22 May 2012

Making his Mark

5/10/2011 11:12:00 a.m.

0 Comments

MARK Dorrell came to New Zealand to retire but he’s never been so busy.
Recently he became musical director of the Orpheus Choir, and he’s also directing Toi Whakaari’s second year musical The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee on top of his other job, teaching at Victoria’s School of Music.
Dorrell studied music at Cambridge University, the Royal College of Music and at the National Opera Studio.  After four years with Scottish Opera he moved to London where he directed some of the biggest musicals on the West End and for the London Fringe working with Judi Dench, Hugh Jackman and Sir Ian McKellen among others. Before moving to New Zealand in 2007 he was head of music for ARTS-ED, one of the UK’s leading musical theatre colleges.
“I came to New Zealand first in 1991 on a holiday and loved the place,” Dorrell says, though his first impressions of Wellington were somewhat mixed.
“I arrived in Wellington on a Sunday night in the middle of June, and the whole place was closed down. The only place open was The Green Parrot.”
Dorrell became involved with the Orpheus Choir 18 months ago as assistant conductor and rehearsal pianist. His decision to take on the role of musical director comes at an unusually busy time for the Wellington choir, with three major concerts back to back.
Last month Orpheus joined the Vector Wellington Orchestra for On the Transmigration of Souls and sang with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra in Odes to Joy. On Friday that choir stages An Evening with Cole Porter at the Wellington Town Hall.
“Orpheus isn’t associated with any particular repertoire and after two fairly heavy programmes Cole Porter will give us a chance to let our hair down and enjoy ourselves.”
For this concert composer and musical director Wayne Senior has arranged a selection of jazz medleys. The 100 voice choir will be joined by  singer/actor Sarah Lineham, tenor Chris Crowe, and a jazz combo from the Vector Wellington Orchestra.
An Evening with Cole Porter, Orpheus Choir of Wellington, Wellington Town Hall, 7pm, October 7.
Email This Print

0 Comments

Don't worry, we wont make this public

No comments.

Cover Story

Best of Wellington 2011

Briefs

  • A question of nutrition

    Controversial Washington-based nutritionist Sally Fallon-Morell is to speak in Wellington on March 29.
    Fallon-Morell is the co-founder of the American food lobby group the Weston A. Price Foundation and the author of Nourishing Traditions. She advocates for the consumption of nutritionally dense foods such as lacto-fermented vegetables, stocks and broths, and whole raw dairy products.
    Fallon-Morell will speak at St Patrick’s College Hall on March 29.

  • Relay for cancer

    Organisers say Sunday’s Relay for Life is full to capacity with hundreds of Wellingtonians registered for the event.
    A total of 88 teams, made up of 10 to 500 members, plan to take part with a further 25 teams on the waiting list.
    The 24 hour relay, the Cancer Society’s biggest fundraising event of the year, takes place at Frank Kitts Park from 4pm on March 31.

  • Osteoarthritis awareness

    Arthritis New Zealand has launched a nationwide campaign raise awareness about osteoarthritis. 
    Arthritis is New Zealand’s leading cause of disability, affecting 305,000 adults, and osteoarthritis is its most common form.
    The campaign features television commercials and an interactive website.


  • Wild walk

    Take part in the Big Walk at Zealandia on March 31.
    Walkers can choose a two, five or 10 kilometre walk catering to all fitness levels.
    Money raised will go to the Foundation for Youth Development.

  • School pool

    The opening of the new Khandallah School pool this week means hundreds of children will be able to continue their swimming lessons.
    The pool was the first to receive a grant from Wellington City Council’s Schools Pools Partnership Fund, a fund set up in 2010 to help schools improve their pool facilities.
    Grants from the fund have also been made for pools at Wellington East Girls’ College, Barhampore School and Tawa School.

  • Easter bikers

    Motorcyclists are invited to get on their bikes and collect Easter eggs for families support from the Wellington City Mission.
    The charity run on April 1 is organised by motorcycle lobby group BONZ.
    Eggs can be donated at Red Baron Motorcylces in Alicetown. The registration fee for bikers is $10, plus the cost of Easter eggs.

  • Crafty

    Made on Marion opens on the site of the former Golding Handicrafts site in Marion St, from April 1.  They will continue to supply craft materials.

  • Ze upgrade

    Taranaki Street fuel users will notice that the Z Energy’s former Shell Service Station is closed.  Z are doing a “total revamp”.
    The job will take four weeks.

  • Newlands Moves

    Developer Ayal Aharoni has agreed to build only 90 instead of 220 houses on his six and a half hectares above Ngauranga Gorge in Newlands.  Only low density occupation will be allowed on the remaining 8.4 hectares.


  • Baring Head

    There's a new  draft plan out for what should happen at Baring Head.  It outlines how the Greater Wellington Regional council would like to manage the newest addition to its regional parks network. Grazing animals will go, motorised vehicles will be prohibited, predators will be controlled, and the lighthouse will be preserved. Submissions are invited.


  • It’s a wonder

    A new childcare centre in Newtown says it is dedicated to helping kids grow up healthy in mind, body and spirit. Little Wonders Childcare on Rintoul Street is an independent early childhood education and learning centre, the sixth centre to be opened by its Auckland-based owner. It caters to 100 children aged between three months and five years old and has been open for a little more than seven weeks.

  • Festival treats

    CHILDREN have not been forgotten by organisers of the New Zealand International Arts Festival.
    For a perfect first theatrical experience White tells the story of friends Cotton and Winkle who live in a world where there is no colour and everything is startlingly white. That is until a brightly coloured egg tumbles out of the sky and changes their world for ever.
    White plays at Capital E from March 7-11.
    The tale of Peter and the World also promises to be a magical night for all ages. Sergei Prokofiev’s classic children’s tale is told through film and live music from the NZ Symphony Orchestra at the Michael Fowler Centre on March 9.
    March 11 is Young Writers and Readers Day and readings from children’s writers and illustrators Lynley Dodd and Gavin Bishop.

Reader's Poll

Should TVNZ7 be saved as non-commercial?