Saturday 8th October at 7.30pm at St Paul’s Collegiate, Hamilton

AND Sunday 9th October at 5pm in Auckland Town Hall

Conductor Rita Paczian will lead the combined Hamilton Civic and Bach Musica choirs, the Bach Musica orchestra and internationally-ranked soloists Morag Atchison, Catrin Johnsson, David Hamilton and Joel Amosa in a performance of Verdi’s dramatic Requiem.  This work has it all – tender solos, joyful choruses, resounding brass and thundering drums – little wonder that it is still one of the most often performed major choral compositions.

The soloists for these concerts are Morag Atchison (soprano), Catrin Johnsson (mezzo), David Hamilton (tenor) and Joel Amosa (bass).

Morag Atchison has firmly established herself as one of New Zealand’s leading sopranos. She studied at the University of Auckland and Royal Academy of Music (London), and was a finalist in the Kathleen Ferrier and Royal Over-Seas League Competitions. She has performed many operatic roles and concert engagements throughout NZ and now teaches voice at the University of Auckland and is a vocal tutor for the NZ Youth Choir, and other youth choirs.  Morag was recently awarded a doctorate in Musical Arts from the University of Auckland, the first DMA in vocal studies from a New Zealand University.

Mezzo-soprano Catrin Johnsson is a Swedish singer who studied at the Royal University College of Music in Stockholm before graduating from the London Royal School’s Opera Course.   Besides her many operatic roles, Catrin is an accomplished recitalist, having performed extensively throughout Europe and the UK. In 1997 she received the prestigious Christina Nilsson Prize from the Royal Academy of Music in Stockholm and at the Royal Academy of Music in London she was the recipient of numerous prizes. Catrin is noted for her energetic presence on the stage, and her excellent diction in operatic and recital work.

David Hamilton’s distinguished career has gained him a strong reputation throughout Australia, New Zealand, Germany and the United Kingdom in opera, oratorio and concert repertoire. After graduating from the Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, majoring in singing and flute, he moved to Sydney where he sang with The Song Company for seven years and in numerous operatic roles before relocating to Germany in 2007. Oratorio provides the perfect vehicle for David’s voice. He is well known for his moving renditions of the tenor solos in works such as Handel’s Messiah, Haydn’s Creation and Britten’s War Requiem. Since his return to Australia in 2012 he has frequently travelled to NZ to perform with choirs, orchestras and in recital.

Joel Amosa, the youngest of the soloists at 27 years old, is New Zealand-born of proud Samoan heritage and has a rich bass-baritone voice which has been described as powerful and dramatic.  He completed his music degree at Otago University and was awarded a Dame Malvina Major Scholarship in 2015.  His recent performance experience includes working with Opera Otago, the Napier Civic Choir and the Handel Consort and Quire.