THE ROYAL SCHOOL OF CHURCH MUSIC NEW ZEALAND WELLINGTON BRANCH
Box 6303, Te Aro, WELLINGTON. N.Z.
Newsletter Number Five 2015
28th October 2015
To members and affiliated congregations, choirs, directors and schools,
Our final event for the year is the RSCMNZ Advent Service being held at St Andrews in the City in
Palmerston North on Sunday 29th November at 5.00pm. Rehearsal commences at 2pm with
refreshments and finger food provided before the service. The Service will be under the direction of
Dr Jenny Hornblow with assistance from members of the Branch.
Because St Andrews in the City has three different denominational services each Sunday, the 2pm
rehearsal will commence in the Christian Science Church which is almost opposite St Andrews and
move to St Andrews at 4.00pm. The music chosen for the service is as follows:
The RSCM publication ‘O Come Emmanuel’ A Devotion for Advent’ will form the basis of music of
the music sung.
Traditional Hymns: O come, O come Emmanuel, Come thou long expected Jesus,
New Zealand Hymns: We wait for You’ by Colin Gibson, Shirley Murray’s ‘Come now Lord Jesus
an SATB arrangement by Roy Tankersley, Jenny McLeod’s Light of Lights (with the choral interlude
between verses),
Traditional carol settings:
Lo, how a Rose upspringing’ from O Come Emmanuel
The Matin Responsory ‘I looked from Afar’ will be sung from the gallery by a choral group rehearsed
in advance of the day. However this does not exclude anyone who knows it well joining the gallery
group. And the Glory of the Lord (from Handel’s Messiah)
If you are intending to take part, please contact Roy Tankersley a.s.a.p. on tanks@paradise.net.nz
phone 06 355 3908. The music and all details will be mailed to you.
PREVIOUS EVENTS
A FESTIVAL OF PRAISE was held at the Central Baptist Church, Church Street, Palmerston
North, on Saturday 8th August. The service was based on an event written by Rev. Ralph Hoyte from
Kingston, Jamaica entitled ‘ Praise and Rejoice, Out of Many, One Voice, A Symphonic Symposium of
the Harmonisation of the Chords of Life’ A combined choir of The Parish of St Marks and St
Andrews and All Saints parish led the service which included an arrangement of Parry’s ‘Dear Lord
and Father of Mankind’ Nine hymns were included which were led by the choir. Organ and piano
accompaniment was led by Robert Cleaver, Liana Norrish, Gwenda Olson, Alison Stewart and Roy
Tankersley along with the Baptist Church Singing Group and string players. Soloists were Nigel
Tongs and Soo Young Park. The wide-ranging styles of hymns also included those promoted by the
New Zealand Hymn Book Trust.
RSCMNZ WELLINGTON BRANCH CHOIR SCHOOL 28-29 SEPTEMBER 2015
The second two-day course for young choristers at the holiday break between terms three and four
organized by the Wellington Branch of RSCMNZ held at St James Church Lower Hutt was a great
success. Having a good idea in advance of the level of achievement and understanding gained in the
‘Voice For Life’ programme and chorister’s self-evaluations enabled Michael Stewart to select music
that was ‘just right’ for the abilities of the singers.
Michael Stewart was an inspirational Director and the quality and confidence of the singing in the
final service was testament to that. We thank Revd. Alison Stewart for leading our services and the
choristers certainly identified with the theme ‘Care for the World’. We enjoyed the expertise and fine
musicianship of our supporting staff; Helen Willberg for warm ups, rounds and leisure activities such
as Ukulele strumming and Bruce Cash for his wonderful accompanying in rehearsal and services.
Thank you to Jeff Lee our branch treasurer for processing the registrations as they came through and
paying those providing services.
We thank the Vicar, Revd. Peter Benge, Administrator, Mr Alan Boaden and staff and especially
Helen Willberg for making us so welcome and ensuring that our presence in the venue was so well
catered for. There was plenty of space for work and recreation and the church has a really good
feeling of engagement with the outside world through its light and airy atmosphere. As a bonus, on
the Tuesday afternoon, we enjoyed observing the National Boys’ Choir of Australia rehearsing for
their evening performance.
We congratulate Christopher Eldridge and Millie Foster (Senior sight reading), Craig Bebbington
(Intermediate sight reading), and Olivia Marshall (Junior sight reading) and thank Anita Banbury for
her generous donation in support of these awards. Rebecca Clowes (Wellington Cathedral of St Paul
choristers) was awarded the Copperwheat Cup. (The Etherington Memorial Cup was not awarded this
year).
The first rehearsal at the 2015 Choir School with Michael Stewart directing and Bruce Cash at the
keyboard. The Choir School will be held around the same time in 2016 with Michael Stewart as
Director.
RSCM Australia and NZ Summer School – Canberra 2016
RSCM Australia is holding a Summer School in Canberra on 11 – 17 January, 2016. The Summer
School will be run with a mixture of full group activities, streams and workshops. The full group
activities will include a massed choir, which will aim to sing at three liturgical events during the
week.
Best wishes,
Roy