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Coffee Day at Northbridge Village 16th April 2024

 The Club was invited to play at Nothbridge Village, Northcote for our Coffee Day this month. We had an enthusiastic audience of residents and visitors (parents of the piano students that played for us). Whilst it was disappointing that we had few of our playing members attend, nevertheless this was more than compensated by the great variety of music played. Particularly wonderful was the attendance and performance for us of 14 piano students and one violin student and supported by their music teacher Wu Liu.

It was great to catch up with Stephen Beech who is a well known organ enthusiast and player. In fact Stephen now lives at Northbridge Village and proudly showed the writer his organ setup in his garage. Stephen built his Classical 4 manual organ himself using sample sounds from various pipe organs around Auckland. Incorporated in the organ is a 5 manual theatre organ with sounds sampled from the Paramount organ of New York (now relocated to Texas). Stephen spent 5 years building his 5 manual organ which is primarily electronic but with some physical classical flute pipes. The organ is the largest in New Zealand and the brief demonstration to the writer on the day was mind boggling with the sound quality and power of the instrument.

All in all, a most amazing and enjoyable day was had be one and all!

A big thank you to Kay Boyes, the Club's Events Manager, for arranging this Coffe Day.

The Photos:

Kay Boyes on the Yamaha CVP-609

Music Teache Wu Liu playing a duet with a student

Music Teache Wu Liu playing a duet with a student

Music Teacher Wu Liu with his 15 students that played for us

Patrick McMillan on the Yamaha CVP-609

Stephen Beech on the 5 manual Classical/Theatre organ
that he built over 5 years

Stephen Beech on the Yamaha CVP-609

Warren Levick on the Yamaha CVP-609

Gordon Sutherland on his
Korg Pa5X arranger keyboard

 

Club Night 2nd April 2024

 Some great music this evening was enjoyed by an appreciative audience. We started with arrival music being played unrehearsed by Patrick McMillan on our Yamaha Clavinova CVP-809. Thanks Patrick for some great music to start the evening. Due to a late drop-out, Gordon Sutherland then played his Korg Pa5X with a mixture of backings, overplay and vocals. Next up, Mary Elvin played our Clavinova with some great bouncy music. To finish the first set, Warren Levick played the Clavinova also with a mixure of modern and classical (with an upbeat twist!).

After the raffle draw and a refreshments break, we were delighted to welcome back Joe Fingers and his wife Jill. Joe played his trusty Yamaha PSR-S950 with added vocals on some numbers. Jill also participated in some numbes with vocals and harmonies. A great mixture of genres with an emphasis on memory lane. As always, Joe and Jill were a delight. There will be a video added to this post in the next few days of Joe Fingers and Jill and one of Gordon Sutherland playing his Korg Pa5X.

A big thank you to Yvonne Moller, Delyse Whorwood and Nelleke Moffat for helping with the refreshments break as our Catering Manager, Karen Steen, was indisposed.

The Videos:

Joe Fingers and partner Jill were our guest artists for the evening. Joe is using his Yamaha PSR-S950 arranger keyboard and Jill adds vocals

Gordon Sutherland playing his Korg Pa5X arranger keyboard

The Photos:

Joe Fingers playing and singing
using his Yamaha PSR-S950

Patrick McMillan played the arrival music
on our Yamaha CVP-809

Mary Elvin playing the
Yamaha Clavinova CVP-809

Warren Levick playing the Clavinova

Jill and Joe Fingers. Joe with his
Yamana PSR-S950 arranger keyboard
with Jill adding vocals

Joe Fingers with his
Yamaha PSR-S950 arranger keyboard
and added vocals

Jill gave some great solo vocals
as well as brilliant vocal harmonies on some numbers

Coffee Day at Knightsbridge Village

 It is always a pleasure bringing our music to this lovely village. A good turn-out of our members attended Coffee Day at Knightsbridge Village, Pinehill, North Shore, Auckland, NZ. We had 9 players that entertained us on the Village's K. Kawai grand piano or on their own arranger keyboards. It was especially great that professional musician/teacher/composer, Ben Fernandez, came along to finish the music programme. Ben gave us a great selection of light jazz pieces and some marvellous medley's. A video of Ben's performance will be posted below once edited and uploaded.

