Classics concert for church

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 11, Issue 502, 7 September 1993, Page 8

Classics concert for church

by

Shelly

Shearsby

Pianist Helen Collier, vocalist Elizabeth Miles and clarinettist Rebecca Smith will perform pieces from Purcell, Handel, Mozart, Schubert and more, in aid of the Ruapehu Anglican Church next week. The concert, on Saturday 18 September, is to be held at Ruapehu College. Helen Collier, formerly of Taihape, received her early training in Sydney at the New South Wales Conservatorium of Music. During three years' intensive study in Vienna, Helen was a pupil of Viola Them at the Vienna Conservatorium. Helen has given many solo recitals throughout New Zealand and Australia. She has performed with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and regional orchestras and appeared on television. Recent overseas concerts include recitals at the New Zealand embassies in Paris and Washington DC. Helen is Musical Director of the Arcadian Singers. Since 1985 she has tutored annually at the Piano Master Class of the Wanganui Regional Community College's Summer School.

Elizabeth Miles graduated from Auckland with a MA Music(Hons) degree in 1989. After further post-graduate music studies in England, Elizabeth returned to Rotorua in 1991 and is now in the second year of the Comprehensive Nursing Course at Waiariki Polytechnic. Her previous choral experience includes five years with the National

Youth Choir as well as in specialist early music choirs in Auckland and Wellington. Elizabeth has sung with the Rotorua District Choir for over 10 years as a choral member and occasionally as soloist. Elizabeth learns singing from Barbara Nicholls of Taupo and attained her Performers Certificate in November 1992. On 21 August 1993

she won the Rotorua Music Teachers' $1000 scholarship for excellence in performance, the money to go toward furthering her singing. Rotorua Girls High School fifth former Rebecca Smith is described as having "exceptional ability and great musical potential". Rebecca already has a number of outstanding musical achievements to

her name. She passed her grade eight music exam at the age of 11 and two years later was invited to perform as a guest soloist with the Waikato Symphony Orchestra. In the same year she played in the prestigious final of the Westpac Schools Music Contest in Wellington and performed successfully in the Christchurch based Honda National Concerto Award.