Carolyn Mills - Harp & Bridget Douglas - Flute

FLUTE AND HARP: A MAY CONCERT IN PAEKAKARIKI

From the earliest times in human history, music has been made on flutes and harps. it would be impossible to say which came first - the sound produced by blowing over a hollow reed or pipe, or the sound of a string stretched over a sounding board. What can be said with confidence is that together, these instruments produce music of shimmering beauty which can have remarkable effects on humans who listen to it. Mulled Wine Concerts, the Kapiti-based music organisation run by Mary Gow will be producing a flute and harp concert on May 3 in Paekakariki which will delight local concert-goers.

Carolyn Mills has recently retired after 37 years as Principal Harpist of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. Her passion for the harp has taken her all around the world and she has performed internationally in countless concerts and festivals. Carolyn is fascinated by the harp's unique qualities and its ability to weave a magic spell for so many. She is now a Certified Music Practitioner offering harp therapy to hospitals, care homes, and other healthcare settings. Her experiences have left her with no doubt about the special powers of the harp's resonance in healing the human spirit.

Bridget Douglas is Section Principal Flute of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and an artist-teacher in flute at the New Zealand School of Music - Te Kōkī. She graduated from Victoria and Otago Universities before travelling to the USA for postgraduate study on a Fulbright Graduate Award. In 2020 Bridget was awarded the CANZ (Composers Association of NZ) KBB Citation for Services to NZ Music.

Flute and harp combine in a luminous programme weaving together music of lyric beauty. From the serene mysticism of Hovhaness’s "The Garden of Adonis" and the shimmering soundscape of Eve de Castro Robinson’s "Pearls of the Sea" to folk-inspired gems by Ravel and traditional Celtic melodies such as "The Skye Boat Song" and "She Moved Through the Fair", the concert travels through many musical worlds. Baroque elegance from Marcello, Purcell, and Bach sits alongside Chopin’s sparkling "Variations on a Theme by Rossini" and a charming Praetorius set including "Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming". The programme also includes original works for solo harp by Carolyn Mills, showcasing the instrument’s rich colours and expressive range. Mulled Wine Concerts organiser, Mary Gow is excited by the prospect of bringing such spellbinding music to a Kapiti audience. "I'm really looking forward to it", she says "It will surely make for an afternoon to remember!"