Thanks!

Big thanks for everyone who came along to our European Christmas concerts last weekend.

That was the last of our concerts for this year. If you want to hear more beautiful music, and get a sneak peak at our special guests for one of our concerts next year, check out the wonderful I Cantarini at their final concert for this year in Sydney on December 13th.

Final Concert for the Year!

Dearest Music Lovers,

It's that time of year again and al the stores are playing the same old Christmas songs on repeat. If you love Christmas, or you love madrigals, or you just want to enjoy a moment of peaceful reflection, come along to our European Christmas concert this weekend. Choir V and the Scots Kirk Baroque Band bring you a luscious selection of traditional Christmas carols from the other side of the world.

We hope to see you there.

Saturday 29th @2pm at Singleton Uniting Church
Sunday 30th @2pm at St Andrews presbyterian Church, Newcastle.

Tickets available at the door.

And don't forget to check out our facebook page for more information about future concerts and photos from previous ones.

www.facebook.com/musicalmatineesinc

Opera Gala Thank You

Thanks you so much to everyone who came out to our concert at Nelson Bay on Saturday. It was so wonderful to hear all of our stunning musicians performing glorious music. We've included a selection of photos below. For more photos, check out our facebook page: www.facebook.com/musicalmatineesinc

And don't forget, next weekend is our European Christmas concert in Singleton on Saturday at 2pm and in Newcastle on Sunday at 2pm. Come along to hear the Scots Kirk Baroque Band and Choir V perform traditional christmas carols from around the world.

Geoff Hicks and Acappella Nova perform 'Hail Poetry' from The Pirates of Penzance

Acappella Nova perform 'Three Little Maids' from The Mikado

Geoff Hicks, Anthea Harrington and Samantha Cobcroft perform 'Soave sia il vento' from Cosi fan Tutte

Samantha Concroft and Anthea Harrington perform 'Prendero quel brunettino' from Cosi fan Tutte

Zoe Arthur performs 'Deh vieni non tardar' from The Marriage of Figaro

Mat Waugh performs 'Serenade' from The Student Prince

We would also like to say a special thank you to all of those who helped to make this concert happen:

Maquariedale Organic Wines

Another wonderful musician joins us for our Nelson Bay gig

Meet our wonderful cellist, Naomi Dart, who will be joining us at our Nelson Bay Opera Gala.

Naomi has been playing cello for theatre productions and private gigs in from the Hunter region down to Wollongong for the last twenty five years. She has also spent time recording works for both albums and TV advertising. A talented performer who plays classical, Latin American, Spanish, Jazz and even rock music, Naomi performs, teaches and runs a small chamber ensemble.

Introducing our guest soloist; tenor Mat Waugh

Meet tenor Mat Waugh

Mat has performed in many productions with groups around the region such as Gosford and Wyon Musical Societies and Opera Hunter such as playing Tin Man in The Wiz, Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls and most recently as Colonel Farifax in Opera Hunter's Yeoman of the Guard. Mat is now focusing on developing a concert program that will highlight opera arias and a few lighter, popular songs.

Save The Date - European Christmas Concert

Saturday November 29th @2pm (Singleton) and Sunday 30th November (Newcastle).

Join a quartet of professional singers with violin, organ and cello for a beautiful celebration of Christmas music. Some classic songs that you will know and some new ones that will inspire and soothe you. 

Choir V will present unaccompanied choral music from Italy, Germany, Spain and Romania. Soloists sing carols from England, Poland, France and Germany. The singers join up in pairs to present French Carols as duets.

Instrumentalists from Scots Kirk Baroque Band and singers join together for Drake's In the bleak midwinter, Mozart's Ave Verum and Frank's Panis Angelicus.

Join us for a trip around the world without the cost of the flight! Much more relaxing as well!

Performers:

Samantha Cobcroft (soprano, artistic director)

Anthea Harrington (soprano, alto)

James Bonnefin (tenor)

Geoff Hicks (bass)

Vincent Parmeter (piano, organ)

Syvlia Colegrove (violin)

Paula Scott (cello)

Meet our Performers

Zoe Arthur is a drama and music teacher with a stunning soprano voice. She sings all styles of music and is also a talented music administrator and director.

Samantha Cobcroft is a Newcastle based soprano, choir director and concert producer. She appeared as Dido in Purcell's opera Dido and Aeneas and as the star soprano in Coffs Harbour's Opera by the Ocean.

Anthea Harrington is a Newcastle trained soprano who has recently returned from 12 years in London. She teaches singing in various Newcastle schools as well as appearing in operas, musicals and concerts.

Geoff Hicks is a NEwcastle treasure. He has many years of experience singing choral music with choirs such as The University of Newcastle Chamber Choir. He has also starred in many Opera Hunter productions. he is known for his luscious bass voice and comic talents.

Vincent Parmeter is a concert pianist and accompanist based in the Maitland area. He most recently performed as the star accompanist at Coffs Harbour's Opera by the Ocean and as the soloist in Beethoven's Emperor Concerto with Orchestra Nova.

And Acappella Nova, our wonderful community choir who will be providing essential body to our opera choruses.

We have a facebook page!

'Like" us on facebook for regular updates on upcoming concerts, photos and fun facts.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Musical-Matinees/266388940225013

Holiday Break?

Although the children of Newcastle will be having two weeks off from their studies, with just a couple of months until our next concert series, OPERA GALA, Acappella Nova will be rehearsing through the school holidays.

