British Violinist Brings Ambitious Classical Music Project

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British Violinist Brings Ambitious Classical Music Project to NZ

Superstar British violinist Tasmin Little heads to New Zealand in May for a series of concerts and as one of the international judges for the prestigious Michael Hill International Violin Competition.

Tasmin performs with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra on Thursday 19 May playing Sibelius’ sublime Violin Concerto as part of the APO’s APN News & Media Premier Series Concert 5; followed by a tour with Chamber Music New Zealand to Christchurch, Wellington, Hamilton and Auckland performing The Naked Violin, and interspersed with adjudicating the Michael Hill International Violin Competition.

Acclaimed as a soloist and having played with leading orchestras in Europe and the United States, Tasmin shot to international attention four years ago with her ground-breaking project The Naked Violin based on her long-standing belief that anyone can appreciate classical music.

“I felt that artists needed to connect directly with the audience and for a long time I have talked to audiences about the pieces I am playing and I think this makes a huge difference.”

To reach the wider audience Tasmin used the internet, offering free downloadable recital works for solo violin together with recorded introductions which Tasmin says helps people find their way into the music.

The ambitious project achieved phenomenal success – within days of the release of The Naked Violin, there were more than 6000 international websites linked to Tasmin’s site and in the space of three weeks, more than 250,000 people had visited the website and downloaded the music.

The project led to Tasmin being the subject of a television documentary on the South Bank Show and her winning the 2008 Classic FM Gramophone Award for Audience Innovation.

This revolutionary project was further developed through an ongoing series of workshops and concerts around the UK taking place in a variety of places – schools, hospitals, prisons and homeless shelters. The result has been another project No Strings Attached which will find Tasmin playing violin in unexpected places in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown.

“I love performing in concert halls, but the Naked Violin Project allows me to engage on a very personal level and that’s something I find amazingly rewarding.”

Tasmin adds that she is looking forward to featuring as the soloist for the APO’s Sibelius Violin Concerto, the fifth concert in the APN News & Media Premier Series.

“This is a very special piece for me,” she says. “It is one of my two most favourite violin concertos and would definitely be on my list of Desert Island disks.
“It’s a monumental work and is enormously challenging – not just for the soloist but for the orchestra as well. It’s an awesome piece of music with a wonderfully sweeping first movement, a romantic and passionate second movement and an exotic final movement with an inexorable pulse which drives through to the ultimate triumphant conclusion.”

A major part of Tasmin’s New Zealand visit will see her assessing 18 of the world’s finest young violinists who are the semi-finalists in the prestigious Michael Hill International Violin Competition. It’s a role she takes extremely seriously.

“I don’t do a lot of judging because I remember only too well what it is like to be in violin competition – it’s very tough and I feel for the people who go out there and do the best and are going to be disappointed. As a judge you are going to have a huge impact on someone’s life and career.”

Tasmin plays two stunning violins – a 1757 Guadagnini violin and the 'Regent' Stradivarius of 1708, on loan from the Royal Academy of Music. “I’ll probably bring the Stradivarius to New Zealand – it is such a special instrument and I know people love hearing it played.”

Tasmin Little performs the Sibelius Violin Concerto with the APO on Thursday 19 May, then performs The Naked Violin at St Andrew’s at Rangi Ruru in Christchurch on Friday 20 May, at the Ilott Theatre, Wellington Town Hall on Sunday 22 May, at Hamilton’s WEL Energy Trust Academy of Performing Arts on Tuesday 24 May and at the Concert Chamber, Auckland Town Hall, THE EDGE on Friday 10 June. The Michael Hill International Violin Competition judging takes place from 3-9 June in Queenstown with the finals concert with the APO on Saturday 11 June at the Auckland Town Hall, THE EDGE. For more information visit www.apo.co.nz, www.chambermusic.co.nz or www.michaelhillinternationalviolincompetition.com

Tasmin Little is presented in New Zealand by the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, Chamber Music New Zealand and Michael Hill International Violin Competition with support from the Hamilton Chamber Music Society, Wellington Chamber Music and the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra.

ENDS


Tasmin Little 2011 New Zealand tour
Soloist with Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra for APN News & Media Premier Series Concert 5: Sibelius Violin Concerto
The Naked Violin/No Strings Attached presented in Wellington, Christchurch, Hamilton and Auckland by Michael Hill International Violin Competition and Chamber Music New Zealand
Adjudicator: Michael Hill International Violin Competition

Thursday 19 May 8pm | Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra’s APN News & Media Premier Series 5: Sibelius Violin Concerto | Auckland Town Hall | Bookings 0800 BUY TICKETS (289 538) www.buytickets.co.nz
Friday 20 May 6.30pm | The Naked Violin | St Andrew’s at Rangi Ruru Church, Christchurch | FREE concert. Email rsvp@swpr.co.nz to arrange seats (limit 4 per person)
Sunday 22 May 3.00pm | The Naked Violin | Ilott Theatre, Wellington Town Hall | Bookings 0800 TICKETEK (842 538) www.ticketek.co.nz
Tuesday 24 May 6.30pm | The Naked Violin | WEL Energy Trust Academy of Performing Arts, Hamilton | | Bookings 0800 TICKETEK (842 538) www.ticketek.co.nz
3- 9 June | MHIVC judging | Queenstown (watch for Tasmin making appearances in unexpected places as part of her No Strings Attached project)
Friday 10 June 6.30pm | The Naked Violin | Concert Chamber, Auckland Town Hall | Bookings 0800 BUY TICKETS (289 538) www.buytickets.co.nz
Saturday 11 June 7.30 | Michael Hill International Violin Competition Finals with Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra | Auckland Town Hall | Bookings 0800 BUY TICKETS (289 538) www.buytickets.co.nz

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