2001 NZ Festival of Male Voice Choirs

Index:

• Festival Introduction

• Guest Conductor

• Guest Artists

• Participating Choirs

• Festival Information

• Next Festival (2004)

• Links

There were two public concerts as part of the Festival on Saturday 13th October, the first part at 2 p.m. and second part at 8 p.m., each with different programmes. The Guest Conductor (Alwyn Humphreys) was invited to conduct the massed choir concert items at each concert comprising some 250 voices. While each of the seven participating choirs also presented their own selections of music under their regular conductor (a Festival of Choirs).

The Massed Choirs presented the World Premiere for massed choirs of "A Garland of Songs" for Alan, composed by Dr Philip Norman especially commissioned for the Festival through a grant from Creative NZ. This commission comprises three songs set to words of the late A.K. Grant; "Song of a pioneer", "Love song", and "A man who is fifty".

Also participating this year as both guest artists and also accompanying some massed choir items was the Woolston Brass, New Zealand's No 1 Brass Band in all Championship events in 2001 and who have been the NZ Champion Band 16 times since 1971.

2001 Festival Committee

The 2001 Festival committee comprised :
An organising committee of Brian Earl (Convenor), Brian Carter, Francis Denis, Denis Guyan, Lachlan Hunter, Peter Law and Morris North;
A music committee of Francis Dennis (Convenor), Jean Rutherford, Malcolm Palmer, Dennis Guyan and Doug Sloane;
And stage management by Francis Dennis, Bryan Gainsford and Rob van Berkel.

"Alwyn Humphreys' talents do not stop at the arrangement of songs or being the musical director. He is a compere whose gentle sense of humour wins over the audience and makes the connection between cultures." Thus did a New Zealand reviewer recently describe Alwyn

Alwyn Humphreys, M.B.E., was born in Bodfford, on the Isle of Anglesey, North Wales and became principal Violist of the National Orchestra of Wales while still at school. He graduated with honours in music from the University of Hull then lectured at the Mabel Fletcher College, Liverpool before joining BBC Wales at Cardiff. As a TV Producer/Director he has produced series with Bryn Terfel, Gwyneth Jones and Stuart Burrows, and as a presenter he has fronted concerts from the Royal Albert Hall Proms and the Welsh Proms as well as live commentary from the National Eisteddfod, the Llangollen International Eisteddfod and the two World Choir events from Cardiff Arms Park.

Alwyn has been Musical Director of the famed Morriston Orpheus Choir since 1979, notching up more than 500 concert appearances and 26 recorded albums, three of which have won the Best Choral category at the MRA Awards in London. Foreign tours with his choir have included France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, Canada, the USA, Australia and New Zealand, and he has guest-conducted the Melbourne St David's Day Concert on 3 occasions. Alwyn brought the Morriston Orpheus Choir to New Zealand in 2000 and 2003.

A television presenter by profession, Alwyn's compering of concerts draws widespread acclaim from reviewers and audiences alike, at home and abroad.

His flair for arranging music for male choirs is widely recognised - many of his 130+ arrangements are published