Midday Concerts return

Chris Marshall Reporter from Taupō Times

Taupō’s Midday Concerts are back.

Like all large gatherings, the concerts were put on hold earlier this year due to the Covid-19 outbreak but will resume on July 3 with duo Lucas Baker and Noelle Dannenbring.

The pair met at the New Zealand String Quartet’s Adam Chamber Music summer school earlier this year and bonded over a keen interest in performing collaborative repertoire.

Baker studies violin at the New Zealand School of Music —Te Kōkī. His ensemble won the 2017 NZCT Chamber Music contest and he is a finalist for the 2020 NZSM concerto competition.

Dannenbring completed her Master of Music degree in classical piano performance at the University of Waikato in 2018. She has featured as a concerto soloist with the Trust Waikato Symphony Orchestra and Bay of Plenty Symphonia and regularly serves as a collaborative pianist.

The Wellington-Rotorua pair will perform works by JS. Bach, Beethoven, Franck and Prokofiev.

Midday concerts have been in operation for over 20 years and are organised voluntarily. They are open to anyone and are held at St Andrew’s Church for its wonderful acoustics and ample seating.

Entry prices vary from one concert to the next due to differing performance fees and the need to cover the costs for each concert.

The entry fee for July’s concert is $7 (cash only).

Concerts are held from 12-1pm on the first Friday of every month.

For further information please contact Tracey Lidington 0272409228 or Elizabeth Marshall 3789296. Those interested can be added to an email list, or keep up with the programme on facebook @ Midday Concert.