APO reaches out to all corners of Auckland

APO reaches out to all corners of Auckland

From the main stage to the markets, Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra has capped off a busy March with exciting performances for music lovers of all ages.

On Saturday 21 March the orchestra performed a spectacular main stage concert of Sir Michael Tippett’s A Child of Our Time, to close the 2015 Auckland Arts Festival. The following day, the award-winning APO Remix the Orchestra programme debuted several new compositions from this year’s intake with a free performance at the Festival’s Family Day. The unique fusion of hip-hop and orchestral music was performed for more than 300 festival-goers, and the Remix the Orchestra programme will culminate in the announcement of the 2015 Remix scholarship recipient next month.

Earlier in the week, APO musicians mentored students at APOPS (APO Partnership Schools) across Auckland and conducted a series of workshops with Auckland Youth Orchestra musicians through its comprehensive APO Connecting programme of education and outreach activities. APO ensembles have also performed at Hobsonville Point Farmers Market each weekend in March.

APO was also pleased to support the international movement ‘Bach in the Subways’ on Saturday 21 March, a worldwide event celebrating the birthday of composer J.S. Bach by offering his music freely to the public. The movement originated in the New York subways in 2010 and has now grown internationally to include 129 cities. This year the APO ensured Auckland was part of the celebrations for the first time, with a quartet of APO Young Achievers performing Bach’s music at Britomart Transport Station.

APO Chief Executive Barbara Glaser says that the past week is a reflection of the orchestra’s commitment to offering a wide range of events that bring diverse peoples and cultures together through music.

“It’s well known that each year we present a full season of symphonic work in our home at the Auckland Town Hall, but equally we recognise our role in coming out of the concert hall, reaching out to the communities and wrapping up our passion for music in a way that speaks to people of all ages and cultures,” Ms Glaser says.

“The past week has been extraordinarily busy, with our musicians constantly shaping their performances to different audiences almost every day, but we are energised by the wonderful responses we have received so far, and look forward to filling the rest of the year with more exciting and vibrant musical offerings.”

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