Arts on Tour New Zealand

[Dori]

Hello all,

Fiona has a new tour coming up. Here are the dates from her Facebook page:

www.facebook.com/fionapearsofficial?ref=nf

I might go to the one closes to Auckland. I really do want to see a solo concert of hers!

Dori

[Jono]

Feb 16, 2010 5:16:57 GMT Dori said:

I might go to the one closes to Auckland. I really do want to see a solo concert of hers!

Dori

Hey Dori,

Which one of those is the closest to Auckland? All of the ones I can see seem quite a distance.

Jono

[Richard]

Thanks for starting this thread, Dori!

I've just updated Fiona's Concerts Schedule 2010 -- Phew!!!

Richard

[Dori]

Hi Jono,

I have no idea! I'm trying to figure it out myself. Come on, you're the Kiwi you lived here the longest, lol, you tell me! :2fun:

Dori

[Jono]

Haha, fair enough.

I just had another look. I think Coromandel Peninsula is probably the closest venue. All the ones up North are quite a distance.

Jono

[Ross]

i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif At least mine are close. I am going to the Harbour Light Theatre on Saturday and then on the Sat 27th Feb I am going to see Fiona at the Hanmer Springs Jazz and Blues Festival. Plus I get to go to the Thermal Pools beforehand i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif.

[Richard]

Hello everybody!

A few dates have been changed. Please see Fiona's website for the latest information:

www.fionapears.com/fireandlight/gigs.htm

Richard

[Ross]

The Isaac Theatre Royal concert on Feb 19th 2011 is now on sale at Ticketek. Also the Ashburton concert 6th Nov is also on sale plus some others around NZ.

[Richard]

Hello Ross and everybody!

I see a few venues have changed, so I've updated Fiona's Concerts Schedule.

www.fionapears.com/fireandlight/gigs.htm

Richard

[Richard]

From Scoop.co.nz:

Fire and Light – Fiona Pears national tour

Monday, 4 October 2010, 10:33 am
Press Release: Diana Moir Communications

Fire and Light – Fiona Pears and Band national tour – Oct / Nov 2010

‘Electrifying’ – ‘extraordinarily animated’–‘featuring rare and natural charisma’….

These are words used to describe Fiona Pears, the beautiful and highly talented violinist and composer who tours the country with Arts on Tour NZ from 6 October through to 6 November.

Describing her musical influences as Stephane Grappelli, Django Reinhardt, John Williams and Jean Luc Pointy, Pears performs Celtic, Classical, Tango, Jazz and Gypsy with equal ease, sometimes all in the same composition!

Together with her talented band, Pete Fleming on Bass, Mike Ferrar on Guitar, and her husband, UK pianist and musical director, Ian Tilley, Fiona will perform music from her own exciting compositions, including those on her latest CD, Fire and Light, which she recorded with the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. Expect a fiery melting pot of flavours - and a thrilling, visually stunning experience.

New Zealand born and now dividing her time between London and this country, Fiona has performed and recorded with artists such as Dave Dobbyn, Hayley Westenra, Bic Runga, and has opened for Tony Bennett, Ottmar Liebert and ‘the clown prince of Denmark’, the late Victor Borge. Personal highlights include appearing at Ronnie Scott’s world famous jazz club in London and performing her own compositions and arrangements with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic.

During her tour, she will be selling copies of Bear Serenade, a film about her life as a concert violinist and her 2009 visit to the Romanian Bear Sanctuary. Funds from the sale of Bear Serenade will go to the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA).

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Richard

[Dori]

Ooooooooooooh! This is exciting!

[Ross]

i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif I am going to the Oct 16th concert in Geraldine, me and mum to the Ashburton concert on Nov 5th, I hope also to go to the Rangiora concert on the Nov 6th and I have a ticket for the Christchurch concert on Feb 19th.

[Richard]

From the Nelson Mail:

Violinist does it for the bears

Last updated 11:26 07/10/2010

A love for bears is at the heart of Fiona Pears' current tour.

The Kiwi violinist and composer is touring New Zealand to help raise awareness and funds for the Romanian Bear Sanctuary and will stop by Nelson for three gigs in Nelson, Motueka and Golden Bay.

Late last year, Pears visited the sanctuary which is home to more than 50 bears rescued from cages outside restaurants on roadsides and poorly run private zoos.

Many of the bears living in the sanctuary were caught from the wild as cubs and have spent most of their lives kept in captivity for private or commercial use.

The sanctuary provides a safe environment within woodlands for the bears which have suffered abuse and neglect.

"It is a truly inspiring place. I will never forget the time I spent with the bears.

"I played a Romanian folk dance to one of the bears, Max, who was blind and he sat there swaying backwards and forwards. It sounds silly but I will never forget that," Pears said.

Copies of Bear Serenade, a film about Pears' life as a concert violinist and her visit to the Romanian Bear Sanctuary, will be available for sale at her concerts.

Fiona Pears at the Theatre Royal, Nelson, October 8 from 8pm; Motueka's Chanel Arts Centre, October 9, 7.30pm; Mussel Inn, Golden Bay, October 10, 8.30pm.

Richard

[Ross]

St Marys Church Geraldine 16th Oct

After I finished work on Saturday I drove to Geraldine which is a very beautiful town about 1.5 hours South of Christchurch. The concert wasn't on until 7:30pm so I went to the local pub and watched Canterbury beat Counties in the rugby i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif.
The Anglican church is reasonably small and was full with about 80 people to see Fiona and the band. The only one missing was the drummer.
The band started playing Tangissimo before Fiona appeared on stage in a purple outfit.


then Fiona explained they had to drive all the way from Invercargill but she had a sleep in the van and the band were very lively tonight.

Here is the rest of the songs played in the first half:-
Feeling
Lady Be Good
Willow Tree
Whisper Waltz
Magic Sands
Czarist

During the interval a supper was provided so I had a coffee and some yummy snacks i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif.
Ian was selling Cds so I had a quick chat with him.

The second half opened with Nuage followed by:-
Fire Fly
House By the Harbour
and then a new song about her puppy called Puppy Called Barnaby Jackson.


Then came Tchavolo Swing
Cathedral Tango which is becoming my favourite song with all the different ways that Fiona makes sounds on her "Beast".
Then they finished with two celtic tunes This Land and of course Memories Of Martin And Mary.

For the encore they played the very beautiful Hungarian Dance No 5.

Afterwards I had a chat with Fiona and Ian. I got Fiona to sign my Bear DVD. Ian said he has to go back to the UK in November to work with Hayley so maybe he is working on the album . Tommorrow they head off to the North Island for the second leg of the tour. I will see them again in a few weeks in Ashburton i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif.

[dutchjoyce]

Hi Ross,

Thank you so much for the report and pictures.
Looks like you had a wonderful evening.
Now we'll have to wait, for what Ian is working with Hayley !!
....maybe some bonustracks for the new album, or a new japanese one?

(i'm only guessing..........)

Greetz Joyce