Quite a Show.

By Pauline Stewart.

It’s Showtime was a most appropriate title for the Mercury Bay Community Choir Concert held in Whitianga Town Hall at 2.00pm last Sunday.

Kate Neilsen, Director and Conductor brought this ‘Show Time’ all together with her choir of competent sopranos, altos, and two men, one a bass and one a tenor. Kate often joined in the chorus herself. Almost all the songs were from stage musicals, but presented with different vocal arrangements, always with the talent of the singers in mind. Quite a few were those that the audience could sing along to or hum. This was certainly so with ‘Love Changes Everything from Aspects of Love’ by Andrew Lloyd Weber and Tim Rice, and definitely the closing masterpiece, ‘Always look on the bright side of life.’ This had everyone smiling, tapping and joining in. ‘Bring Him Home’ from Les Misérables was a tear-bringing highlight and sung in a most moving way. With Anzac Day being just a few days earlier, the impact of this sing was felt by everyone. Congratulations, well done, on this quality event - singers, your visual presentation, conductor, pianist and a very appreciative and large audience.

The Town Hall venue is not the greatest in a number of areas, but there is no question about the quality, life and lightness of spirit of the music Kate Nielsen and her team made possible.

Perhaps the men out there should re-discover their voices and join the choir. Kate needs a few tenors and some extra bass voices. Mercury Bay needs this music to enhance and add to the large variety of musical talent regularly offered.

Caption: Crowd attending the concert.