2018 Concert Series Messiah | Page 25

The University of Auckland Chamber Choir Karen Grylls ONZM, Artistic Director and Conductor   The University of Auckland Chamber Choir was formed in 2006 to give young singers at the University of Auckland an opportunity to sing in a quality chamber choral ensemble. The unique structure of the choir sees both students and professional-level artist practitioners performing and working alongside each other. Most recently, the choir performed Bach’s St Matthew Passion with renowned English conductor Stephen Layton and the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra to great acclaim. The University of Auckland Chamber Choir, is directed by Karen Grylls, ONZM, Associate Professor in Choral Conducting at The University of Auckland, who celebrated 30 years with the choir in 2015. I sang my first Messiah at 17 with the Christchurch Harmonic Society when I was still at school and our Music Master encouraged me to consider singing oratorio works in a big choir. 2018 will see me complete over 75 Messiah performances and each one of them is more exciting and thrilling than the previous. To me, as I’m sure for most choristers, that time of year signals something very special and I look forward to it with great anticipation. It isn’t Christmas until we have sung Messiah! Messiah 1978. Ray Wilson, conductor, with soloists Heather Taylor, Flora Edwards, Anthony Benfell and Donald McIntyre. ac archives , poynton terrace Uwe Grodd and soprano soloist Lauren Armishaw, 2017. iain bremner . warwick mitchell, tenor Messiah, 2017. joanne bremner .