Some sorrys and the Symphonia

Bay of Plenty Symphonia.

Let's start this week's column in a humble manner: with an apology.

Actually, a few apologies, though I do try to get things as accurate as possible here.

For instance, my forecast that America would be changing its president seems to be coming true despite a (very polite) complaint from one Trump supporter who suggested – I don't think ironically – that my prediction would be incorrect and my view was because of 'Too much watching/listening to news”.

So that's all good – unless things go really sideways over in the great US of A – but I did manage to bugger up the odd thing last week when talking about Anthony Coulter's imminent album release show for his CD Memories.

That's not till tomorrow (Saturday November 14) so you can still get to it but there will not be the full band I mistakenly promised: this is in fact a solo show with Anthony at the piano and backing tracks.

The launch is at the Jam Factory, tickets $10. And since Anthony is such a prolific writer you'll no doubt hear a couple of his new singles as well. He's been exploring things in a reggae vein most recently, with new songs on Spotify where there's a decent chunk of his music, so check it out if you think the show might be of interest...

SPELLING

In what must have been a bad case of whiskey journalism at the late night music desk, in that review I also managed to spell the name of the main man at Soundtree Productions incorrectly. That's where Anthony's album was mostly recorded and the production and some great guitar-work are courtesy of Shane Davies. Not Davis. Sorry.

But it's not actually the odd mistake here that I lie awake at night and worry about. No, it's the dumb declarative things I write without enough thought that someone then points out are complete nonsense.

OK. So a while ago I was waxing lyrical about the birth of Baycourt, way back in the eighties, and a concert I'd seen there by the great classical guitarist Julian Bream. Unamplified. Just sitting there with an acoustic guitar in the middle of the stage. And then I wildly claimed that there was no more unamplified music at Baycourt.

Aaaaaaaarghhhhhh!

It wasn't long at all before I heard from Maggie Gething, indefatigable secretary of the Bay of Plenty Symphonia, who pointed out (also very politely) that they always play unamplified. Of course they do. What was I thinking?

THE SYMPHONIA

And there's a reminder coming up on November 22 when they have a more than 50-piece orchestra with full brass and percussion hitting the Baycourt stage. As Maggie mentioned to me, there are 'lots of big, exciting sounds that really do not need any help to be heard!”

And after having to cancel three concerts already this year, Maggie reckons this is a great one for everybody: 'The items on the programme are easy for all ages to enjoy and the ticket prices are low - so we hope many people will come who would not normally go to classical concerts.”

It'll be a terrific show with all sorts of well-known pieces, from Grieg's Peer Gynt Suite (first introduced to me by the rock band Nazareth!) to Mussorgsky's Night on the Bare Mountain and the main item on the programme, Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade. Justus Rozemond is conducting, the concert is in the Addison Theatre, Sunday, November 22, 3 pm. Adults, $15; Seniors, $12; 18 and under, $2.

And in other news... just a quick plug for the Garden And Arts Festival and their Bloom In The Bay hub at the Racecourse. Why? Because there's a whole bunch of music happening there. It's all in the on-line programme but as a teaser let me mention that between Thursday 19 and Sunday 22 you'll be able to hear Catriona Fallon, The Afrolites, Kokomo, Ash Lafortleza, Birdhouse, Diversity, The Otumoetai Big Band, The Self-Righteous Brothers and more.

Things kick off there around 4pm on the weekdays and noon at the weekend, with DJ Mufuasa live throughout each day. Sounds like fun!

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