Apparition - music for voice, flute and piano

Seasons and cycles of life and death resonate through this spring Songbook concert, centred around the rarely-performed Apparition, George Crumb's remarkable and powerful work for voice and amplified piano to the poetry of Walt Whitman.

Devised and brought to life by a trio of formidable musicians formed for the occasion, the programme features work from New Zealand composers Jasmine Lovell-Smith, Gemma Peacocke, Gillian Whitehead, and the premiere of Ihlara McIndoe's The Green Fig Tree, alongside music by André Caplet and John Corigliano's Irish Folk Songs.

A native New Yorker who has called Aotearoa New Zealand home since 2004, Barbara Paterson is an experienced operatic and concert performer, singing teacher and choir director, in addition to being a sought-after specialist in contemporary art and theatre music. Barbara’s performances of Francis Poulenc’s “The Human Voice” for the 2020 Aotearoa NZ Festival of the Arts were critically acclaimed as “magnificent” and “exemplary”.

Hannah Darroch's genre-crossing career as a flutist has included work with artists ranging from Renée Fleming to Diana Krall and Tiki Taane. She is the former Principal Flute of the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, and has contracted with every professional orchestra in Aotearoa, and toured for Chamber Music New Zealand with her two regular duo ensembles. She has a particular interest in contemporary music, including international appearances at the International Conference on Mixed Music Pedagogy in Montreal, and a residency at the Banff Centre.

Gabriela Glapska is a Polish-born, Wellington-based pianist known for her expressive artistry and versatility across chamber, vocal and contemporary music. She is co-founder of Ghost Trio and performs regularly with Stroma, as well as with leading artists and arts organisations throughout Aotearoa.