CRITIC'S CHAIR REVIEW
You can hear a 10-minute review, including excerpts, of our new CD on ‘The Critic’s Chair’ (Radio NZ Concert) here. In his review, Robert Johnson, says: “These
performances do the Jubilate Singers great credit and both the concept
of the album and successful completion deserve the highest praise.
Despite all the disruptions, the choir has achieved its aim and the
resulting album is a tribute to the choir and a fascinating evocation of
South Island life through the works of a cross-section of South Island
composers. The
album comes with a handsomely-produced 24-page full colour booklet,
containing a general programme note, biographies of each of the
composers and a concise note on each work, complete texts and a number
of photographs. The essay on the project, itself, relates how the
rehearsals and recording were severely impacted by the earthquakes that
have plagued Christchurch over the past fourteen months. Apart from
anything else, the location for the recordings had to be changed
half-way through, because the original venue had been too badly damaged
in the February quake. All of this testifies to a huge commitment on
the part of everyone involved in the project.”
RECENT CHRISTCHURCH PRESS REVIEWS
"Southern Landscapes" 14 August 2011
Download the review from the Christchurch Press
"Voices of the South" 28 November 2010
Letter from John Ritchie: "... a healthy offering of New Zealand music that was well worth the hearing. Thank you, Jubes, and congratulations." "Baroque Vespers" 8 May 2010
"Excellent musical ride on little-known vespers"
"This performance featured some experienced soloists and the conductor, Grant Hutchinson, had obviously prepared this chamber choir of 20 singers very thoroughly.
"Notes from Vienna and Chichester" 17 October 2009
"some glorious lively music ...and a joy to hear it from a good small choir"
"one could enjoy the confidence and assurance that comes from strong leadership"
"The Jubilate's account of the Harmonie-messe was brilliant. The explosive triumph of the final Donna nobis pacem brought an excellent concert to its powerful conclusion"
Letter from John Ritchie:
"Illumina, Music of Light" 9 August 2009 - part of Christchurch Art Festival
"Illumina was certainly an illuminating experience for those of us present and the overall contemplative nature of the music and its performance was a convincing advertisement of the choir's present status. I was throughly impressed. It was also a rewarding experience to observe how successfully New Zealand composer' wares fitted in with more illustrious names and not to their own detriment.
I think that you are all to be congratulated"
From the Christchurch Press:
Critics’ 2008 awards Jan 2009
"The collaboration between Auckland’s Musica Sacra and our own Jubilate Singers (North meets South) was a definite highlight of the year"
Monteverdi "Christmas Vespers" Dec 2008
"Fine singing, playing of difficult Monteverdi"
"How good to see a capacity house for a performance of music, most of which is unfamiliar, in an Anglican setting and difficult to perform convincingly"
"Love and the Land" Sept 2008
"The Jubes are in good heart. The choir is well balanced, well controlled and sings with assurance and confidence. Their programme offered and required plenty of variety, and the whole concert was appreciated by a large audience"
"The Jubes were at their best, meeting the expressive demands of the songs convincingly"
"Unless one knew otherwise, the apparent ease with which the Jubilate Singers sang them belied the technical difficulty of the pieces, and was a tribute to the thorough training given by music director, Grant Hutchinson"
"Music of Hope and Consolation" July 2007
"A concert of riches, confidently presented, that left the substantial audience plenty to ponder"
"The Jubilate Singers are a firmly disciplined group that Grant Hutchinson has shaped into a chamber choir capable of meeting any musical demands"
"The choir sang strongly when it needed to, and the sound was always well blended and balanced … with some wonderful high soprano singing"
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