Next Concert - press release

Hutt Valley Orchestra – December Concert – Media Release

What do you get if you combine duelling conductors, duetting cats, an old fashioned typewriter and the latest in E-Conductor technology? It's the Hutt Valley Orchestra's End of Year Concert, 'Humoresque'! It's an evening of entertainment combining serious and humorous pieces to welcome the sunshine back with laughter.

Many of the pieces have been especially arranged for this concert by Brent John Stewart, including arrangements of a number of songs from shows such as Spamalot and Chorus Line, and an unusual version of Pachelbel's Canon.

The programme also includes Debussy's 'Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun', Leroy Anderson's 'The Typewriter', 'Ill Wind', the Flanders and Swann spoof of Mozart's Horn Concerto, Rossini's 'Cats' Duet' and Clare Cowan's 'A Recipe for Disaster', a piece especially written for the orchestra in 2008.

Featuring solo performances from Ruth Armishaw and HVO's Concert Master, Stuart Mann, who will be abandoning his violin to sing the lyrics for 'Ill Wind'.

Ruth Armishaw, who grew up in Lower Hutt, is a freelance musician based in Wellington. She gained a BMus in Vocal Jazz Performance in 2002 from Massey University, and an honours degree in the same field in 2007 from the New Zealand School of Music. She has been a member of the NZ Opera Chorus for 9 years performing in 18 operas to date, including NZ International Festival of the Arts productions, and has also been involved with shows in the Wellington Fringe Festivals. She is a past member of both the NZ Secondary Students' and NZ Youth Choirs, and the Orpheus Choir of Wellington. She sings a variety of styles in regular solo performances and gigs around town as well as teaching singing and piano.

Recipe for Disaster - Claire Cowan When: Saturday, Dec. 3rd, 7.30pm,

at St James Church
Woburn Rd, Central Lower Hutt.

Door sales only:
$15 Adults
$12 Seniors
$8 Children

The photo at right was taken at the 2008 premiere of Recipe for Disaster. The duelling duo are Stuart Douglas (Chef de Mission) and Brent J Stewart (Cap de Gamin). Photo credit: Iain Matcham