Carols concert goes online
Carols by Candlelight co-organiser Don George is excited about this Sunday’s annual concert going hi-tech and being livestreamed to widen the audience.
Organisers of the 53rd annual Timaru Christmas carol fundraiser hope to cater to the event’s longest-standing patrons by livestreaming the singing into rest homes.
With the Theatre Royal still closed for a multi-million dollar upgrade, Carols by Candlelight has shifted from the 1000-seat venue into Mountainview High School’s 400-seat auditorium for the second year running – compelling organisers to come up with ways to widen the concert’s reach.
Event co-organiser Don George said it was decided to livestream the carol singing on social media, and talk with rest homes about setting up a feed in their living rooms.
‘‘A lot of our earlier patrons are older people who used to come along with their children, then their grandchildren – but now many of them are in rest homes and finding it difficult to get there,’’ George said. ‘‘The response we got was they [rest home residents] were dead keen.’’
Taking the concert online also provided a backstop if New Zealand rose to Covid-19 alert level 2 and capacity for the event had to drop to 100, George said.
The concert will feature ‘‘local’’ talent from all age groups, including the Rhyth-Mix Singers and the Alpine Energy Brass Band, he said.
‘‘It’s an opportunity for exposure for them.’’
Among the rest homes livestreaming the event is Glenwood Home. Facility manager Veronica Ligteringen said it would be a ‘‘really special treat’’ for the residents.
‘‘It gives them something interesting and lovely to stay up for. They’re very, very happy to be part of it and our staff will probably enjoy it too.’’
Residents would be provided with song sheets and be able to watch the event on the smart TV in the rest home’s living room.
Ligteringen said event organisers had made setting up the livestream ‘‘so easy’’ and was thankful to them for finding a way for the elderly to join the carol singing.
The first Carols by Candlelight was in 1967, with the Timaru Rotary Club at the helm. Organising
the event was passed on to the Timaru South club two years later, with Timaru North taking the reins 45 years after that.
Free tickets to this year’s concert are available at the Timaru iSite
Visitor Information Centre on George St or Community House on Strathallan St.
Donations by gold coin on the night or through Givealittle will benefit the Salvation Army’s food bank.