Amici Ensemble in Greytown: 

Sunday 14 October

Greytown Music Group’s next concert sees the welcome return of the Amici Ensemble. The Ensemble has performed in Greytown almost every year since 1999. Their concerts are always popular and consist of many top NZSO players in various combinations. 

This concert will feature seven musicians: a string quartet of Donald Armstrong, Malavika Gopal, Lyndsay Mountfort and Ken Ichinose, Patrick Barry on clarinet, Bridget Douglas on flute and harpist Carolyn Mills.

Amici Ensemble leader Donald Armstrong says “I am delighted to be part of the new piece ‘Coastlines’ by up-and-coming composer Salina Fisher. She creates a stunning sound world, inspired both by her Japanese heritage and New Zealand landscapes. It was commissioned by the Waikanae Chamber Music Society for their 40th Anniversary concert this year”. 

Salina explains that “Following months of constant stimulation in New York City, the time I spent at Waikanae Beach during a brief visit back to New Zealand felt completely surreal. ‘Coastlines’ reflects on this dreamlike reacquaintance with the expansive Kapiti Coast, particularly its shifting light and hypnotic tides.” 

Flute player Bridget Douglas is also enthusiastic about the new work, saying you can really hear the sounds of the sea, with different instrumental techniques used to create the different sound effects.

Along with ‘Coastlines’ the whole ensemble will perform the Ravel Introduction and Allegro. This piece came about as a result of a ‘harp war’ between rival harp manufacturers in France at the beginning of the twentieth century. Ravel was commissioned by harp makers Erard, who had invented the double action pedal harp, to show that their harp was a better instrument than the rival Pleyel chromatic harp. The Ravel piece couldn’t be played on the Pleyel harp, so won the ‘harp war’ for Erard, and their invention is the commonly used harp today.The programme also includes two sublime Mozart works: the Clarinet Quintet which is a favourite with audiences, and the Flute Quartet in D major. Bridget Douglas will also perform the well-loved solo flute piece “Syrinx” by Debussy.

The concert will be on Sunday 14 October, 4pm, in the Kuranui College Auditorium, East St, Greytown. Admission $25 adults, $10 students. For bookings, phone Ed and Juliet Cooke on (06) 3049 497 or email on efjac@xtra.co.nz. Door sales will also be available.