Festival combines art, music with gardens

Imagine following a path through a beautiful garden bursting with colour, framed by views of O¯ mokoroa harbour while listening to the sound of classical music.

While Garden and Art Festival visitors strolled through the terraced garden of Aileen Hanley to admire the secrets unfolding around every bend, musical trio Amici Musicali played under the majestic norfolk pine.

“It was fun playing amongst the creativity of a garden and the art displayed,” said Michie Nishiyama, violinist for the classical string ensemble.

It was “a dream come true” for Aileen. She and her garden visitors enjoyed the experience so much, she had Amici Musicali return on the last day of the festival for her garden party. The trio, which also features violinist Anneli Ahlers and cellist Therese Ahlers, played at Pete’s Retreat too — a garden above Waipu Bay with views to Mauao.

Visitors to Peter Ferris’ garden full of roses and flowers, were delighted by the music as they walked down to the large spring-fed ponds full of huge goldfish, and while meandering through the native garden.

Birds responded to the sound of Vivaldi’s Spring while visitors to the garden and Pete’s shed — which was turned into an art gallery for the festival — took a picnic on the lawns.

“I watched as my flowers seemed to smile and sway in ecstasy with the beautiful and exhilarating sounds, and to blush with the soft and lovely melodies,” said Peter.

Amici Musicali’s festival repertoire covered light classical pieces from Vivaldi, Bach, Mozart, Schubert and Dvorak through to Elgar’s charming Salut d’amour, Kreisler’s Viennese dances of Liebesfreud, Liebesleid and Schoen Rosmarin, and Morricone’s pieces that have enhanced so many cinematic moments and have a deep resonance and powerful impact in isolation, to ragtime pieces that characterises syncopation and tangos played with the tender, sensual voice of passion only string instruments can produce.