Celebrating 125 Years of Music at NCMA
KEYBOARD SPECIALIST AND FORMER NELSON RESIDENT, DOUGLAS MEWS TO PERFORM ON NCMA’S 125TH BIRTHDAY
Nelson Centre of Musical Arts is celebrating its 125th birthday on Sunday 9th June. This date marks the founding of the Nelson School of Music in 1894.
To mark this special occasion, former Nelson resident and well-known organist Douglas Mews will perform in the Nelson School of Music Auditorium as part of our Autumn/Winter Celebration Series.
Douglas has a great connection with the Nelson region having lived and worked in Nelson in the 80’s and early 90’s. He founded the Polyhymnos Chamber Choir (now more commonly known as Chroma Chamber Choir), was the organist and choirmaster at St Mary’s Church and taught organ and other keyboard instruments at the then Nelson School of Music. He also directed and played in several, varied chamber music groups.
More recently Douglas was consulted on the restoration of the Cawthron Organ, oversaw the purchase of the NCMA harpsichord and performed in the Adam Chamber Music Festival as the festival’s resident harpsichordist.
Douglas returns to play the Cawthron Organ and NCMA harpsichord in a recital of Bach and Handel keyboard works. The programme includes some popular arrangements of Handel arias, an organ concerto, Bach’s ‘Sheep may safely graze’, his powerful Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor and the Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue.
NCMA’s Celebration Series presents Douglas Mews at NCMA on Sunday 9thJune at 3.30pm. Tickets are $35 + service fee and available at ticketdirect.co.nz