Lynley Caldwell's male voice choir members practise for a
dawn performance at Oamaru's Scott 100 commemorations.
Pictured are (front row, from top) John Baster, Michael
O'Brien, Stan Lusby, Colin Wilson, Bill Blair, Frank
Lewthwaite, Colin Ridley, (back row, from top) Hamish Gray,
Maurice Algar (partly obscured), Richard Vinbrux, Doug
Curtis, Chris Jones, Conrad Galland and Scott Elliffe.
Photo supplied.
Oamaru residents are being fashioned into a male voice
choir in preparation for a ''spine-tingling'' sunrise
performance to form part of the town's centennial
commemorations of the arrival of Captain Robert Falcon Scott's
ship SS Terra Nova in Oamaru Harbour.
A re-enactment of the ship's arrival in 1913, bearing news of
Scott's death in the Antarctic, is planned for February 10,
and will begin with a dawn choral performance at Sumpter
Wharf.
The choir, named Fly by Night, is made up of local men, who
have been whipped into shape by professional singer Lynley
Caldwell.
Ms Caldwell, who is a member of the Whitestone Community Arts
Council, said although none of the 17 members of the choir
were professional singers, she would still hold them to a
''high standard''.
''Members come from a wide variety of backgrounds. Teacher,
radiologist, cabinet maker, baker, engineer, librarian,
cleaner and theatre entrepreneur, to name a few.''
She said a range of ''appropriate'' songs would be sung on
the day.
The choir has been in training for the 6am performance for
the past two months.
Choir member Bill Blair said he particularly enjoyed the
gospel harmonies, sea shanties and ''three-dimensional''
choral sound.
''It sends shivers up your spine.''
As part of Oamaru's Scott 100 commemoration events,
Australian artist JuileePryor has gifted 80 hybrid-media
panels to the Forrester Art Gallery.
The art work formed part of an exhibit which opened last
Saturday.
Gallery exhibitions curator Alice Lake-Hammond said it was
fitting
the ''90 Degrees South Again'' exhibition was part of
commemorations.
''90 Degrees South Again acknowledges Scott's journey as a
victory over death, recognising that despite perishing on the
ice, the legacy of the expedition and its resulting research
and photographic documentation, provide evidence of his
success.''
Ms Pryor said her work had been ''heavily inspired'' by
Waitaki old-boy and modernist Colin McCahon.
andrew.ashton@odt.co.nz
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