                                                                The Video:

Ben Fernandez kindly gave an informal mini-concert at the
Club's Coffee Day at Knightsbridge Village

The Photos:

Ben Fernandez playing the K. Kawai grand piano at Knightsbridge Village

Kay Boyes playing the K. Kawai grand piano

Diane Lyons playing her Korg
Pa700 arranger keyboard

Denise Gunson playing the K. Kawai grand piano

Claude Moffat playing the K. Kawai grand piano

Warren Levick playing the K. Kawai grand piano

Gordon Sutherland playing his Korg
Pa5X arranger keyboard

Mary Barrett playing her Korg
Pa1000 arranger keyboard

Ayana Tayler playing the K. Kawai grand piano

Club Night 5th March 2024

 At the start of the evening we held our AGM to formally setup the Committee for the coming year and to reflect upon the great events and happenings for the Club last year.

After the raffle and a refreshments break, we were entertained by our guest artist, Jeanette Harding, who has been a lifetime professional musician and came up from New Plymoutht to play for us. Jeanette uses a Korg Pa4X arranger keyboard with vocals added and wow can Jeanette make the instrument 'talk'. A great selection of songs and gentres all flawlessly executed to our delight.

Arrival music was provided by Warren Levick on the Club's Yamaha Clavinova CVP-809 ensemble digital piano. Very smooth and enjoyable too, so thank you Warren.

The Video:

Our guest artist, Jeanette Harding, playing her
Korg Pa4X arranger keyboard

The Photos:

Our guest artist, Jeanette Harding,
playing her Korg Pa4X arranger keyboard

Warren Levick playing the arrival music
using the Club's Yamaha Clavinova CVP-809

Coffee Day at Okura Country Estate

 What a great day out at this lovely country estate just north of Albany, Auckland. Our host, Dave Winslade, kindly shared the estate's beautiful community hall and resplendant surroundings. The weather was superb as well to enhance the great music that was played. A shared lunch was very enjoyable also.

For our piano players, Gordon Sutherland, borrowed a Korg EX20 ensemble 88-note weighted piano. The piano was kindly loaned to the Club for the day by Music Planet of 128 Wairau Road, North Shore. What a great keyboard and well enjoyed by our piano players on the day.

A big thank you to Dave Winslade for making the community hall available to our Club for the day. This has been a tradition stretching back some 10 years! Thanks also to Karen Steen for providing the kitchen things and all those that helped on the day to set up the lunch table.

The Photos:

Mary Barrett playing her Korg Pa1000

Roy Steen playing his Korg Pa300

Roy Steen (left) and Warren Levick duetting. Roy on his Korg Pa300 and Warren on the Korg EX20 ensemble piano

Warren Levick playing solo the Korg EX20 ensemble piano
that was kindly loaed to us for the day by
Music Planet 128 Wairau Road, North Shore

Gordon Sutherland playing his Korg Pa5X

Club Night 6th February 2024

 The Club kicked off the year with the first Club Night of 2024, rounding off a glorious Waitangi Day in Auckland. Roy Steen provided the arrival music then the evening started with the first set provided by Linus Treefoot on his Korg Havian 30 ensemble piano, accompanied by his friend John Lethaby on guitar, harmonica and vocals. The audience chimed in on the chorus for 'I Get By With A Little Help From My Friends' and they finished appropriately for Waitangi Day with a lovely rendition of Pokarekare Ana.

Peter Longbottom followed on with a nice selection of tunes, fluidly played on his Korg Pa600 and then Roy Steen returned to finish the first half, including some stirring marches, highlighting the versatility of his Korg Pa300 keyboard.

After a refreshing supper, we welcomed back our good friend Ben Fernandez and his guest Tracey Collins, a virtuoso on her Titano piano accordion. While they humbly confessed that this was their first gig together, you would never know it. The synergy, energy and chemistry between them belied the fact and it was enthralling to see and hear the melodies being bounced and caught between them throughout their set. A mix of new and old and traditional songs provided a perfect blend and highlighted the lovely voice of the accordion when played by an expert such as Tracey. Ben of course was in fine form too, taking the Yamaha Clavinova CVP-809 on a roller coaster ride of ever changing moods and melodies. What a great night's entertainment!

For those who missed the evening, a video has been produced and linked below via YouTube.

The Video:

Ben Fernandez on the Clavinova CVP-809 and Tracey Collins on her Titano piano accordion.

The Photos:

Roy Steen playing his Korg Pa300

arranger keyboard

Linus Treefoot on his Korg Havian 30 ensemble piano and accompanied by John Lethaby on his acoustic guitar, harmonica and vocals.

Peter Longbottom playing his Korg Pa600

arranger keyboard

Ben Fernandez playing the Yamana CVP-809 ensemble piano and accompanied by Tracey Collins on her Titano piano accordion.