A gig of epic proportions: Purple Reign

PURPLE REIGN – THE SONGS OF PRINCE

DATES: 7.30PM, 20- 21 SEPTEMBER 2019

VENUE: TAPERE NUI

TE AUAHA – THE NZ INSTITUTE OF CREATIVITY

65 DIXON STREET, TE ARO, WELLINGTON

TICKETS: $20-$25

BOOK: ONLINE AT WWW.TEAUAHAEVENTS.COM

(PLUS LIMITED DOOR SALES- EFTPOS ONLY)

PRESENTED BY WHITIREIA MUSIC AS PART OF THE 2019 PROGRAMME OF STUDY FOR THE BACHELOR OF CREATIVITY (MUSIC)

A gig of epic proportions: Purple Reign – The Songs of Prince

Whitireia Music is excited to announce this year’s highly anticipated big-gig: Purple Reign – The Songs of Prince. Running at Te Auaha – The New Zealand Institute of Creativity from 20-21 September, the two-night-only season is crammed with soul; showcasing and celebrating the genius of the Purple One, His Royal Badness, the late-lamented Prince.

Purple Reign will deliver a huge setlist from across The Artist’s vast and eclectic songbook, treating audiences to more than two hours of classic hits, hidden gems and original arrangements showcasing the sublime indefinable mastery of this musical icon.

Born Prince Nelson Rogers in 1948, Prince was a multi-instrumentalist and producer who slam-dunked hits across multiple musical genres. From R&B, to Funk, Rock, Soul, Psychedelia and Pop, The Artist’s four-decade long career produced 39 studio albums, to say nothing of the hits he composed for other artists and myriad musical collaborations.

Unsurprisingly, curating the Purple Reign setlist was no mean feat for the student musicians and their musical directors, final-year degree student, Faiva Brown and tutor, Phil Hornblow.

“It was definitely tough making the final decisions,” says Hornblow. “We knew that if we committed to delivering every song on our wish list, the gig would be ten hours long… but still, there was a bit of a sting every time we drew a line through a tune.”

And now that the painful decisions are dealt with, performing the show will be a joy. The musicians have been inspired by the music’s complexity and brilliance and give performances that reflect the love and respect they have for it. With final touches of collaborative talent from Te Auaha’s hairdressing, cosmetology and dance programmes, Purple Reign - The Songs of Prince promises to be an unmissable gig that joyfully celebrates the skill, energy and showmanship of the maestro himself.

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