Dutch Nightingales choir shares the gift of song
South Island Organ Company staff got a pleasant surprise when renowned youth choir The Dutch Nightingales stopped in to share a song.
About 20 choir members, aged between 7 and 20, accompanied by an organist and under the direction of a conductor, gave an impromptu performance at the company’s Washdyke headquarters on Tuesday morning.
Choir members live within the wide vicinity of Oosterhout, a small town in the south of the Netherlands and are touring the South Island.
They performed in Geraldine on Sunday then took a day off to visit Waimate and swim at Caroline Bay. Their performance on Tuesday was followed by a visit to Tekapo. They are set to perform at St Mary’s Church, Timaru, from 12.30pm today, and at 7pm at the Church St Bible Chapel.
South Island Organ Company director John Hargraves took the group for a tour . . . giving them a description of the operation.
‘‘It’s a very new connection I’ve made with the choir, I just met them this morning,’’ Hargraves said.
The tour included a peek at an organ the company is building for a Sydney church, which is a year in the works, he said.
Choir organist Jan Damen accompanied the choir, playing on an organ built by the company in 1975 and damaged during the 2011 Canterbury earthquakes.
Hargraves said the company made the organ for the Christchurch Town Hall. It was returned to the Washdyke headquarters for repairs and Damen was the first person to play it in a performance following its restoration, Hargraves said.
‘‘It’s not often we get to hear such music at work,’’ he said.
Choir spokesman Bert Schoones said the choir was established 80 years ago and travelled abroad every ear.
Members were being hosted by families in Timaru and would leave for Culverden on Thursday before heading to Waiau, Cheviot and Kaikoura, Schoones said.
Choir conductor Wim Schoones said prospective choristers entered a training group, in which qualified teachers prepared them for their life as a Nightingale.
‘‘It’s all about good singing and learning the cultures of the world,’’ he said of the group’s touring schedules.
‘‘Music builds bridges between the hearts of people.’’
‘Music builds bridges between the hearts of people.’ Wim Schoones, choir conductor