2024 Concerts
3 August
Will Todd's Mass in Blue
Mass in Blue by Will Todd is a contemporary fusion of the traditional Latin Mass with elements of jazz and blues. Composed in 2003, it showcases Todd's innovative approach to choral music, featuring lively rhythms, soulful melodies, and improvisational sections reminiscent of jazz clubs. The piece seamlessly blends sacred and secular elements, offering a fresh and dynamic interpretation of the Mass, while also inviting audiences to engage with its vibrant and accessible musical language.
The Christchurch City Choir’s performance of Mass in Blue will be conducted by Dr John Linker, featuring Helen Charlton, soprano and accompanied by a jazz trio comprising Jeremy Woodside on keys, Michael Story on bass and Douglas Brush on drums.
The Christchurch City Choir’s performance of Mass in Blue will be conducted by Dr John Linker, featuring Helen Charlton, soprano and accompanied by a jazz trio comprising Jeremy Woodside on keys, Michael Story on bass and Douglas Brush on drums.
Tickets are available on Eventfinda
Featuring Soprano:
|
Helen Charlton is an experienced Christchurch based singer, performing regularly as a soloist and choral director. Born and raised in Christchurch, she graduated from Canterbury University with a music degree majoring in Performance Singing, and Massey University with a Graduate Diploma in Secondary School Teaching.
Helen has performed throughout New Zealand in opera, oratorio, solo recitals, musical theatre, as well as television, and radio. Studying with Mary Adams-Taylor and Maurice Till in her university years was inspirational in establishing her love of recital singing and recently she has enjoyed performing with Resonance Orchestra as guest soloist. She has a passion for education through singing and her work is divided between teaching voice, conducting school choirs, and directing The Canterbury Westland Branch Lawyer’s Choir. Helen is delighted to be singing with the City Choir in the dynamic and uplifting Mass in Blue. |
Featuring Percussionist:
|
For more than 30 years, Doug Brush has built an international career as a percussionist based out of Chicago, and more recently Christchurch. He is an active performer and teacher of many styles of music. He’s recorded on well over 60 albums, produced some of them, composed music for dance, has been involved in numerous theatre productions, written for Downbeat magazine, and has been an artist in residence at the Chicago Art Institute. He has performed and taught on 5 continents.
Since moving to Christchurch in early 2010, he’s performed with the Christchurch Symphony including as a soloist, the world jazz band Yurt Party, progressive rockers Rhomboid, and in theatre productions at the Court Theatre (Mikado, Next to Normal), Free Theatre (Woyzeck) and Showbiz (Miss Saigon). He has taught at a variety of schools in Christchurch including the University of Canterbury, Ara Music Arts, Christ’s College, Burnside High. Christchurch Boys High, and the Christchurch School of Music. |
Featuring Bassist:
|
Michael Story is a professional double bassist and electric bassist with extensive experience performing throughout Australia and New Zealand. He has made multiple appearances at the Melbourne, Wangaratta, Nelson, Tauranga, Christchurch and Queenstown Jazz Festivals, Adelaide Fringe Festival, WOMAD, Port Fairy and Woodford Folk Festival, Christmas in the Park plus national and international tours with Ben Waters, Tim Reis, Bernard Fowler, Kate Vigo and the Underground Orchestra, Australian Idol star Carl Riseley, Flow and Plenty, Pan Francis, roots and country singers Neil Murray.
Michael is also a member of the CSO bass section and on the faculty of the Ara Music Arts course. He has received the Jerry Wise Young Performers Scholarship, Dame Malvina Major Emerging Artist Grant and The Foundation for Young Australians Buzz Grant. He is an active member of the Ōtautahi music scene performing regularly with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, Mundi, Oval Office, Sacha Vee, Tiger Moth, The Court Theatre, Showbiz, Ali Harper and more. Michael is also the director of Global Music Teachers, an international music teacher marketing platform supporting 1,000’s of teachers and musicians in the UK, NYC, Melbourne, Sydney and New Zealand. |