The Royal Dunedin Male Choir, founded in 1886, gave its final performance for the year in the Dunedin Town Hall last evening.
Members receive long service awards and a particular milestone was acknowledged when a 50-year service badge was presented to first tenor Ian Bartlett.
With conductor Richard Madden, accompanists Linda Folland and Frances Brodie and David Burchell at the organ, the choir presented a variety of choral numbers, including the popular Leroy Anderson Christmas tune Sleigh Ride.
A bracket of carols with audience participation was conducted by deputy conductor Peter Keddell.
My favourite choir items were Halle, Halle, Halle, arranged by Les Bonar, and "The Soldiers' Chorus" from Faust.
Both were presented robustly with good contrast of dynamics though at times, as in some of their other items, delivery of the text was not always tightly articulated.
In the unaccompanied Christmas song Sing We Nowell, the choir achieved very impressive, full harmony and excellent intonation.
Supporting artists featured several talented students from the University of Otago.
Bassoonist Joe Donnelly and pianist Jaroslav Novak played a Sonatine, by Alexandre Tansman.
The work showcased Donnelly's outstanding technical ability, necessitating immense agility in virtuosic passages across the full register of this woodwind instrument, which is not heard often in solo work.
Bass baritone Tim Blackler, accompanied by Julia Horsnell, sang a Negro spiritual and two British art songs by Ireland, including the well known Sea Fever, which was ideal repertoire for this pleasantly lyrical, light baritone voice.
An OBHS pupil, violinist Juno Pyun, with accompanist Joyce Tang, presented three solos, including an arrangement of Gershwin's It Ain't Necessarily So.
The final item was The Holy City, by Adams, a "must do" for any choir of this size and calibre.
First bass member Grant Aitcheson sang some passages solo but I feel this work needs a boy soprano, or soprano timbre, to fully realise its beautiful, melodic lines.
The evening was compered by Peter Stapleton; it was announced the choir's 2010 concerts will be held in Knox Church.
