Free family fun with NZSO at Te Papa

22 October 2013 – NZSO Media Release for immediate release

Free family fun with NZSO at Te Papa

You won’t have heard a symphony like this before! Known for his quirky performances, acclaimed loop artist Adam Page has written his first symphony for the NZSO, MOMENTVM. Audience members – together with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra – will perform its world premiere at Te Papa on Saturday, 30 November.

If you’ve ever wanted to sit in a symphony orchestra, feeling the brute force of the brass, the power of percussion, the subtlety of the strings or the warmth of woodwind instruments, then this could be your moment.

In an extraordinarily rare opportunity, four audience members will not only sit with a section of the orchestra, but get to conduct what that section will play at various moments throughout the three-movement symphony. Each section will have their own designated “sub-conductor” who will sit next to the musicians until directed to stand and hold up numbered cards at random, deciding which music will be played and for how long, influencing the shape of the symphony as a whole.

The entire audience will also have the chance to take part in this interactive event by humming or singing a loop written specifically for them. With the random and yet logical mathematics that is at the very heart of loop music, no two performances will be the same!

The fun will begin at 10:15am with a practical, hands-on workshop exploring musical loops with Adam Page, composer and looper extraordinaire and a handful of NZSO musicians. Entry to the workshop held in the Te Papa Marae is free and no booking is required.

At noon, the symphony concert will get underway in the Wellington Foyer on Level 2 at Te Papa. Alongside talented New Zealand conductor Hamish McKeich, Adam will explain musical loops to the audience by having the NZSO perform excerpts from Ravel’s Bolero and Pachelbel’s Canon in D – well-known music that will be familiar to many. Then, the unique and interactive symphony MOMENTVM will begin, sure to interest and intrigue people of all ages.

This free concert of musical family entertainment is an amazing opportunity to get involved and to experience something new and unpredictable, shored up by the reputations of master looper Adam Page and the world-class NZSO. Join us for this truly unique experience.

The commission and performance of this work was made possible by the Wellington Community Trust.

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To enter the draw for the chance to be part of the action, visit www.nzso.co.nz/concerts/concert/nzso-te-papa and submit an entry. All ages are welcome, and NO musical experience is necessary! Entries close 8 November.

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