Adam Festival fever grows

Monday, 15 December 2008

For chamber music fans Christmas is possibly a lesser excitement on the calendar than the approaching Adam Chamber Music Festival, scheduled to start in Nelson on January 23.

Festival manager Roger Lloyd says the ticket sales are tracking well.

"We have a some people coming for the whole 16 days of the festival and many others coming for a week or more," he said. "This is what makes the Adam festival quite special - people are drawn together as a community by their interest in chamber music and that is reinforced by the intimate nature of the performances in Nelson's heritage venues."

Mr Lloyd said the length of stay also made the festival important in the economic activity of the Nelson region, with concert-goers also spending on accommodation and food as well as art, wine and other shopping.

There is a lot of interest in the visit of the world-famous Pražák String Quartet from the Czech Republic - two of them travelling with instruments that are almost 300 years old. The festival also features a return visit from London-based Australian pianist, Piers Lane; there is a stronger than usual vocal element with performances by Swedish mezzo-soprano, Catrin Johnnson; and there is a one off concert from the Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra

A total of 42 events over 16 days, will be performed in the Cathedral, the School of Music and St John's Church in Nelson; the Chanel Arts Centre, Motueka; the Church of the Sacred Heart, Takaka; and in Blenheim's Brancott Winery and Church of the Nativity.

Tickets from Everyman Records, Nelson and, for the Blenheim concerts, from the Marlborough Centre. More info at www.music.org.nz