Renaissance singers turn song to the light
The Renaissance Singers are singing their way towards the light in their upcoming performance of choral music.
The programme will feature five local composers with a theme of light, conductor Guy Donaldson said.
‘‘It is the 500th anniversary of the Lutheran Church and there had been a request for music that might reflect that. So I started off with Bach and that set me into thinking about things that would fit around that and I came to a theme of light.’’
The Renaissance Singers were formed more than 40 years ago and Donaldson said they had always been dedicated to old and new music with their speciality being unaccompanied singing. This concert, he said, would be a mixture.
‘‘The concert begins with the complexity and intellectual weight of the music of Bach and gradually lightens in tone.’’
Local composer and choir member Tim Devlin has created a piece, Come Home Again, which is a cross-over between folk and sacred idioms for the performance. His composition, he said, has also emerged into the light after being hidden away in his drawer.
‘‘It’s a Christian love song, but instead of us singing about our love for Christ, he’s singing to us. It’s an interesting reversal from what you’d expect.’’
Devlin said the piece would be having its concert premiere in the Renaissance Singers’ performance and the process of putting it on stage had been exciting.
Conductor Kirsten Clark has composed a traditional Irish Blessing, Graham Parsons, the present choir patron, a new sacred piece called Light to the Eye. Helen Caskie, a former patron of the choir, and Julian Gairdner have also composed Christmas pieces.
The Renaissance Singers’ performance will be held on June 24, 7.30pm, at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit.