Third arts festival in August

Nelson's bi-annual art festival promises a diverse programme of activities from street theatre to the highly specialised talent of a French cellist.

The fortnight of celebrations, from August 15 to 30. will start off on the Saturday with a street parade, which will wind its way along Nelson's main thoroughfare. Trafalgar Street, and end at the steps of the cathedral. The official opening will take place in the afternoon at the Suter Gallery by the chairperson of the Q.E.11 Arts Council. Joan Kerr. A series of mini-festivals within the main festival is how one of the organising members. Mr John Wheeler, describes this year's event. It is the third festival held in Nelson but Mr Wheeler said that in previous years the festival had really revolved around the city. This year, the outlying districts would play a major part in the activities.

The street parade should be a colourful and splendid affair with banners made out of bright parka nylon. Secondary school children are helping to make several of these. Mr Wheeler said there was a strong emphasis to involve children.

Puppets, drama, films and printmaking are among the many activities designed to stimulate children's interest. Remedy, the local theatre troupe, will present drama and poetry, and hold workshops to let children dabble in painting and printmaking. Threepenny Folly. a Christchurch-based group of four multi-instrumentalists will also entertain. The group is folk-orien-

tated aand encourages children to join in the plays, songs, mimes and clowning. Their wide range of instruments — fiddle, guitar, dulcimer. mandolin, mandola, tin whistle, recorder, string ensemble and synthesizer, — allows diversity of music from folk to present day.

Mr Wheeler does not hesitate to push Nelson as one of the country’s more culturally aware cities. Apart from being somewhat of a craft haven, it is one of the fewplaces that holds regular weekly concert recitals. These had always been very well supported. Mr Wheeler said. and. as a result. the National Youth Orchestra would give two recitals in Nelson. Orchestra buffs will also be treated to a 1 special festival overture composed for the Nelson Regional Youth Orchestra by Peter Twilley, composer-in-residence at the School of Music in Nelson. The regional orchestra was formed this year and consists of 42 players with members from as far away as Takaka and Blenheim. Mr Wheeler said it was formed to give experience to young musicians beyond the scope of school orchestras and to provide more concerts for smaller centres in the province.

A highlight of the festival will be performances by the French cellist, Renaud Fontanarosa, who gained international repute when he recorded Bach’s six suites for solo cello. At his recitals in Nelson, which have been arranged by the music federation, he will play the Bach solo cello suites over tw’o nights. Renaud Fontanarosa became a violinist at the age of

four switching to the cello at the age of 11 and six years later was awarded the premier prize at the Paris Conservatoire. He has also won two laureateships at international competitions. Other musicians include Sharon-Joy Vogan who won the national concerto contest in Chistchurch last year, Malcolm McNeill in cabaret, and Nelson's Sun City Big Band. Another interesting musical arrangement. Jazz Vision. combines the use of slides with live music. The photographer is Tony Lilleby

and the musician, Bryan James. The business community will also be displaying exhibitions during the fortnight and of particular note will be the exhibition of Israeli graphics in the Canterbury Savings Bank. The collection of 30 graphics was assembled in Jerusalem in 1978. All are modern works, dating from 1969. The . predominant medium used for the graphics is silk screening but there are also soft ground etchings, wood-cuts and one linoleum-cut.