“In Scary Music I come home to two great passions: pleasurable learning for children, and a consumer's love of music. I know that Gareth and the New Zealand String Quartet will pass on something of those passions to children in schools.”- Joy Cowley
From Friday May 20 to Sunday May 22, the Wairarapa town of Featherston will be the centre of attention for those who sell, buy and collect second-hand and antiquarian books. Featherston is the first New Zealand town to become a member of the International Organisation of Booktowns and their successful inaugural event in October 2015 attracted booksellers and ‘literary types’ from all around the country. This year they’ve invited the New Zealand String Quartet to take part.
Lincoln Gould, CEO of Booksellers New Zealand and Chair of the Featherston Booktown Trust explains the concept of a Booktown as “a small rural town, close to major cities, in which antiquarian bookshops are concentrated. Most have developed in villages of historic interest and or scenic beauty. Their residents set up events around books – selling them, writing, reading, printing, making and publishing them.” The first Booktown was established in Hay-on-Wye in England in 1961. Now, Booktowns have sprung up around the world, from Europe to Malaysia, South Korea, Japan and Australia.
On Saturday 21st, we'll give a series of three performances of Gareth Farr and Joy Cowley’s Scary Music, commissioned last year by Creative New Zealand for primary school children. Author Joy Cowley is a Featherston resident (and Gareth’s parents live in Wairarapa too), so we’re delighted to perform this charming piece in Joy’s home town. Read our earlier story from 2015, 'Gareth Farr and Joy Cowley a Scary Combination'.
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