Professor
Peter Godfrey CBE, Peter Averi ONZM, and Ellen Barrett were honoured
with Life Membership by the Kāpiti Chorale for their valuable support
and encouragement of the choir at the choir's 25th Anniversary Gala
Concert in November 2008.
Each has been a stalwart supporter of the Kāpiti Chorale over the years.
Peter Godfrey was the Music Director from 1994 to 2004, an occasional guest conductor and Patron up to his death in 2017.
Renowned organist Peter Averi and
Music Director of TV's Praise Be, played at most of the choir's
concerts up to 2015. As well as accompanying the choir, Peter was invariably been
called upon to perform organ solos as part of the programme. He was appointed to the position of Patron in 2017.
Ellen Barrett is
well known as a soloist with the choir and for many years has been the Chorale's talented practice pianist. As well as accompanying us on the piano she
has also taught us much about voice production and control during our
practice warm-ups. She was a singer in one of the first concerts of the
early Waikanae Chorale, as it was known at its inception by Kāpiti musician Lois McNeil.
We thank them for their contribution over the years and hope that their involvement will continue for many more.
These
are the first Life Memberships awarded by the Kāpiti Chorale, and at the award presentation in 2008 our then President Norma McCallum said: "We are honoured and delighted to have the
encouragement of such eminent musicians who call the Kāpiti Coast home."
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In August 2013 (our 30th Anniversary), Marie Brown MNZM was awarded Life Membership in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the Kāpiti Chorale over her 8 years of directorship - from 2005 to 2013.
