Update - 18th January 2012. View the Alberton DVD preview video here:

 Alberton DVD Preview

Update - January 2012. Happy New Year! During the holiday break the Alberton DVD has been checked with a fine toothed comb and adjustments made. As a result some 'eleventh hour' filming has been planned to further enhance one of the music videos. This won't affect the DVD's likely April release date. The DVD artwork design work is well under way and expected to be ready well in advance of the deadline. One aspect of the DVD package not yet mentioned is the bonus CD. It was decided to include a CD, making it a double disk package, so that those who purchase a copy have the option of playing the CD to enjoy the music on its own. Not everyone has the time to view the DVD on a regular basis but the CD offers more flexibility for listening. Last but not least, the promotional DVD trailer movie is soon to be released. This will give a sneak preview of selected shots from the DVD and give some clues as to what can be expected. Watch this space!

Update - December 2011. This Alberton DVD project has presented challenges far beyond anything a normal classical guitar DVD production would face. It has been quite a challenge to work out how to be creative while remaining within the bounds of historic fact. Also problematic is deciding what details to include and what should be left out. For reasons such as this it has taken much longer than anticipated, when work began back in 2009, to bring the DVD to completion. However it is a real pleasure to announce that the music videos have reached a stage of completion and finishing touches are now being worked on. The DVD artwork is a 'work in progress' and we are busy trying to have everything ready in time for a DVD launch in March or April 2012, to be held at Alberton, and in anticipation of Alberton's 150th anniversary in 2013. Sincere thanks to all those who have had a part to play in the DVD production and thank you for your patience.

Update - July 2011. Sometimes things do go to plan. The DVD 'Grand Finalé' video footage featuring horses, a vintage car and bagpipes has all been successfully captured. Filming took place at carefully chosen moments between other events taking place at Alberton (e.g. a professional film company took over the house for a month!) and well in advance of the bad weather that winter brings.

The project is now at the final stages of editing and the music videos are being sculpted into a story that highlights some aspects of Alberton's history, and the lives of Kerr Taylor family. Details such as sound recordings and DVD artwork remain to be finalized, but we are still confident that the DVD will be completed by the end of the year.

In the meantime, for those who are interested, a mini-film festival is taking place at Alberton in September. This will be an opportunity to view a variety of films, tv adverts and music videos produced at Alberton over the last two years. It will also be a chance to see the opening sequence of the Alberton DVD. Please contact Alberton for further details phone 09 846 7367.

Update - January 2011. Well, as the saying goes, good things do take time and this cannot be more true of the Alberton DVD project. It's been a real labour of love for all involved and is taking much longer to complete than expected. The good news however is that eight and a half of the ten music video sequences have been filmed and edited. Just one more video sequence - the grand finale - remains to be done. Sound recordings and the historic narrative aspect of the DVD are taking shape and gradually being worked on while preparations for the grande finale are in progress.

When will the completion date be? That very much depends on how the year goes as Alberton has a very busy schedule and all things relating to the DVD have to be fitted around the various events of 2011. However we are hopeful of having most filming tasks completed towards the middle of the year and a finished product before the end of 2011. A bit vague sorry but that's how it is! Needless to say, once the DVD is completed there will be a great fanfare announcement of it's arrival!

A music video is being made for each piece of music, blending concert footage with current and past images of Alberton. These will be released in the form of a DVD, including a separate historic overview about Alberton, in 2011.

Volunteer “actors” from the local community have been involved in several key video shoots at Alberton, including a children’s birthday party and a Victorian ballroom scene.

Thanks go to the Kerr-Taylor Foundation for their generous grant towards DVD production costs. Also to supporters of the various fund raising concerts, and to individuals such as Eric and Jill Muncaster for their donations.

The New Zealand Historic Places Trust, Rendell McIntosh, the staff and volunteers of Alberton are also acknowledged for their enthusiastic help in making it possible for the DVD to go ahead.