Adam Chamber Music Festival breaks records

Record numbers are attending this year’s Adam Chamber Music Festival, currently playing to sell out houses in Nelson.

The Grand Opening at Nelson Cathedral on Friday night was sold out, as was last night’s concert, Bach by Candlelight, also at the Cathedral, and there are six other concerts that look set to sell out, including the lunchtime Klezmer concert at St John’s Church, the Hermitage Trio playing at the Chanel Centre in Motueka, Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and the Grand Finale on Saturday night.

Festival manager Roger Lloyd says the word is really out there about the quality of the festival and people have responded at a local, national and international level.

“ ‘The Adam’ is established as a major international festival and the sales reflect that, as does the catchment, with people here from Europe, the United States and Australia,” he said. “The concert goers are absolutely delighted – even stunned – they are hearing some really great music making, befitting an international festival.”

There are still over 17 (from today) events to be staged in Nelson, Blenheim and Motueka before the Grand Finale on Saturday night. This year’s festival features Canadian clarinettist James Campbell, the outstanding Russian Hermitage String Trio, Hiroshi Ikematsu on double bass, resident ensemble the New Zealand String Quartet and a New Zealand line up that includes pianists Michael Houston and Richard Mapp, soloists from the NZSO and Nelsonian Bob Bickerton with a children’s concert.

The biennial Adam Chamber Music Festival has made Nelson a summer Mecca for chamber music lovers, with concerts in heritage churches, vineyards, the acoustically excellent School of Music auditorium and the wonderfully atmospheric Cathedral. The Top of the South’s other attractions of beaches, wineries, crafts and shopping add to the appeal, especially for those escaping the northern winter.

The festival is supported by local and national sponsors, including the Nelson City Council. The 2009 festival generated a net spend of $1.5 million, according to a report commissioned by the Nelson Regional Economic Development Agency from Wellington-based McDermott Miller.

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