The Cathedral Strings orchestra offer a pleasant break from the Christmas rush with a concert in the Waiapu Cathedral, Napier on Sunday December 4, starting at 2:30pm.   

The concert will begin with excerpts from Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker ballet score, a special Christmas feature throughout the world, including Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, and Waltz of the Flowers.  

Then a very different dance with Astor Piazolla’s Oblivion, a haunting and atmospheric tango, followed by the lively Blue Tango by Leroy Anderson.  Completing the first half are modern songs arranged for orchestra includingBlackbird, Unchained Melody, and A Whiter Shade of Pale. 

Christmas favourites feature in the rest of the programme, with medleys of familiar Carols emphasising the theme song It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Conductor Anthony Tattersall says that there may even be some opportunities for the audience to sing-along with the orchestra! To round off the concert, enjoy the jingling sounds of Leroy Anderson’s iconic Sleigh Ride.

DOOR SALES – Adults $20, students/children FREE

So who are the Cathedral Strings?

The Cathedral Strings players are experienced musicians who have played for many years in groups such as the Hawke’s Bay Regional Orchestra, chamber music groups and other orchestras.  Several were members of the well-known Napier string orchestra ‘Concord Strings’ which played concerts in Hawke’s Bay for more than 50 years.  A small group of players have accompanied the Waiapu Cathedral Choir at church services over a number of years and in June 2021 gave their first concert as the Cathedral Strings, with Anthony Tattersall, the cathedral’s musical director, as conductor.