Bollinger.We boarded the 8.00 pm ferry on a high (the Bollinger was VERY good) and Mems drove back home from the terminal. This was one time where she got it right. Congrats to her and to the Pompallier House Trust Board. I will be back and bugger the cricket.
NEW HORIZONS
The Veteran could never be described as a 'Culture Vulture' ... more a meat and beer man (as I am sure The Realist will testify). And so it was a certain amount of 'discussion' greeted the statement from Memshab that today WE were going to 'Picnic with Beethoven'.
At 3.30 pm 'she' pulled the plug on the TV crickets and we climbed in the car where the temperature was a bracing 34 degrees and motored down to the Paihia Wharf to catch the ferry to Russell and thence to Pompallier House on the waterfront.
It was my first time there and it was a magic location in a beautiful setting with the sound of the ocean breaking on the beach just three meters away and for the next two hours I sat mesmerised by a selection of Beethoven played by Art Zegelaar on his grand piano. Art hales from Whangarei and is internationally recognised as a composer, teacher and performer.
The programme included an Introduction in A Opus 101 (with Haka) which was certainly different along with the Sonata in C@ minor Opus 27 no. 2 'Moonlight' which my fellow history buffs will know featured in the final concert by the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra just hours before the Russians overran that City.
And all the while we ate seafood canapes and quaffed Allan Scott Savignon Blanc until the 'gentleman' next to us (complete with dog named Charlie) took pity on me and offered to share his Bollinger.We boarded the 8.00 pm ferry on a high (the Bollinger was VERY good) and Mems drove back home from the terminal. This was one time where she got it right. Congrats to her and to the Pompallier House Trust Board. I will be back and bugger the cricket.
