Nelson’s Adam Chamber Music Festival declared ‘best ever’ 9 Feb 2015
Related articles
Adam Chamber Music Festival
Nelson’s Adam Chamber Music Festival declared ‘best ever’.
Packed houses, ecstatic musicians, standing ovations and happy retailers – the Adam Chamber Music Festival is over for another two years and Nelson’s place on the classical festival circuit is even more firmly assured.
Festival manager Bob Bickerton said the 13th festival was the ‘best ever’ from many points of view.
“The programming was outstanding, and I’m specially proud that we performed 22 New Zealand works to full houses that really enjoyed them,” he said. “There was a strong sense of collegiality between the musicians, with the general feeling that we took our really committed and dedicated audience on a very special journey.”
Bickerton says the number crunching is still to be done, but he estimates over 6,000 people attended the ticketed concerts and the free master classes and meet the artist sessions. He says 50 percent of the festival passes to attend all sessions were pre-sold to overseas visitors and he believes there was a greater proportion overall of offshore attendees than in past years.
“Feedback from audiences and artists has been very positive indeed,” Bickerton said. “We aim to create a sense of community during the festival and we definitely achieved that. It’s actually quite sad when the 10 days of wonderful music-making and festival experiences come to an end – people are already asking if they can book for the next festival in 2017."
David Ying of the visiting Ying Quartet from New York says the Adam Festival is ‘as good as any festival anywhere in the world’.
“It’s been a very memorable experience,” he said. “The New Zealand String Quartet’s international status gives this festival the credibility to attract musicians from the highest circles of music making.”
Mr Ying said the concert at the chapel at St Arnaud was a personal highlight: “I felt like a tourist and a musician at the same time – I could have enjoyed the view from the chapel window more if I hadn’t had to look at the music.”
Anecdotally the festival is set to keep its record as giving the best return on any of the Economic Development Agency’s event support investments. Restaurateurs, retailers and accommodation providers say the late summer boost has been ‘fantastic’.
“I’m amazed at how many people it’s brought to town,” says Jo Menary from Shine in Hardy Street. ‘It’s much better than any other event - even the Rugby World Cup – and the visitors were all buzzing about every aspect of their time in Nelson, from the festival to the food.”
Carolyn McMaster from Ottawa, Canada, has now attended five Adam Festivals. She says she just loves Nelson and the festival atmosphere.
“It’s the combination of interesting and varied programmes with some classics and some new music, the first rate musicians and the town is so friendly and informal that you meet the musicians and other concert goers in the street and feel like you’re part of a family – besides it’s 30 below in Ottawa right now!”
Nelson Music Trust Chair Colleen Marshall said it has been wonderful to see the way Nelson has embraced this festival.
“We are certainly acknowledged as an international event and our audiences have been so appreciative and excited by the programme presented by our outstanding musicians and our genius Artistic Directors Helena Pohl and Gillian Ansell,” she said. “We have survived the lack of air conditioning and the closure of the Nelson School of Music and we look forward to a well overdue 'state of the art' venue for the Adam Festival in 2017. Nelson deserves it!”
Mrs Marshall paid tribute to the management team and volunteers for their enormous contribution to the success of this year’s festival.
Ends
News
Hilary Timmins' Award-Winning UK Documentary Series To Inspire NZ Students
29 Jun 2020 Education
Dream Catchers, produced and directed by Hilary Timmins, celebrates the success stories of more than thirty inspirational New... more
New Zealand reaffirms support for Flight MH17 judicial process
7 Mar 2020 News
Ahead of the start of the criminal trial in the Netherlands on 9 March, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has reaffirmed the need to... more
Business
NZ Government's Economic package to fight COVID-19
17 Mar 2020 Business News
The Coalition Government has launched the most significant peace-time economic plan in modern New Zealand history to cushion the... more
NZ Government announces aviation relief package
19 Mar 2020 Business News
Transport Minister Phil Twyford today outlined the first tranche of the $600 million aviation sector relief package announced earlier... more
Living
Diversity was Key at New Zealand Trade Tasting in London
6 Jun 2022 Food & Wine
New Zealand Winegrowers Annual Trade Tasting was recently held in London, on Wednesday 4 May, in Lindley Hall.
It was the first... more
Kiwi author stuns Behind the Butterfly Gate
12 Jan 2022 Arts
Hidden behind the Butterfly Gate is where the secret has been kept for 76 years...
New Zealand writer Merryn Corcoran’s... more
Property
Fairer rules for tenants and landlords
17 Nov 2019 Property
17 NOVEMBER 2019
The Government has delivered on its promise to the over one million New Zealanders who now rent to make it fairer... more
New Zealand Government will not implement a Capital Gains Tax
17 Apr 2019 Property
The Coalition Government will not proceed with the Tax Working Group’s recommendation for a capital gains tax, Jacinda Ardern... more
Migration
Boosting border security with electronic travel authority – now over 500,000 issued
19 Nov 2019 Migration
19 NOVEMBER 2019
We’ve improved border security with the NZeTA, New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority, which helps us to... more
Christchurch reinstated as refugee settlement location
18 Aug 2018 Migration
18 AUGUST 2018
HON IAIN LEES-GALLOWAY
The announcement that Christchurch can once again be a settlement location for refugees... more
Travel
Gallipoli Anzac Day services cancelled
19 Mar 2020 Travel & Tourism
The New Zealand and Australian Governments have announced this year’s joint Anzac Day services at Gallipoli will be cancelled... more
New Zealanders advised not to travel overseas
19 Mar 2020 Travel & Tourism
New Zealanders advised not to travel overseas
more
Sport
The Skipper's Diary: Sir Richard Hadlee honouring his father and NZ's Forty-Niners
27 Oct 2019 Cricket
NZNewsUK London Editor Charlotte Everett spoke to Sir Richard Hadlee about why he’s chosen to publish his father’s... more
PREVIEW: All Blacks v England semi-final
26 Oct 2019 Rugby
The two most convincing quarterfinals winners are set to square off in a semifinal showdown for the ages when the All Blacks meet old... more
Columns
Gordon Campbell on the Gareth Morgan crusade
11 Nov 2016 Opinion
Gordon Campbell on the Gareth Morgan crusade
First published on Werewolf
The ghastly likes of Marine Le Pen in France and Geert ... more
Gordon Campbell on the US election outcome
10 Nov 2016 Opinion
Column - Gordon Campbell
Gordon Campbell on the US election outcome
Well um.. on the bright side, there (probably)... more
Kiwi Success
Congratulations to Loder Cup winner
26 Sep 2018 People
25 SEPTEMBER 2018
The Loder Cup, one of New Zealand’s oldest conservation awards, has been awarded to Robert McGowan for 2018... more
Appointments to New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO
16 Aug 2018 Appointments
16 AUGUST 2018Appointments to New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO
HON JENNY SALESA
Associate Education Minister Jenny Salesa is... more
Recruitment
Historic pay equity settlement for education support workers
14 Aug 2018 Recruitment
14 AUGUST 2018Historic pay equity settlement for education support workers
RT HON JACINDA ARDERN
HON CHRIS HIPKINS
Prime Minister
The... more
Historic pay equity settlement for education support workers
22 Aug 2018 Recruitment
14 AUGUST 2018Historic pay equity settlement for education support workers
RT HON JACINDA ARDERN
HON CHRIS HIPKINS
Prime Minister
The... more