Milestone performance features musical youth of New Zealand

26 July 2012 - NZSO Media Release for immediate release

Milestone performance features musical youth of New Zealand

The best of New Zealand’s musical youth join forces after 14 years when the NZSO National Youth Orchestra and New Zealand Youth Choir team up for an historic concert in Christchurch on Saturday 8 September.

Following the success of last year’s NZSO National Youth Orchestra concert featuring Placido Domingo, this powerful orchestral and vocal package, comprising 135 young musicians, will perform British composer Michael Tippett’s great oratorio A Child of Our Time and the world premiere of feel - an original piece by NZSO National Youth Orchestra composer-in-residence, Alex Taylor.

“It's a great challenge to fully harness the potential of this group of wonderful young musicians in the NZSO National Youth Orchestra and create something unique and stimulating,” says Taylor, who landed a spot in the The Dominion Post ‘Kiwi musicians to watch in 2012’ list.

Taylor’s new 17-minute work feel, which he was commissioned to compose as part of his NZSO National Youth Orchestra residency, features a highly expressive yet fragile viola solo and the lyrical voice of a cor anglais solo. The third movement [inner] is his 2011 NZSO Todd Corporation Young Composers award-winning piece.

“It's been a great opportunity for me to connect with a talented pool of performers and at the same time push them outside of their comfort zone. I wanted to give the orchestra something to get their teeth stuck into,” he says.

Roger Lloyd, Chief Executive of the Choirs Aotearoa NZ Trust says: “bringing together again the talents of the New Zealand Youth Choir with the NZSO National Youth Orchestra was long overdue. This joint presentation had to feature one of the great works from the choral repertoire and Tippett’s A Child of Our Time perfectly fits the bill. It is a demanding work but I have no doubt that these young musicians will rise to the challenge.”

Salina Fisher will lead the orchestra through Tippett’s great oratorio in her debut performance as Concertmaster of the 2012-13 NZSO National Youth Orchestra.

“I was very surprised and excited when it was announced that I was the new Concertmaster and I feel very honoured. I’m especially looking forward to performing to my hometown,” Fisher says.

Welsh conductor Wyn Davies, who recently led the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra in the Dame Malvina Major Foundation 21st anniversary celebration concert, makes his debut with the NZSO National Youth Orchestra. Davies is the NBR New Zealand Opera Director of Music.

Celebrate the Sound of Tomorrow and support the musical future of our country this spring.

ENDS

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