Media Release

27th April 2006

Celebrations For Young And Old As The NZSO Performs A NZ Music Spectacular

A fanfare of music, conducted by Kenneth Young, will be performed at the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra's Made in New Zealand concert on 12 May at the Wellington Town Hall.

An annual concert celebrating the best of New Zealand music - it will feature a 65th- birthday dedication to Gillian Whitehead - a prolific composer whose work has been performed internationally especially for its incorporation of indigenous instruments. Her work The Improbable Ordered Dance, will receive its NZSO premiere in this concert.

Young Auckland composer, Claire Cowan's My Alphabet of Light really impressed the judges of the inaugural NZSO and Todd Corporation Young Composer Reading in 2005, and as a result will also be given a public premiere by the orchestra. Claire has recently been announced as the Composer-in-residence of the 2006 National Youth Orchestra and has also been a recipient of the three Douglas Lilburn composition prizes. She began to compose at 12 years old, and at 16, produced her first orchestral work "Drift." At 17, she composed ''Drums of Mars" which won the Auckland Philharmonia Young Composers competition. Since then, her compositions have been performed by the Auckland Philharmonia, the Manakau City Symphony, the Netherlands Blazer Ensemble, the Wellington Youth Orchestra, and the Auckland Youth Orchestra. Her music has also been performed throughout New Zealand, Australia, Japan, and Europe.

It is fitting that her teacher, Eve de Castro-Robinson and her mentor - eminent composer, John Psathas also have works showcased in this performance, along with the grandfather of NZ music; Douglas Lilburn with his Symphony No 2, a work the NZSO has a great affiliation with. De Castro-Robinson's Peregrinations for Piano and Orchestra was written early in her compositional career and recorded by the NZSO in 1988, with the late Diane Cooper at the piano. This performance will also be another public premiere.

John Psathas' Luminous was commissioned as part of the fanfare for the new millennium project and reflects the speed and increase of migrant settlement around the world, in comparison to the last millennium.

In a new iniative for this concert, the NZSO offers 'Alive and Kicking' - a pre-concert forum which presents the audience with a unique chance to hear major NZ composers and artists discuss their music and their inspiration. This forum will be in the main auditorium at 6.15pm, chaired by NZSO C.E, Peter Walls, featuring John Psathas, Eve de Castro-Robinson, Gillian Whitehead, Claire Cowan, Kenneth Young and Dan Poynton

Don't miss this very special concert, Tickets only $20. PROGRAMME MADE IN NEW ZEALAND MAY Friday 12 May at 7.00pm WELLINGTON TOWN HALL

Kenneth Young- Conductor

John Psathas: Luminous Cowan: My Alphabet of Light De Castro Robinson: Peregrinations for Piano and Orchestra Whitehead: The Impropable Ordered Dance Lilburn: Symphony No 2

ENDS

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