News Archive
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CD Launch date set: 10 October 2007
The choir's latest Cd recording, Christmas a cappella II, will be launched at a function in central Auckland on 9 October; it will be available in shops from 10 October.
Our first recording, Christmas a cappella, was number one in the classical charts; our new recording has been designed to be a sequel to it. Click Latest Cd Recording in the menu at left for more information.
Conductor awarded a Doctorate
9 March 2007
Indra Hughes, the Conductor of Musica Sacra, is the first person in New Zealand to be awarded the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts (University of Auckland). This new degree is described as "a performance-centred degree that consolidates and 'fine-tunes' the skills of musicians already working at an exceptional level.
The principal focus is performance that is firmly grounded in research. The requirements are divided between high level performance and a supporting thesis closely related to the student's performance specialisation." Indra submitted a thesis in which he proposed a number of new theories about the unfinished ending of JS Bach's monumental last work, The Art of Fugue. To read more about this, and to download the thesis, please visit Dr Hughes' own web site at www.indrahughes.com
Musica Sacra announces its programme for 2007
24 January 2007
Another exciting year of varied and magnificent music, ranging from Monteverdi to Mahler, lies ahead for Musica Sacra and its audiences.
Choral Evensong, at St Matthew-in-the-City on the last Sunday of each month, continues at the new time of 5:00pm, with a programme of Anglican Cathedral Music from Tomkins, Gibbons, Byrd and Weelkes to Stanford, Wood, Howells, Vaughan Williams and Patrick Gowers: many of these services will feature the Donald Barriball Memorial Chamber Organ in Tudor and Restoration repertoire.
On Friday 9 March the choir will form part of a large chorus for a performance of Mahler's Symphony No 2 at the Auckland Town Hall. The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra will be conducted by James Judd and this important concert doubles as both the opening night of the Auckland Festival AK07 and the NZSO's 60th anniversary.
Good Friday, 6 April, sees two performances (afternoon, 3:30pm and evening, 8:00pm) of our annual presentation of Good Friday music. This year we present Allegri's Miserere and a sequence of wonderful music by William Croft, a London contemporary of Handel. His magnificent and moving anthems O Lord God of my salvation; O Lord, rebuke me not; and Hear my Prayer, O Lord will be presented along with his famous setting of the Burial Service, as sung at the funerals of Diana, Princess of Wales and HM The Queen Mother. Nicola Edgecombe, soprano and Robert Costin, organist will be our guest artists. This performance will feature the Donald Barriball Memorial Chamber Organ.
Saturday 5 May sees the choir join forces with the prestigious Royal Copenhagen Chapel Choir and their conductor Ebbe Munk in a concert at Holy Trinity Cathedral.
In May, June and July Musica Sacra will record a second CD of Christmas Music, Christmas a Cappella 2, for release later in the year on the Atoll label. This CD will follow on from the chart-topping success of Christmas a Cappella, the choir's first recording.
A concert of music by Monteverdi and Cavalli on Sunday 11 November at St Matthew's will be the choir's first foray into Venetian repertoire. Monteverdi's well known Beatus Vir and other works will be sung alongside the wonderful but much less well known 6 part mass Missa In Illo Tempore in a New Zealand premiere. The choir will be joined by a baroque string ensemble, with Dr John Wells at our new chamber organ.
The choir's annual Christmas Concert will take place as usual on the last Saturday before Christmas: Saturday 22 December.
Further details of all these events can be seen on our Concerts & Services page.
Change of time for Choral Evensongs in 2007
January 2007
In 2007 our services of Choral Evensong at St Matthew-in-the-City continue on the last Sunday of each month from February to November, but at the new time of 5:00pm. This change has been made to accommodate scheduling changes in respect of other regular events at St Matthew's.
Conductor launches new website
1 May 2006
Indra Hughes, the Conductor of Musica Sacra, has launched his own personal website www.indrahughes.com. Like this website for Musica Sacra, the new site has been expertly designed by JeliNet (see below for a link). Please visit Indra's new site and join the mailing list there.
New Zealand Herald article about the choir
Music brings light in darkest hour - Indra Hughes plans to mark Good Friday with an improved Musica Sacra
by William Dart
You can read this article on the New Zealand Herald website: click here.
Assistant Conductor honoured by Royal Academy of Music
27 February 2006 
Anita Banbury, one of Musica Sacra's two assistant conductors, has been elected an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music in London. The Associateship of the Academy (ARAM) is a prestigious award that is only offered to past students of the Academy "who have achieved distinction in the profession". We offer our warm congratulations to Anita on this well deserved recognition of her important contributions to music in New Zealand.
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