NZSO Announces New Title For Music Director

28th February 2007

NZSO Announces New Title For Departing Music Director

The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra announced today that their music director of eight years, James Judd, will finish his tenure in March culminating in celebratory Wellington and Auckland concerts for the orchestra's Diamond Anniversary.

In celebrating the orchestra's 60th birthday, the NZSO will take the Wellington 6th March concert to pay tribute to the wonderful contribution that James Judd has made as Music Director. The high-point of his period as Music Director was undoubtedly the triumphant European tour of 2005 and the successful international reviews of Naxos recordings - the benefits of his artistic direction are seen on a daily basis.

In announcing his departure, Peter Walls, NZSO Chief Executive, said the orchestra has bestowed the title of "Music Director Emeritus" on Judd.

"It is our way of paying tribute to the enormous contribution that James Judd has made to the artistic achievements of the NZSO since his appointment as Music Director late in 1999," Walls said today, "James has helped make the NZSO recognized internationally as a top-ranked orchestra through his recordings and his leadership of the 2005 European and Japanese tour. We look forward to a long continuing relationship with James in the future."

In the 60-year history of the orchestra, only two other conductors have made an equivalent impact: John Hopkins in the late 1950s and early 60s and Franz Paul Decker (similarly honoured as "Conductor Laureate").

In 1999, when asked of his vision for the orchestra in the new millennium, he was enthusiastic, "We've got to look at new ways of getting music to people, not only in the concert hall but in our homes through the world wide web. This orchestra could take a lead in terms of delivering music in different ways."

The performance on 6 March will also realize this aspiration with the FIRST ever live orchestra webcast in New Zealand for those supporters nationally and internationally at www.nzso.co.nz. This web cast will be the final time patrons outside of Wellington will be able to see Judd conduct live as Music Director.

ENDS

© Scoop Media