Chalium’s unique education and experience allows him to enjoy an extremely versatile career as a professional church musician, conductor, oratorio soloist, occasional operatic singer, music commentator, lecturer, clinician, and teacher.
In 2009, Chalium relocated from North America to Mount Maunganui where he is based as a full-time musician. During his short time in New Zealand, Chalium has appeared as a guest soloist with the Tauranga Civic Choir, Hamilton’s Cantando and Civic Choirs, City of Dunedin Choir, and Auckland’s Handel Consort & Quire, Viva Voce, Graduate Choir, The South Auckland Choral Society, as well as the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, The Trust Waikato Symphony Orchestra, the Bay of Plenty Sinfonia, and the Southern Symphonia of Dunedin. I’n Christchurch, he’s appeared as a soloist with both the Christchurch City Choir and the Atlas Voices.
Aside from his solo work, he has also conducted several orchestras including Opus Orchestra, NZ Barok, and the Bay of Plenty Symphonia. He also travels extensively throughout New Zealand as a guest choral conductor and clinician.
In 2010, Chalium formed Scholars Baroque Aotearoa, an auditioned, semi-professional chamber choir dedicated to informed performances of early music with an emphasis on stylistic excellence. With the Scholars, Chalium has explored the choral works of lesser-known composers and conducted several New Zealand premieres of works by Handel, Rameau, Charpentier, Salieri, Michael Haydn, and others to critical acclaim. For their efforts, Chalium and the Scholars Baroque received a commendation from the French Consulate to New Zealand in gratitude for their efforts in championing the music of the French Baroque. Based in the Bay of Plenty, the Scholars seek to bring their love of choral music to smaller communities within the region.
Chalium also holds the position of Organist and Choirmaster of the Anglican Parish of Mount Maunganui where he founded the Chancel Choir and designed the organ of St. Peter’s. The Chancel Choir of St. Peter’s is the only parish choir in Tauranga which seeks to preserve the rich musical heritage of the Anglican Church. Through Chalium’s directorship, the choir has amassed an enormous library and repertoire of choral music spanning the Renaissance to the 21st Century. The Chancel Choir regularly attracts large audiences to their highly anticipated carol services and choral evensongs. During his tenure, Chalium has trained several organ scholars through St. Peter’s unique musical programme.
More recently Chalium has enjoyed work as both an adjudicator and musical examiner around the country, work which he finds particularly important and rewarding as he seeks to encourages the next generation of New Zealand musicians.
Introducing Greta Claringbould, soprano soloist for NZ Barok's Midwinter Christmas Concert by Candlight, Saturday 28 June, 7.30pm, St Luke’s Church, Remuera, Auckland.
Greta Claringbould (nee Mark) is a Baroque soprano who performs with purity, warmth and precision. Born in New Zealand but now based near Canberra, Australia, she has carved a niche into the world of Baroque music, beguiling audiences with her natural execution of florid coloratura and expressive vocal timbre.
Growing up on a sheep and cattle farm near Cambridge, Greta’s cherished memories of her first musical experiences, shared nigh on three decades ago, are with Helen and Catherine Polglase at the Waikato Secondary School's Orchestra. Despite an initial focus on playing strings, Catherine vividly remembers Greta "always singing"!
A late bloomer in voice, before evolving into a celebrated soprano, Greta first gained a BMUS (Hons) in performance Viola and was a professional orchestral violist, also leading the Violas in the New Zealand National Youth Orchestra. At the same time she sang with the Wellington Cathedral Choir and later took on the noble task of shaping young voices as Director of Canberra Children's Choir. However eventually Greta's lifelong enduring love of singing saw her retrain as a soprano and pursue a career in Baroque voice. Greta attributes her string background as advantageous to mastering phrasing, coloratura and a sense of holistic, cohesive ensemble as a vocalist.
Passion and aptitude for Baroque music has guided Greta to the position of principal Soprano Soloist with Canberra Bach Ensemble and a founding member of Ad hoc Baroque, a trio dedicated to performing esoteric Baroque chamber works. In 2017 the trio gave the antipodean premiere of Brunetti's 1764 Stabat Mater reviving a once forgotten masterpiece.
Greta’s performances have also taken her to prestigious local and international festivals including Europe where she has sung works by Bach, Handel and Pergolesi et al. Whether she’s soaring through the pages of Bach’s Magnificat or rendering Handel’s Messiah to life, she does so with a unique pure tone.
When not enchanting audiences, Greta shares her expertise as a private vocal coach, helping aspiring singers develop their own voice and style. With a career that blends virtuosity, passion, and a deep love for Baroque music, Greta Claringbould continues to be a shining and rising vocal artist in the baroque music world.
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