APO Opens the Book on New Musical Worlds

APO Opens the Book on New Musical Worlds

In April the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra opens the book on a brave new world with a concert featuring the New Zealand debuts of two major works, both drawing inspiration from the written word.

Ross Harris’s Symphony No.4 is dedicated to the memory of the respected Maori singer-songwriter Mahinarangi Tocker (Ngati Raukawa, Ngati Tuwharetoa, Ngati Maniapoto), who died in 2008.

The two were friends and maintained an email correspondence; the symphony’s score prints a few lines of Tocker’s poetry at the beginning of each of the piece’s five sections, while fragments of Tocker’s songs are incorporated into the music.

The APO commissioned Harris’s Symphony No.4 (To the Memory of Mahinarangi Tocker) with funding from Creative New Zealand, and is proud to give the world premiere. The piece is also being recorded for future release on compact disc.

“The APO has debuted each of Ross’s symphonies, a tradition we’re very happy to continue,” says APO Chief Executive Barbara Glaser. “All music is to some extent a personal statement, but the connections between Ross and Mahinarangi Tocker add something special to this work; it’s music that enhances the reputations of both of these New Zealand cultural treasures.”

The orchestra is also delighted to present the New Zealand debut of Brett Dean’s The Lost Art of Letter Writing, a work that saw its composer claim the Grawemeyer Award, the world’s most prestigious composition prize. A large-scale concerto for violin and orchestra, each movement is based on a piece of 19th century writing.

The work is conducted by Brett Dean himself, while the soloist is Kristian Winther, well known to New Zealand audiences as runner up in the 2003 Michael Hill International Violin Competition.

“The Lost Art of Letter Writing is challenging for a violinist mainly because it has to be played in a similar manner to the Brahms or Shostakovich [violin] concertos,” Winther says. “It’s a big, big romantic work. The first movement is in spirit perhaps the most romantic and at times the most heroic piece of contemporary music written by anyone in a long time.”

Who: Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Brett Dean, with violinist Kristian Winther.
What: APN News & Media Premier Series No.3, featuring the works of Johannes Brahms, Brett Dean and Ross Harris.
Where: Auckland Town Hall
When: Thursday 7 April, 8pm
Book: THE EDGE 09 357 3355 or www.buytickets.co.nz

ENDS

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