A Cappella Plus’ final program for the season will whisk people off on an adventure, from the Great Barrier Reef to the shores of the Baltic Sea, with sightings of koala bears to brown bears, visiting the Maori and the Sami, from vast deserts to immense glaciers.
The concert is titled From Down Under to Up There and illustrates the culture of two distinct and diverse parts of the world.
The show takes place Saturday, May 31 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Edmund Anglican Church, 407 Wembley Rd. The group will perform again in Nanaimo on Sunday, June 1 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Andrew’s United Church on Fitzwilliam St.
Tickets for the show are $15 available online at www.acappellaplus, at Mulberry Bush Bookstores in Parksville and Qualicum Beach.
An exploration of Down Under reveals the enigmatic rhythms, colour and ethos of Australian music in all its forms. Stephen Leek’s Red Earth with its haunting harmonies evokes images of Australia’s rugged outback beauty where the iconic natural wonders of Uluru and the Olga Sisters are found.
Kia Hora Te Marino delves into the majestic language and distinctive culture of the Maori, indigenous people of New Zealand. Kungala salutes an area of New South Wales which in the words of composer, Stephen Leeks, is “a place to shout and sing”.
Moving from Down Under to Up There reveals a culture that is rich in all musical genres. Sweet, melodic Scandinavian folk songs tell of life and love.
Hugo Alfven’s charming Aftonen (Evening) and Uti Var Hage (In the Meadow) reaffirm the peoples’ connectedness to nature. The dramatic and evocative harmonies of O Crux (Knut Nystedt) portray the anguish of the crucifixion.
Butterfly, made popular by the renowned Finnish vocal ensemble, Rajaton, is a wistful and beautiful celebration of life and love.
Needless to say, a program of music from Up There would not be complete without a taste of the well-loved Swedish group, ABBA!
—News Staff/Submitted by Linda Dier
