Rehearsal Information
Venue: Wesley Methodist Church, Thirteenth Avenue, Tauranga
Times: Mondays, 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm, except school and public holidays
Times: Mondays, 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm, except school and public holidays
Tauranga Civic Choir History
The choir, originally known as the Cantabile Singers, was founded by music teacher Beatrice Webster in late 1961 as a singing group of nine women.
Mrs Webster moved her teaching practice to Auckland in 1978. Her successor as musical director was soprano Merle Fausett, who spent 12 years with the choir and later worked with the Bay of Plenty Symphonia. In 1987 the choir’s name was changed to the Tauranga Civic Choir to more accurately reflect what the group had become. Jeremy Whimster took over the role of Musical Director in 1992. He challenged the choir on many occasions with some original programmes, introducing the choir to composers such as Britten, Finzi and Durufle. Working hard to achieve the highest possible standard, the choir won the silver award in the 2003 National final of the NZ Choral Federation’s Classic Sing. The Tauranga Civic Choir celebrated its Golden Jubilee in November 2012 with festivities attended by existing and former choir members and a performance of Handel’s Messiah with international soloists and a full orchestra. Under Jeremy Whimster’s direction the choir continued to join with other choirs in Auckland, Hamilton, New Plymouth, and around the Bay of Plenty. The Choir has made a point of encouraging young singers, organists and instrumentalists, inviting them to be soloists with the choir or joining in orchestras and small instrumental ensembles that accompany the range of performed works. The choir was thrilled when Jeremy was awarded a very well earned Queen’s Service Medal for services to music, in the 2015 New Year’s Honours List. In recent years the choir has taken on its role as the Civic Choir leading the singing at the Civic Anzac Day Service and at monthly Citizenship Ceremonies. In December 2016, Jeremy retired from the position of Musical Director. Our new Musical Director, Nigel Williams, was appointed on 1 January 2017. Our choir members continue to enjoy preparing and performing a range of choral works for our audiences, and we thank the people of Tauranga and the Bay of Plenty for their support and enthusiasm for Choral Singing. Committee Chairman: Roger Clark Musical Director: Nigel Williams Treasurer: Eryl Raymond Secretary: Robyn Luijken Librarian: Margaret Bullen Committee: Heather Bernau Lesley Brighting Graham Dainty |
Nigel spent eleven years as a counter tenor and bass chorister at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Auckland, New Zealand under the direction of Anthony Jennings. It was here that he developed an interest in composing organ and choral music. After graduating from the University of Auckland with a Master's Degree in composition he began a career as a music teacher. At the forefront of music education in New Zealand for over 30 years, he taught at a number of leading schools before moving to the United Kingdom where he spent three years as Director of Music at Mill Hill School in North West London.
He served as musical director of the Bach Choir of Wellington for seven years, directing over 25 concerts with an emphasis on the larger works of J.S. Bach. He forged a relationship with members of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra which lead to the formation of the Chiesa Ensemble. His last concert with the Bach Choir, before he moved to the United Kingdom, was a complete performance of J.S. Bach’s Mass in B minor. Nigel composes mainly organ and choral music and is currently working under contract for The Lorenz Corporation, a large US music publishing House, to produce a book of 15 organ pieces. Recent commissions include a large organ piece for Michigan University published by MorningStar Music and Festive Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis to mark the centenary of St Peter’s Cathedral, Hamilton. Letters from our Boys, a cantata for mixed voice choir and instruments with texts taken from diary entries and letters of New Zealand WW1 soldiers was commissioned and premiered by the Tauranga Civic Choir in 2016.
Leon has completed MEd and MMus studies, as well as graduate and postgraduate diplomas in education research, business management and teaching. He is well-known in and around the Bay of Plenty as an accompanist, arranger, musical director, choirmaster and expert music educator. He has guested as accompanist for the Bay of Plenty Music School a number of times, and as conductor for St Peter’s Chamber Music Series, and Scholars Pro Musica. He is also the official accompanist for Tauranga Civic Choir, Tauranga Intermediate Choir, Tauranga Performing Arts singing competitions, and is leader of the Bay of Plenty’s first healthcare workers' choir, Vocal Chords.
He has worked professionally in musical theatre direction across the Waikato, Taranaki, Auckland, Bay of Plenty and also in Scotland, leading around 70 shows for a large number of groups, including Auckland Music Theatre, North Shore Operatic Society, Auckland Grammar School, Kadimah College, Stratford on Stage, Matamata Musical Theatre, Auckland City Theatre Academy, Glen Eden Players, Dolphin Theatre, Eastwood Entertainers, Donnell Theatre Productions, Centrestage Orewa, Tauranga Girls' College, Tauranga Music Theatre, John Paul College, Auckland Grammar and Rotorua Music Theatre. Leon has published a number of original compositions, as well as educational resources and two poetry collections. He frequently arranges music for specialist vocal and instrumental groups, and runs a busy studio, specialising in original, student-centred piano and music theory programmes. |
