Hamilton musical talent showcased at Hamilton City Libraries

A diverse range of musical performances will be held at Hamilton City Libraries this month as part of NZ Music Month celebration Soundz Like Hamilton.

It is the sixth year that Hamilton City Libraries has held Soundz Like Hamilton, which aims to showcase and celebrate local music talent.

Community programmes librarian Bryony Walker said the Soundz Like Hamilton programme will include everything from performances by local high school choirs and orchestras, to vocal collectives and Cook Island drummers.

“It is a great opportunity to showcase the talent found in our local schools alongside more established groups such as the vocal ensemble Woven and the Cook Island Drummers.”

Singing group Woven will perform at Garden Place Library on 19 May and 26 May at 7.15pm and 29 May at 10am. A four-part singing group from throughout the Waikato, Woven is described as a vocal ensemble ‘saturated with youthful creativity’.

The group, which has members aged between 13 and 30 years old, was created by Hamiltonian and former New Zealand Youth Choir member Brooke Baker in 2008 with the goal of filling a gap in the Waikato music scene. In their first year alone the group performed to a total audience of over 4000 through flash mobs, open-air concerts, a festival showcase and a sell-out Christmas gig.

The Cook Island Drummers will perform an array of traditional island beats at Hillcrest Library on 22 May at 11am. Consisting of a group of performers from the Hamilton Cook Islands Association which has been active in the Hamilton community for 30 years, the Cook Island Drummers have featured at a number of local community events including Earth Hour, Te Ahurei Rangatahi youth events and Christmas celebrations in the central city.

The rhythms and sound of their music promises to ’captivate even the harshest of audiences’.

For more information and a full programme of Soundz Like Hamilton events, visit www.hamiltonlibraries.co.nz