We can't wait to present stunning arias, scintillating duets and spectacular opera choruses. Join us for two afternoons of extravagance as our musicians treat you to a visual and aural display unseen before in the region.

Save the Dates
Saturday November 22nd
2pm
Nelson Bay Diggers Club

Sunday November 23rd
2pm
Lake Macquarie Performing Arts Centre

English Festival Starts Today!

The day has arrived. The Hunter Valley season of our English Music Festival begins tonight! Remember, a ticket to each event gets you entry to the concert plus lunch/tea/supper with the artists after the event. Tickets available at the door.

I hope you have the information for the Festival in your calendar already but just in case you don't here it is again...


Newcastle Concerts
St Andrews Presbyterian Church, Cnr Laman & Auckland Sts, Newcastle
Friday 1st August (TODAY)
7pm Dido & Aeneas
Acappella Nova, Choir V, soloists, Scots Kirk Baroque Band led by Jan-Piet Knijff

Saturday 2nd August
10am Organ Recital
Jan-Piet Knijff

11:30am Love & Lunch
Love songs sung by Choir V soloists, guest tenor Alf Scott, accompanied by Vincent Parmeter

2pm Dido & Aeneas
Acappella Nova, Choir V, soloists, Scots Kirk Baroque Band led by Jan-Piet Knijff

7pm Best of British
Acappella Nova, Choir V, soloists, Scots Kirk Baroque Band and Vincent Parmeter


Singleton Concert
Singleton Uniting Church, Church St, Singleton
Sunday 3rd August
2pm Two concerts in one Dido & Aeneas and Best of British
Acappella Nova, Choir V, soloists, Scots Kirk Baroque Band led by Jan-Piet Knijff and Vincent Parmeter

Single Tickets: $25, $15
Full Festival Ticket: $50, $30

Music Students - free

Our next concert series is just two weeks away!

Musical Matinees Inc presents a mini English Music Festival
Newcastle - August 1-2

St Andrews Presbyterian Church, Cnr Laman and Auckland Sts, Newcastle

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7pm Friday August 1 - Purcell's Dido & Aeneas

Acappella Nova, Choir V, soloists, Scots Kirk Baroque Band lead by harpsichordist Jan-Piet Knijff
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10am Saturday August 2 - Organ Recital by Jan-Piet Knijff
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11:30am Saturday August 2 - Love and Lunch in the church hall, Love songs, duets and arias, incl. Silent Worship and Where E'er you walk, Choir V soloists with special guest tenor Alf Scott and Vincent Parmeter- forte piano
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2pm Saturday August 2- Purcell's Dido and AeneasAcappella Nova, Choir V, soloists, Scots Kirk Baroque Band lead by harpsichordist Jan-Piet Knijff
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7pm Saturday August 2 - Best of British - Vocal and Choral Music by Parry, Rutter, Gilbert and Sullivan, Beatles and Queen!!! Scots Kirk Baroque Band and pianist Vincent Parmeter
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Single Tickets: $25, $15         Full Festival Ticket: $50, $30

All tickets include refreshments.

Music Students - free (that means free concert and free food!!!)

Tickets at the door. 

Contact: samanthacobcroft@gmail.com, ph 4930 3474

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Musical Matinees Inc presents Purcell's Dido and Aeneas
Singleton - August 3

2pm Sunday August 3

Singleton Uniting Church, Church St, Singleton
Single Tickets: $25, $15 (includes afternoon tea)

Tickets at the door

 Contact : Rev John Webster email: johnlynne206@live.com.au, ph:0431 246 711

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Beethoven Society presents an English Music Festival
Armidale - August 8-10

3 full days of English Music Concerts
 Keyboard, vocal, chamber, choral and instrumental music
including 2 performances of
Purcell's Dido and Aeneas

featuring special guests Acappella Nova, Choir V & Scots Kirk Baroque BandContact:
Dr Jan-Piet Knijff, DMA, FAGOjpknijff.com

Locked Bag 5

Armidale NSW 2350  

Australia

+61 2 6772-2437

SAVE THE DATE!

Dear choral lovers,

Our first series of concerts in Newcastle, Singleton and Armidale coming up in August.

English Music Festival

Featuring Acappella Nova and Choir V

With Scots Kirk Baroque Band, Jan Piet-Knijff, and special guests

Dido & Aeneas - Opera in English by Henry Purcell

Gilbert & Sullivan, English Madrigals, the Beatles, Andrew Lloyd Webber and more...

Newcastle - August 1-2

Singleton - August 3 (Dido & Aeneas only)

Arimdale - August 8-10

Stay tuned for more information on the English Music Festival as well as more in our Port Stephens series...

Opera Gala

Port Stephens 

November 2014

MM

Welcome!

Hello and Welcome to Musical Matinees,

While we've been around for a while, we're starting to expand and have recently become an officially  incorporated organisation. We have proudly produced and supported a wide variety of classical concerts throughout the Port Stephens, Newcastle and Hunter Valley regions for the last eleven years and continue to build our performer base and concert series. Our concerts are always fun, whether they are big, long, sing-a-longs of classics or full operatic performances.

We hope to see you on here often, checking in to see how rehearsals are going, finding out about our next concerts and maybe even looking at our artist profiles so you can get to know our awesome performers a little bit better.

Check out some of the groups we support on facebook...

https://www.facebook.com/AcappellaNova

https://www.facebook.com/ChoirV

https://www.facebook.com/ScotsKirkBaroqueBand 

We'll keep you updated with links for our guest artists as concerts are announced.

Cheers,

MM